*The Beatles
The 2018 Mustang engine and gearbox in a lightweight super-sport chassis all tuned up. They could easily do it, kinda like the TVR, but less ugly.
Yeah but lets face it people like us have great ideas but it seems like Ford and other manufacturers are not interested, maybe they feel their is not the customer base or they are already happy with sales and as such no need to further progress.
Another example, though BMW have kind of done this now with the M2, but I've being saying for a while with all the chassis improvements, damper technology improvements and engine improvements why has a company like BMW not gone back to the E46 chassis and a built a new M car based on that or a similar sized chassis, with a modern engine, with modern suspension and I've being saying this for a while, but in fairness to BMW they have now pretty much done this with the M2 and the upcoming M2 CS, though its still 1500kg.
But back to Ford the problem is any kind of cool car they make, they won't because it would either take sales from Mustang or Focus RS and I think they feel with those two they are selling enough. But just as an idea Ford could design a new car/chassis up that was sized say between the Focus and Mustang, aka Capri and offer following:
- 2.3l EB with 330PS and RWD with a target weight of 1450kg (Mountune upto 370PS) - £34,950 base price
- V6 Twin turbo AWD with 500PS with target weight of 1600kg (Mountune upto 550-600PS) - £44,950 base price
- V8 Coyote gen3 with 444PS and RWD with a target weight of 1500kg (Mountune upto 500PS) - £41,950 base price
In short a slightly smaller Mustang, wearing Capri badge with full on EU styling with a very sleek body design, but have 3 models above to cater for all customer and they would all be seriously quick cars but with different sound and driving dynamics.
Then Ford could keep the Mustang but remove the weaker EU styling they are currently doing to it and keep it more muscular.
I think the issue is Mustang is a guaranteed win, its a brand name in itself, its one of history's most iconic cars and it can sell world wide and be a massive hit, as Ford have now proven.
Problem with a new from the ground build up like the Capri idea above, the cost in resource, R&D would be mind boggling and if the target market is only UK/EU then Ford probably find it not so tempting because their goal now is that of a much more global brand hence Mustangs in Europe and Focus RS in USA.
I am sure a Capri with the above specifications would be a hit, maybe even just exclude the V8 idea from the lineup to protect the Mustang and maybe for the EU do a Mustang RS which has a slightly tuned V8 Coyote, better factory suspension and some mild weight reduction.
