My Ford Capri has been many things over the 2 years I’ve owned it so far: a daily driver, a GT car, a track car, a band van, reliable, comfortable and, above all, heaps of fun. It was my first car and has every chance to be my last. I took my driving test in it, and it’s been all over the continent with me as well as driving some of the most famous tracks ever built.
Cars run (or sometimes don’t) in my family, and I’ve always loved them since I was little, so it was a very difficult process picking out which was to be my first one. I looked at Porsche 924s, Saab 900s and many more, but eventually settled on my bright red 1987 Ford Capri 2.0 Laser. It felt like my birthday going to pick it up, and since then it’s hardly left my side. Learning to drive in it proved challenging at first, but the knack came decently quickly, and I passed my test in it first try.
After that, I didn’t wait long to put my newfound freedom to use, taking it on a trip to the Le Mans Classic the next summer. It performed unbelievably well, keeping pace with Lotuses and a TVR on the motorway no problem, and then lapping the Le Mans circuit shortly after. A year later, I took it to the Spa Classic via Germany, where I drove the Nurburgring and then eventually Spa as well when we arrived. Despite the heat, maniacs on track, pushing it to the limit, and constant long-distance driving, it returned to England with zero issues, and I had immense fun doing it.
The car itself is the perfect blend of simplicity and fun gimmicks. Mechanically, the 2-litre inline 4-cylinder engine and the 5-speed gearbox are just about the only moving parts, meaning (thankfully) there’s very little to go wrong. Inside, the sofa-like cloth seats provide ample comfort and the mod-cons of the tilt-slide sunroof and the cassette player stereo with electric aerial are much appreciated.
My Capri has been the best car I could possibly ask for; the perfect all-rounder. It goes to show that even if a car may seem wildly impractical or be perceived as unreliable, as long as it’s taken care of and used, it can do amazing things.