Brit here. Like and subscribed just for this heart felt rant. I'm a Citroen guy (!), i cant buy a hydraulic suspension car any more. If they brought out a new Xantia Activa, I would be front of the queue!
A very very valid video!! I agree with you 100%. I have a 2006 honda civic that I drive to work that gets 45 mpg. And has 275,000 miles on it. I'm a tried and true pontiac muscle car guy!! Bring back pontiac!!!
Thank you for agreeing with my rant on this one! Can you imagine, with today's tech and engine management, how easy it would be to make a 45+mpg car that's still semi fun to drive? It's been 20 YEARS. If you look up the specs now, a Civic is STILL rated at essentially the exact same MPG. I really really wish I could get ahold of someone at GM and shake some sense into them about bringing back the Pontiac brand, it could be the lynchpin to bringing back fun exciting American cars.
I've said that for years. I'm a huge front wheel drive 4 banger mopar guy. But I remember when the cobalt ss, srt4's and all those cars were huge. Kinda like in the 80s and 90s with the front driver turbo stuff. It's definitely not everyone's cup of tea but I'd definitely agree there's a marker for it
Oh there absolutely is a market for it and I agree with you 100%, it's just we have surrendered that entire market to brands outside the US. We've done this is the past when Japan our auto industry alive when they brought small fuel efficient inexpensive vehicles here in the 70s and 80s, we learned then. Dunno if I can see us learn again now. Wouldn't it be glorious though if we went back to building fun affordable repairable fast little efficient rockets? Tell me they couldn't sell tens of thousands of them.
I wonder what the realistic chances are I could actually just drive up to Detroit and get someone at Ford to talk to me on camera about all this. I'm always down for a road trip!
These cars have SUCH a passionate following! Since getting into them have met sooooo many people who always have stories and smiles for their "old Capri they had". Can't believe Ford would do this :(
Yeah I most definitely hear you there on buying this new stuff. The newest I have is a 15 wrangler with the 3.6. What a great motor by the way. Reminds me of the old 4.0 straight 6's of the day. But yeah this new stuff definitely isn't for me either. And yup I know u got that 2.4 swap coming. Been watching the channel and hoping to see that coming up. Wouldn't mind checking that thing out in person when you're done and maybe that'll gimme some direction on my build on mine. It got pushed in the corner for now. Haha. Yeah it's tough growing up in an era of that fun stuff and being geared towards that and then we get to today and there's absolutely nothing available. I say just keep on keeping on and hoping something comes along. Maybe there's a new generation lee Iacocca coming along shortly to flip the industry on its lid.
I'm old enough to remember when the Capri was introduced over here; about the same year as the Pinto (1971) IIRC...advertised as "The sexy European...at a sensible price...I'm with ya on so many of the new cars they all kinda look the same to me now...
It absolutely WAS exactly what it claimed to be. Sexy European styling, smaller size, available at a sensible price OR optionally up to big money. They looked great, stood out in a crowd, unlike now... especially here in the states where everything is now CUV/SUV they all share the same size and basic styling. Almost nothing stands out.
There's a very valid and important argument to be had about whether it's US refusing to buy cool fun cars that caused this and our obsession with trucks/SUVs, or if it's the other way around.
The worst part about this as consumers, we see and understand this 100%. I'm 40 years old here and enjoy these nimble little machines. Granted I enjoy the rumble of a v8 American machine as well but my heart has always been with these small little machines. Got 2 shelby chargers in the stable now. Working on 1 trying to get it running decent to use as a daily in the decent weather and the other will be a 2.4 srt4 swap. Also hoping to be doing a 2.4 cobalt based kit car in the near near future. There's absolutely a market for the new stuff especially with the crazy geared automatic transmissions anymore. Look at Alison's Dakota build for roadkill. Point proven with that motor right there and the technology we have.
Short of full on refusing to buy all this big heavy inefficient junk they are turning out of the Big 3 and potentially sinking their businesses, what do we do though? There's absolutely NOTHING from any of them that I would buy new. With the POSSIBLE exception of the Mustang, but even that I don't really like compared to what they were in the late 90s early 2000s. We're about the same age, maybe it's just our rosey colored lenses time? Happen to have a GLHS Shelby sitting in the garage at home that's getting a 2.4 Turbo swap done next year as well ;) You bring up a great point on Alison's Dakota, there's certainly potential there, unfortunately until things are unlocked and they can actually push the platform we really never know what's possible. But HOPEFULLY Mopar learned the lessons of 30 years of the 2J ruling the scene and overbuilt the hell out of that thing.
I had a 74 Ford Capri when I was stationed in Germany in the early 90's, I loved that car and almost had it shipped back to the U.S. but I would have had to replace all the windows and the Speedo to bring it up to U.S. Specs and it wasn't worth it IMO at the time, if I had to do it over again I would have done it, it was only going to cost like $2800 but to a single soldier in their teens, $2800 was alot of money back then, it's about $6200 today.
Been thinking same thing on the mopar front. Duster, dart aspen, I'm sure someone has the tooling and build specs. V6 that gets 30+ mpg and respectable power. Plain Jane necessities only. Whoever decides to capture this market first will be a major victory. I'd be willing to guess though that govt has a major influence on what they can or can't do.
I get the government interference situation and mandated efficiency issues and but, I have to think there are better options to get to where we want to be. It's not hard to make a 30+mpg V6, or a 40+mpg 4 cylinder that is ALSO capable of being fun. We have more than enough knowhow. Same thing can be said for wagons versus SUVs/Crossovers. You know how to make it more fuel efficient? Drop it 5 inches to get the wind from under it and don't make it weigh 6,000 pounds!
They are rare indeed which is wild given how many hundreds of thousands they sold over the years here in the US. Unfortunately they weren't particularly well cared for and most rotted back into the elements they were forged from.
Ford did with the Focus ST and the Fiesta ST but for some reason they stopped making them. I think the main reason is the fact that they didn't make any money selling them. They do make money with their trucks and SUV's.
There's no doubt selling $60-$90k SUVs to fat lazy Americans is more profitable and simple than selling $30-50k fun cars, sports cars, and sedans. There's very little if any actual engineering that needs to be involved, they just need to go from point A to point B without breaking down under warranty, and have enough bells and whistles to make people comfortable and distracted. Like the "Chevy SS" they were just never really supported and encouraged properly, also it's an American issue specifically as we have trended towards big vehicles for decades now.
Excellent point! The truck that should have been a Ranger but they made the F150 a "Ranger". Maybe the Design and Naming departments from these companies have just been outsourced to AI or someone throwing darts?
The Dodge Hornet somehow hurts more than the Dodge Spirit and Chrysler Concorde did for me as an AMC guy. At least the other two were cars made in the US not a rebadged Italian disaster of a crossover. This is the third vehicle to wear the Hornet name and the only one I wouldn't want. However, if anyone has a Hornet hatchback they want to give away then I'm your guy!😅
The Dodge Hornet was one that to me made almost no sense at all. What a terrible vehicle and using a great badge and name on... that? You couldn't have just called it ANYTHING else? I've had a line on a REAL Hornet that wants to come live with me but... I already have too many vehicles and projects as it is.
Chrysler/Dodge did the same with the Daytona (3 waaaaay different cars). The Nascar Edition 426/Hemi, the 1980s 2.2L edition, and the latest 2020's edition. None of them have anything alike but the model name and the Dodge name.
Another excellent example, how in the WORLD did we get from big wings and noses on a race car to... what? At least they still burn dyno juice but, come on Mopar!
My understanding is that by putting the Mustang name on the Mach E is it helped the fuel economy CAFE numbers for the whole line of Mustangs. The Mach E is helping to keep the 5.0 alive with carbon credits. Dodge didn’t have an electric vehicles in their line to offset the Hemi. By having a F-150 Electric is helped balance out the 5.0 V8’s. There are many videos on UA-cam that point to the heavy handed ness of the EPA and CAFE that have killed small vehicles. Although I’m sure you don’t like the name the new Maverick pickup trucks have been a huge success for Ford. Old people don’t buy many new cars and most people who remember the Capri name are dead or don’t buy any. GM used to sell a ton of Cavaliers and Sunfires and they have walked away from those. Looked at the hundreds of thousands of Camaros and Firebirds that were sold in 1970’s and 1980’s. Now both the Camaro and Firebird are dead. We used to have the 2 door Beretta or 2 door Z-34 Lumina. I would love to see Pontiac return. I had a 1999 Pontiac Ram Air Trans Am 6 speed that was a lovely car. Unfortunately it seems the American car buyer doesn’t want a smallish car or a manual transmission. You are down on Ford but they are building more passion vehicles like the 5.0 Mustang manual and the Bronco is available with a manual transmission. You can’t even get a new Corvette in a manual anymore.
I would love that mark 1 with a cage...but yeah I give the Maverick a pass because I dig mini trucks and it looks awesome with billets and bagged. And I am with you but I don't think it's the manufacturer but the government restrictions and what they want and want to control instead of allowing auto manufacturers want to do in their own factories...
There DOES seem to be some sort of overarching "grand scheme" to ruin the entire automotive industry all at the same time, and ESPECIALLY for those of us who are enthusiasts!
Had a 2.6 mercury capri 1973 in1989 two cherry bombs straight pipes did 60 mph 1 st gear 90 2nd and never got it over 98 mph front end lifted off ground 2.6 was Germany and Ireland engine we had 2.3 and 2.8 engine in granada capri got 2.8 in 1982 usa git 2.8 in 1974
The problem is that Ford (and all the other brands doing this) aren't approaching it from the perspective of "What do we want from a new Capri?", they are approaching it from the perspective of "We are building a premium priced electric crossover SUV ... what's the most prestige name we can dig up in our history to slap on it?"
My wishes would include bringing back the AMC Javelin. make it smaller, front engine, rear wheel drive roadster. It could be a 2 seater, boosted pentastar with 400hp, 6 speed manual etc. These manufacturers lack creativity.
What's crazy is how stupid simple it would be build something like that out of parts bin parts the old AMC way. Take almost all the bits out of a challenger, a low boost turbo on a 4 or 6 they already have, or even better yet make and AMX version with the new twin turbo I6 they are making.
It’s not all great here in Europe, everything is taxed and regulated by emissions. Even what you call small cars are now weighing nearly 2000Kg and costing a fortune. I did read this morning that Volvo are backtracking on their plan to only make EVs by 2030 as the market has declined.
Oh I completely understand that, the EU is all about taxing and regulations, often to the detriment of the consumer. As we add all kinds of unnecessary options and "safety" equipment they have gotten bigger and heavier. I would LOVE to see Volvo backtrack that move and they are more than capable of it, with their extensive experience with super charging, turbo charging, and even twincharging they have all the development work they could need to keep ICE going. Also they tend to be a lot less "gadget" driven. I've been a Volvo guy since I could walk so I would be more than happy to see a 1800 Coupe or Wagon come back!
Exactly you don't need that big suv if you don't have a big family. Why not go back to sumplcy and build a good small 4 door car with a somewhat fast engine
Jaguar is another one that's a crazy situation, it took Jag leaving the UK to start building good desirable fun sports cars again. And I BELIEVE, MG is now owned by China?
@AutomotiveAdventuresWithAustin The MG name now lives in China and only makes electric cars. In my mind a brand name should not be sold on, it should just finish so it can be remembered for what it was.
My wife and I share a 1973 Capri, it's not stock in any stretch of imagination, 302ci, V8, T5 transmission, 9"Ford Rear end with a 3.89 rear gear. You couldn't pay me to drive that new piles of crap. We've owned 9 or so Capris, from MY72 to MY76. The one we own now is the best we'll own, 'till the day we die...
Sounds like a fantastic car you've created out of the Capri! AND even with an aggressive rear gear you probably get reasonably decent fuel economy in that thing even with a carb and no variable timing/cams. HIGHLY tempting to build a modern powered Capri... unfortunately already have far too many projects sitting around here.
It was still a Ford Capri here in the states, just sold at Mercury dealerships. It didn't become a Mercury Capri until the 3rd generation when it was a rebadged Foxbody Mustang. It's... complicated
I too love smaller sporty cars but………..nobody wants them. A good friend of mine works for a dealer group that owns seven dealerships. He says their ford dealerships can’t sell Mustangs. They sit there. The SUVs sell like crazy. The public wants SUVs not cars. Honda sells more SUVs than cars. Those of us who like sporty cars are a small portion of the market place. The public wants what they want.
Ahhh yes the Maverick that's a Ranger, but the Ranger was already the new F150. What's even crazier with the name plate issue on those is how CRAZY they can get in price!? A $50k+ Ford Maverick!? It's an entry level truck!
American car makers have just given up and they've been very successful in making most car buyers give up. About the time they started to get the Fiaro figured out they quit. Chevy quit on both the Monza and Cavalier. Hell they added too much weight to the Camaro took it off the market and came back with a mostly OK car. They put so much focus on the Corvette and the high dollar customer and forgot the actual car enthusiast. Chrysler put so much power under the hood of the Charger and Challenger I feel they're useless on the twisty parts. In the last 4 years I have seen only one Challenger on a road course and that was last weekend and he was almost at the very back of the field. Yes my daily driver is not a small car but a minivan but most of the year it is set up as a camper during racing season as I am a corner Marshall for SCCA and other events. I also have a 2018 Mazda 3 and a 1980 Triumph Spitfire.
Aaaaaamen to that! Loved those trucks, especially as a Syclone owner I've always been a fan of 90s fast trucks. Then to have to come out as a battery pack on wheels... very upsetting. Although at least lightning and electricity make sense together.
Going to the Mustang 5hats not a Mustang I always thought they should have called it the Bronco E with the E looking the reverse of a 3 so they could have that garbage looking Bronco 3 and a Bronco E out at the same time. No they don't look anything alike but does that make any less logical than the non Mustang being one?
Ford can keep their garbage. Didn`t Ford learn with the Lightning or the Mach e? Nope. There is no such thing as an affordable car anymore. EV`s are a dumpster fire, literally.
I just straight up do NOT understand the thinking in the R&D and Marketing departments these days. And "The Government Made Us Do It" isn't a valid excuse. It's infuriating where the industry has gone in the last 20+ years!
Government restrictions and regulations. They'll allow the importing of the "fun cars" but restrict our manufacturers to EV and very ugly designs. UAW president needs to be fired for not standing against this crap. All those workers will be laid off in the coming years because of this garbage.
Ohhhhh especially the "Bronco Sport"! Hadn't even thought of that, excellent point! I don't HATE the new full Bronco but I DO hate the prices they are going for and that they are basically just expensive pavement princesses now.
@@AutomotiveAdventuresWithAustin I’m a 4x guy , those broncos are weak . At least put it on a real frame and give it some good axles and a coyote motor . I mean if you want IFS in the front than so be it but give it at least something like an 8.8 rear . It don’t look terrible but it’s just not a true 4x4 imo .
PLEASE!!! It's like the whole American car industry has just decided all we get are mom and dad SUVs and Trucks and build absolutely nothing for the normal or enthusiast drivers anymore. Unless you want a Mustang, or a Corvette.
Brit here. Like and subscribed just for this heart felt rant. I'm a Citroen guy (!), i cant buy a hydraulic suspension car any more. If they brought out a new Xantia Activa, I would be front of the queue!
A very very valid video!! I agree with you 100%. I have a 2006 honda civic that I drive to work that gets 45 mpg. And has 275,000 miles on it. I'm a tried and true pontiac muscle car guy!! Bring back pontiac!!!
Thank you for agreeing with my rant on this one! Can you imagine, with today's tech and engine management, how easy it would be to make a 45+mpg car that's still semi fun to drive? It's been 20 YEARS. If you look up the specs now, a Civic is STILL rated at essentially the exact same MPG.
I really really wish I could get ahold of someone at GM and shake some sense into them about bringing back the Pontiac brand, it could be the lynchpin to bringing back fun exciting American cars.
You are spot on Austin!
Thank you! I doubt it'll make a lick of difference in this wide wonderful world, but at least I'm on record saying it!
@AutomotiveAdventuresWithAustin perhaps, but maybe if enough of us say it, it might. Remember, there if strength in numbers.
I've said that for years. I'm a huge front wheel drive 4 banger mopar guy. But I remember when the cobalt ss, srt4's and all those cars were huge. Kinda like in the 80s and 90s with the front driver turbo stuff. It's definitely not everyone's cup of tea but I'd definitely agree there's a marker for it
Oh there absolutely is a market for it and I agree with you 100%, it's just we have surrendered that entire market to brands outside the US. We've done this is the past when Japan our auto industry alive when they brought small fuel efficient inexpensive vehicles here in the 70s and 80s, we learned then. Dunno if I can see us learn again now.
Wouldn't it be glorious though if we went back to building fun affordable repairable fast little efficient rockets? Tell me they couldn't sell tens of thousands of them.
WAY BACK IN 1973 I HAD A V64 SPEED CAPRI. FUN CAR
Reallllly hoping to eventually get our V6 Capri race car done in time to enjoy it some next year! It should be a ton of fun!
Love you, Austin! We need to show up to the manufacturers in a suit and ask them why!
I wonder what the realistic chances are I could actually just drive up to Detroit and get someone at Ford to talk to me on camera about all this. I'm always down for a road trip!
Preach it brother!!!
I feel like I need to build an actual Soap Box to preach from with some of these videos I make
My first car was a 76 Capri loved it
These cars have SUCH a passionate following! Since getting into them have met sooooo many people who always have stories and smiles for their "old Capri they had". Can't believe Ford would do this :(
Yeah I most definitely hear you there on buying this new stuff. The newest I have is a 15 wrangler with the 3.6. What a great motor by the way. Reminds me of the old 4.0 straight 6's of the day. But yeah this new stuff definitely isn't for me either. And yup I know u got that 2.4 swap coming. Been watching the channel and hoping to see that coming up. Wouldn't mind checking that thing out in person when you're done and maybe that'll gimme some direction on my build on mine. It got pushed in the corner for now. Haha. Yeah it's tough growing up in an era of that fun stuff and being geared towards that and then we get to today and there's absolutely nothing available. I say just keep on keeping on and hoping something comes along. Maybe there's a new generation lee Iacocca coming along shortly to flip the industry on its lid.
I'm old enough to remember when the Capri was introduced over here; about the same year as the Pinto (1971) IIRC...advertised as "The sexy European...at a sensible price...I'm with ya on so many of the new cars they all kinda look the same to me now...
It absolutely WAS exactly what it claimed to be. Sexy European styling, smaller size, available at a sensible price OR optionally up to big money. They looked great, stood out in a crowd, unlike now... especially here in the states where everything is now CUV/SUV they all share the same size and basic styling. Almost nothing stands out.
In 2024 fun has, apparently, been legislated out of existence
There's a very valid and important argument to be had about whether it's US refusing to buy cool fun cars that caused this and our obsession with trucks/SUVs, or if it's the other way around.
The worst part about this as consumers, we see and understand this 100%. I'm 40 years old here and enjoy these nimble little machines. Granted I enjoy the rumble of a v8 American machine as well but my heart has always been with these small little machines. Got 2 shelby chargers in the stable now. Working on 1 trying to get it running decent to use as a daily in the decent weather and the other will be a 2.4 srt4 swap. Also hoping to be doing a 2.4 cobalt based kit car in the near near future. There's absolutely a market for the new stuff especially with the crazy geared automatic transmissions anymore. Look at Alison's Dakota build for roadkill. Point proven with that motor right there and the technology we have.
Short of full on refusing to buy all this big heavy inefficient junk they are turning out of the Big 3 and potentially sinking their businesses, what do we do though? There's absolutely NOTHING from any of them that I would buy new. With the POSSIBLE exception of the Mustang, but even that I don't really like compared to what they were in the late 90s early 2000s. We're about the same age, maybe it's just our rosey colored lenses time?
Happen to have a GLHS Shelby sitting in the garage at home that's getting a 2.4 Turbo swap done next year as well ;) You bring up a great point on Alison's Dakota, there's certainly potential there, unfortunately until things are unlocked and they can actually push the platform we really never know what's possible. But HOPEFULLY Mopar learned the lessons of 30 years of the 2J ruling the scene and overbuilt the hell out of that thing.
I had a 74 Ford Capri when I was stationed in Germany in the early 90's, I loved that car and almost had it shipped back to the U.S. but I would have had to replace all the windows and the Speedo to bring it up to U.S. Specs and it wasn't worth it IMO at the time, if I had to do it over again I would have done it, it was only going to cost like $2800 but to a single soldier in their teens, $2800 was alot of money back then, it's about $6200 today.
I also commuted 84 miles 1 way, I could afford it and it was fun to drive!
Been thinking same thing on the mopar front. Duster, dart aspen, I'm sure someone has the tooling and build specs. V6 that gets 30+ mpg and respectable power. Plain Jane necessities only. Whoever decides to capture this market first will be a major victory. I'd be willing to guess though that govt has a major influence on what they can or can't do.
I get the government interference situation and mandated efficiency issues and but, I have to think there are better options to get to where we want to be. It's not hard to make a 30+mpg V6, or a 40+mpg 4 cylinder that is ALSO capable of being fun. We have more than enough knowhow.
Same thing can be said for wagons versus SUVs/Crossovers. You know how to make it more fuel efficient? Drop it 5 inches to get the wind from under it and don't make it weigh 6,000 pounds!
Holly crap I had an 74 ford capri, they are very rare for the us
They are rare indeed which is wild given how many hundreds of thousands they sold over the years here in the US. Unfortunately they weren't particularly well cared for and most rotted back into the elements they were forged from.
I could not agree more! That's why I'm building my V8 S10. It will be something I can enjoy.
Ford did with the Focus ST and the Fiesta ST but for some reason they stopped making them. I think the main reason is the fact that they didn't make any money selling them. They do make money with their trucks and SUV's.
There's no doubt selling $60-$90k SUVs to fat lazy Americans is more profitable and simple than selling $30-50k fun cars, sports cars, and sedans. There's very little if any actual engineering that needs to be involved, they just need to go from point A to point B without breaking down under warranty, and have enough bells and whistles to make people comfortable and distracted.
Like the "Chevy SS" they were just never really supported and encouraged properly, also it's an American issue specifically as we have trended towards big vehicles for decades now.
I’m not a ford guy by no means. But I always liked the capri. 👍👍
My 200 civic si made 180 hp and got 30 mpg, That is what I will buy as a new car!
EXACTLY! It doesn't need to make 500 horsepower for it to be fun! And think of how far engine tech and tuning has come since your Si?
Look what they did to the Ford maverick name!
Excellent point! The truck that should have been a Ranger but they made the F150 a "Ranger". Maybe the Design and Naming departments from these companies have just been outsourced to AI or someone throwing darts?
The Dodge Hornet somehow hurts more than the Dodge Spirit and Chrysler Concorde did for me as an AMC guy. At least the other two were cars made in the US not a rebadged Italian disaster of a crossover. This is the third vehicle to wear the Hornet name and the only one I wouldn't want. However, if anyone has a Hornet hatchback they want to give away then I'm your guy!😅
The Dodge Hornet was one that to me made almost no sense at all. What a terrible vehicle and using a great badge and name on... that? You couldn't have just called it ANYTHING else? I've had a line on a REAL Hornet that wants to come live with me but... I already have too many vehicles and projects as it is.
Chrysler/Dodge did the same with the Daytona (3 waaaaay different cars).
The Nascar Edition 426/Hemi, the 1980s 2.2L edition, and the latest 2020's edition. None of them have anything alike but the model name and the Dodge name.
Another excellent example, how in the WORLD did we get from big wings and noses on a race car to... what? At least they still burn dyno juice but, come on Mopar!
My understanding is that by putting the Mustang name on the Mach E is it helped the fuel economy CAFE numbers for the whole line of Mustangs. The Mach E is helping to keep the 5.0 alive with carbon credits. Dodge didn’t have an electric vehicles in their line to offset the Hemi. By having a F-150 Electric is helped balance out the 5.0 V8’s. There are many videos on UA-cam that point to the heavy handed ness of the EPA and CAFE that have killed small vehicles. Although I’m sure you don’t like the name the new Maverick pickup trucks have been a huge success for Ford. Old people don’t buy many new cars and most people who remember the Capri name are dead or don’t buy any. GM used to sell a ton of Cavaliers and Sunfires and they have walked away from those. Looked at the hundreds of thousands of Camaros and Firebirds that were sold in 1970’s and 1980’s. Now both the Camaro and Firebird are dead. We used to have the 2 door Beretta or 2 door Z-34 Lumina. I would love to see Pontiac return. I had a 1999 Pontiac Ram Air Trans Am 6 speed that was a lovely car. Unfortunately it seems the American car buyer doesn’t want a smallish car or a manual transmission. You are down on Ford but they are building more passion vehicles like the 5.0 Mustang manual and the Bronco is available with a manual transmission. You can’t even get a new Corvette in a manual anymore.
I would love that mark 1 with a cage...but yeah I give the Maverick a pass because I dig mini trucks and it looks awesome with billets and bagged. And I am with you but I don't think it's the manufacturer but the government restrictions and what they want and want to control instead of allowing auto manufacturers want to do in their own factories...
It’s like some of these car companies are tanking business on purpose.
There DOES seem to be some sort of overarching "grand scheme" to ruin the entire automotive industry all at the same time, and ESPECIALLY for those of us who are enthusiasts!
Had a 2.6 mercury capri 1973 in1989 two cherry bombs straight pipes did 60 mph 1 st gear 90 2nd and never got it over 98 mph front end lifted off ground 2.6 was Germany and Ireland engine we had 2.3 and 2.8 engine in granada capri got 2.8 in 1982 usa git 2.8 in 1974
The problem is that Ford (and all the other brands doing this) aren't approaching it from the perspective of "What do we want from a new Capri?", they are approaching it from the perspective of "We are building a premium priced electric crossover SUV ... what's the most prestige name we can dig up in our history to slap on it?"
My wishes would include bringing back the AMC Javelin. make it smaller, front engine, rear wheel drive roadster. It could be a 2 seater, boosted pentastar with 400hp, 6 speed manual etc. These manufacturers lack creativity.
What's crazy is how stupid simple it would be build something like that out of parts bin parts the old AMC way. Take almost all the bits out of a challenger, a low boost turbo on a 4 or 6 they already have, or even better yet make and AMX version with the new twin turbo I6 they are making.
It’s not all great here in Europe, everything is taxed and regulated by emissions. Even what you call small cars are now weighing nearly 2000Kg and costing a fortune. I did read this morning that Volvo are backtracking on their plan to only make EVs by 2030 as the market has declined.
Oh I completely understand that, the EU is all about taxing and regulations, often to the detriment of the consumer. As we add all kinds of unnecessary options and "safety" equipment they have gotten bigger and heavier.
I would LOVE to see Volvo backtrack that move and they are more than capable of it, with their extensive experience with super charging, turbo charging, and even twincharging they have all the development work they could need to keep ICE going. Also they tend to be a lot less "gadget" driven. I've been a Volvo guy since I could walk so I would be more than happy to see a 1800 Coupe or Wagon come back!
Look what they did to the eMustang namesake. 🤦♂️ 1:10
I wouldn't have hated that creation NEARLY as much if they hadn't desperately tried to relate it to the Mustang.
Exactly you don't need that big suv if you don't have a big family. Why not go back to sumplcy and build a good small 4 door car with a somewhat fast engine
Jaguar over here in the UK no longer manufacture a sports car, so sad
Jaguar is another one that's a crazy situation, it took Jag leaving the UK to start building good desirable fun sports cars again. And I BELIEVE, MG is now owned by China?
@AutomotiveAdventuresWithAustin The MG name now lives in China and only makes electric cars. In my mind a brand name should not be sold on, it should just finish so it can be remembered for what it was.
My wife and I share a 1973 Capri, it's not stock in any stretch of imagination, 302ci, V8,
T5 transmission, 9"Ford Rear end with a 3.89 rear gear. You couldn't pay me to drive that
new piles of crap. We've owned 9 or so Capris, from MY72 to MY76. The one we own now
is the best we'll own, 'till the day we die...
Sounds like a fantastic car you've created out of the Capri! AND even with an aggressive rear gear you probably get reasonably decent fuel economy in that thing even with a carb and no variable timing/cams.
HIGHLY tempting to build a modern powered Capri... unfortunately already have far too many projects sitting around here.
Look at old Puna and new one in uk
Why not just call it a Pinto and get it over with already.
I'm fine with that! Unfortunately most folks don't have a very... positive memory or image of the Pinto nameplate.
It would explode! LOL
I thought the MK Ford Capri in ROW became the Mercury Capri in US/CAN...
and 'our' Mk2 is a Capri, the USA got a different 'II'.
It was still a Ford Capri here in the states, just sold at Mercury dealerships. It didn't become a Mercury Capri until the 3rd generation when it was a rebadged Foxbody Mustang.
It's... complicated
@@AutomotiveAdventuresWithAustin ah, 3 not 2, I know better now ;-) [ knew it was 'stang somehow ]
That's mercury Capri. The German 2000cc engine made before 1974 was 10.25/1 compression.
I too love smaller sporty cars but………..nobody wants them. A good friend of mine works for a dealer group that owns seven dealerships. He says their ford dealerships can’t sell Mustangs. They sit there. The SUVs sell like crazy. The public wants SUVs not cars. Honda sells more SUVs than cars. Those of us who like sporty cars are a small portion of the market place. The public wants what they want.
BOO, BOO!
Austin Ford also did it to the maverick now maverick is a want to be truck
Ahhh yes the Maverick that's a Ranger, but the Ranger was already the new F150.
What's even crazier with the name plate issue on those is how CRAZY they can get in price!? A $50k+ Ford Maverick!? It's an entry level truck!
American car makers have just given up and they've been very successful in making most car buyers give up. About the time they started to get the Fiaro figured out they quit. Chevy quit on both the Monza and Cavalier. Hell they added too much weight to the Camaro took it off the market and came back with a mostly OK car. They put so much focus on the Corvette and the high dollar customer and forgot the actual car enthusiast. Chrysler put so much power under the hood of the Charger and Challenger I feel they're useless on the twisty parts. In the last 4 years I have seen only one Challenger on a road course and that was last weekend and he was almost at the very back of the field. Yes my daily driver is not a small car but a minivan but most of the year it is set up as a camper during racing season as I am a corner Marshall for SCCA and other events. I also have a 2018 Mazda 3 and a 1980 Triumph Spitfire.
Find out who it is and fire them. Go Austin. 😂😂
Lemme at 'em! Maybe I just need to go work for one of the Big 3 and revamp the entire industry. I wonder if they are hiring! ;)
F150 Lightning the muscle truck of the 90s not an electric rc truck of now
Aaaaaamen to that! Loved those trucks, especially as a Syclone owner I've always been a fan of 90s fast trucks. Then to have to come out as a battery pack on wheels... very upsetting. Although at least lightning and electricity make sense together.
Going to the Mustang 5hats not a Mustang I always thought they should have called it the Bronco E with the E looking the reverse of a 3 so they could have that garbage looking Bronco 3 and a Bronco E out at the same time. No they don't look anything alike but does that make any less logical than the non Mustang being one?
I want what you what! I will not buy an ev, not happening, ever!
Disgusting. I didn't know the Eclipse which is the most famous car of the 2000's was turned into a crap box. Ford we do not want big ugly crap boxes.
Yep that one hurt for sure, as a long time DSM owner and fan, I couldn't believe they would turn such a legendary name plate into... that thing
Ford can keep their garbage. Didn`t Ford learn with the Lightning or the Mach e? Nope. There is no such thing as an affordable car anymore. EV`s are a dumpster fire, literally.
I just straight up do NOT understand the thinking in the R&D and Marketing departments these days. And "The Government Made Us Do It" isn't a valid excuse. It's infuriating where the industry has gone in the last 20+ years!
So you want me to believe that a 4-cylinder Honda Ridgeline wannabe Ford Maverick doesn't excite you? I call BS my friend.
Government restrictions and regulations. They'll allow the importing of the "fun cars" but restrict our manufacturers to EV and very ugly designs. UAW president needs to be fired for not standing against this crap. All those workers will be laid off in the coming years because of this garbage.
Look how ford butchered the Bronco . Let’s put a Bronco ish looking body on a car …
Ohhhhh especially the "Bronco Sport"! Hadn't even thought of that, excellent point! I don't HATE the new full Bronco but I DO hate the prices they are going for and that they are basically just expensive pavement princesses now.
@@AutomotiveAdventuresWithAustin I’m a 4x guy , those broncos are weak . At least put it on a real frame and give it some good axles and a coyote motor . I mean if you want IFS in the front than so be it but give it at least something like an 8.8 rear . It don’t look terrible but it’s just not a true 4x4 imo .
Listen up @ford @chevrolet @generalmotors...
We need simple cars from the regular guy
PLEASE!!! It's like the whole American car industry has just decided all we get are mom and dad SUVs and Trucks and build absolutely nothing for the normal or enthusiast drivers anymore. Unless you want a Mustang, or a Corvette.
accountants run the car industry not car guys
Unfortunately that's pretty damn accurate, the pursuit of the allmighty dollar.
I have conversations with my self several times a day. I am by own best friend 🐶
Nothing wrong with that at all, at least as long as you mostly come to an agreement! ;)