It wasn’t that long ago that Europe didn’t have a Mustang at all. Sure you could have imported one, but from the factory Ford Europe always decided the Mustang didn’t have a home here. It was too big and too thirsty, so Ford tried to Europeanise the Mustang formula with varying success.
The Capri was the first and arguably best attempt at this. The Capri used the same formula as the mustang, taking the base of the uber-popular Ford Cortina and sticking a fastback Bodystyle on it. Instead of the firebreathing V8, there was a choice of engines, the top of which was the 3.0l and 3.1l Essex V6s. After the Probe failed to replace the Mustang over in the US Ford used it to replace the Capri here. The Probe never really did that well, and neither did its successor, the Cougar which was killed off after just 15,000 units.
Ford didn’t have another go after that other than a smattering of concepts. The UK Coupe buyer of the 2000s was firmly loyal to German luxury brands, and thanks to financing could afford the premiums.
But in 2015 Ford spotted that the European market had an itch for an American V8, and so shipped off the new Mustang, complete with fully independent suspension. It was a success, and now, after the “Mustang” Mach-e, Ford has decided that Europe want some more of the American lifestyle and has brought it with the California Special.
The original Califonia Special (C/S) was originally developed for Californian dealerships who had seen huge success with the Mustang and wanted a limited run car for their region. They were inspired by a Shelby prototype and had a whole host of visual changes to make them different from the standard car. Ford has since revived the C/S no less than 3 times, making it a trim level in the US for 2016.
The car is only available as a convertible in Europe, with the V8 being coupled with either a 6-speed manual or the 10 speed automatic, which can earn you a couple of tenths on the 0-60. I wouldn’t bother with that, as you wouldn’t be going for the California Special for a lap time monster. No, this is probably best enjoyed with the 3 pedal set up, as a car you can set in fifth with the top down cruising down the motorway on a hot summer’s day. Occasionally you may drop a couple of cogs to hear that thundering V8 sing, or to tear past a fiesta parked in front of you at 60. Either way, I think the manual fits in more with this trim of the car, laid back but in control.
It starts at £52,105, which I would say is a fair price when the standard GT convertible would be at the lower end of £50,000.
I’m quite looking forward to this and hoping it does well. I think Ford Missed a trick by only offering it as a Soft Top as the coupe is a lot more common in Britain from what I could see. Maybe this is a way of pushing out all the RHD Convertibles, who knows?
All I know is that Ford has made a damn fine looking convertible.
Photo credit:
p&pphoto
Ford
Published in New and Noteworthy
lovely
Pretty nice