Ford Capri RS

Like all other Ford cars granted the RS (Rallye Sport) title, the Capri RS didn't fool around on a race track. 5 years after the release of the Mustang in the US, Ford introduced a scaled down version for European consumption in the form of the all new Capri. Represented here by the #872 brown Kent Capri, the early models dominated the ETCC. With a 2.6Litre Ford V8, light weight, and decent brakes, it handled without surprises. Suspension is short and stiff, so avoid large curbs. A live rear axle means one needs to watch how the power is applied, but get the car pointed in the right direction with a little lift off, and put down the power. In 1974, the ETCC changed some rules, and Ford had to upgrade the Capri to compete with the new BMW CSL entries. A new 3.4 Litre quad cam Ford V6 was stuffed under the hood, upgrading the power from 310 to 440 horsepower. Aerodynamics was improved, and wider fenders contained wider front and rear tyres. Weight bias was improved by moving the radiators from the front to the rear wheel arches. The changes combined to make for an awesome machine. The aero and engine changes meant this car picks up speed at a mind boggling pace. Good brakes and down force mean you can be a little adventurous in the braking zone and corner entry. Get the car turned into the apex, and slam the throttle down using all of its 9000 RPMs, as the car squats nicely under power delivery. - Jerry Chen