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More than 50 years have passed since then Ford launched the legendary Capri, now is a good time to look back at one of the most successful versions of the model. The Ford Capri 280 Brooklands was a truly special mileage model and arguably the best version of the Capri ever made, and a fitting swansong.
The Capri Mk 3 was introduced in 1978 and built on the strengths of the next two generations of the vehicle. Visually, the Mk3 model was the most sporty and aggressive to date. Up front, the car featured a new four-headlight configuration and an overhanging hood. Other changes include new bumpers, revised front fenders and an upgraded interior. The fast coupe design was relatively unrivaled in the European market and contributed significantly to the Capri’s success. Ultimately, however, the expansion of the hot hatch market would lead to the Capri’s demise. Here are 8 things everyone forgot about the Ford Capri 280 Brooklands.
9/9 Brooklands was built to mark the end of Capri production
Ford discontinued the Capri in 1986, the 280 being the last model to roll off the production line. The car was created by Ford designer Philip Clark, who was also responsible for the styling of the Ford Mustang.
Ford’s Special Vehicle Engineering Group (SVE) developed the car, and many of the performance and handling features came from the Capri’s racing success.
8/9 This is a rare vehicle
The Capri was a best-selling model for Ford, with a production run of around 1.9 million cars. Impressively, in the first two years that the car was on the market, approximately 400,000 of these cars were produced.
As an exclusive version, only 1,038 examples of the car were ever produced, making it very rare on the road today.
7/9 Values are on the rise
The affordable purchase price was arguably a big factor in the Capri’s popularity. Ford marketed the Capri as “the car you always wanted”, and this slogan became strongly associated with the model.
In recent years, interest and demand for classic Ford models such as the Capri, Escort and even the Fiesta have increased significantly. As a result, the value of cars in any situation has increased significantly. The Brooklands 280, a special edition model, is no exception and prices have continued to rise in recent years. According to Hagerty UK, buyers looking for an example in concours condition could expect to pay around £37,000, equivalent to $42,366 at today’s exchange rate.
6/9 The Mustang strongly influenced the Capri
Launched in late 1964, the now legendary Ford Mustang was a true revelation. Under the skin, the car was essentially a Ford Falcon, but the Mustang’s sleek and desirable design was worlds apart. The car had a huge impact and was used in many films of the time, helping it become a cultural icon.
Ford concluded that a similar car would perform well in the European market. The Capri was released in 1969 and had obvious similarities to the Mustang. The comfortable two-door design, powerful engine selection and affordable purchase price that made the Mustang famous were successfully replicated.
5/9 The name has a colored link
The Capri 280 Brooklands takes its name from the stunning ‘Brooklands Green’ color that covers the body of the car. Dark green was the only color option available and as a result the Capri 280 became colloquially known as the “Brookland”.
The Capri 280 was only sold to British customers, so it made sense that the car was painted in a heritage colour. Brooklands Green is a variation of the British Racing Green, named after the Brooklands racecourse and airfield in Surrey, England. The chain is no longer complete, but much of the original banking remains. Today, the site has been converted into a motor and aviation museum, and Mercedes has created its flagship Mercedes-Benz World showroom next to it.
4/9 The car came fully loaded
3/9 
Being a festive end-of-production special, the Brooklands Capri was exceptionally well equipped. Inside, the car features sporty and stylish Recaro seats, a limited-slip differential, six dials on the dashboard and extensive use of gray leather.
On the outside, apart from the iconic color, the car has large 15-inch 7-spoke alloy wheels and a characteristic red and white stripe.
2/9 The engine gave excellent performance
Under the hood of the Capri 280 lies a powerful 162-horsepower 2.8-liter V6. The unit provided enough punch to propel the 280 from 0-60 mph in just 7.9 seconds, before continuing on to a top speed of 130 mph.
The injection engine and 5-speed manual transmission were a great combination, making the 280 a true driver-focused car.
1/9 Corrosion can be fatal
As far as classic cars of the era go, the Capri is a relatively easy car to maintain and maintain. Underneath, most of the mechanicals are the same as the regular Ford Cortina, which means parts are fairly widely available.
One particular concern, however, is the Capri’s susceptibility to corrosion. Potential buyers should thoroughly inspect the car’s undercarriage and pay special attention to the wheel wells and around the headlights. Body panels can be quite expensive, so it’s important to look for an example in the best possible condition. Using a good quality base seal can be beneficial as the UK’s wet and salty winter roads have been quite harsh over the life of the car.
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