Junkyard Find: 1992 Mercury Capri
Imagine it’s 1992 and you’re shopping for a sporty convertible: Do you get an Australian-built front-wheel-drive Mazda based on the 323 … or do you get a Miata?
Exactly.
As a result, the 1991-1994 Mercury Capri wasn’t a big seller in the United States, but I still see about as many of them in wrecking yards as I do Ford Capris (sold by Lincoln-Mercury dealers in the USA but not badged as Mercurys) and Mustang-sibling Fox Capris these days.
Under the hood, pretty much the same engine as the Miata, but flipped sideways. From what we’ve seen in the 24 Hours of LeMons, a well-driven Capri will get around a race track just about as quickly as its very distant Miata cousin (but a Miata with an ordinary driver will run away from a Capri with an ordinary driver).
It took a while for 1980s-style graphics to disappear from the flanks of cars.
Made in Australia!
Overseas, they can’t wait to get their hands on one. Can you?
Imagine being a Lincoln-Mercury salesperson during a brutal recession and having to sit through about 19 hours of these training videos. Third prize, you’re fired!
Murilee Martin is the pen name of Phil Greden, a writer who has lived in Minnesota, California, Georgia and (now) Colorado. He has toiled at copywriting, technical writing, junkmail writing, fiction writing and now automotive writing. He has owned many terrible vehicles and some good ones. He spends a great deal of time in self-service junkyards. These days, he writes for publications including Autoweek, Autoblog, Hagerty, The Truth About Cars and Capital One.
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I had one of these for about 7 years/100k miles. Despite only twice-a-year Jiffy Lube maintenance, nothing went wrong except a snapped window cable which I replaced for $10 from Orchard Supply. It was much roomier than a Miata; the vestigial back seat was usable at a pinch and allowed the fronts to almost fully recline for camping. The roof packed completely into the body shell for a clean look, and when raised allowed a pass through for things like skis (yes, I took it both skiing and camping).
An older empty nest couple had one of these in my parents neighborhood growing up, teal green with a white top, I always liked it, and thought it was neat. I remember them replacing it with a 98 BMW Z in dark green. I don't know why but I always noticed these when I saw them. I think we will someday look back fondly at a time where a sub compact convertible was smaller than a new Mini Cooper.