1971 Ford Capri RS 2600 Competition Coupé
Developed under Jochen Neerpasch at Ford’s Cologne Motorsport Department, the Capri RS 2600 took the fastback production Capri (introduced to Europe in 1968) and transformed it into a serious circuit competitor.
Lightweight body panels (including aluminum doors, hood, and trunk lid) and other weight-saving measures brought curb weight down substantially (to roughly 2,200 pounds in competition form), while the suspension, brakes, and wheels received corresponding upgrades.
The heart of the competition version was a Weslake-developed V-6 enlarged to approximately 2,995 cc and equipped with Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection and dry-sump lubrication, producing in excess of 300 horsepower in full race trim.
A ZF five-speed gearbox handled power delivery, distinguishing it from the production RS 2600’s four-speed Ford unit. The road car used a Kugelfischer-injected 2.6-liter V-6 and was offered primarily in left-hand drive.
Results on track validated the program. After early success in European Touring Car competition, the RS 2600 found its stride in circuit racing, with works driver Jochen Mass claiming the European Touring Car Championship in 1972.
Surviving ex-works examples are now among the most coveted competition Fords of the postwar period.
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