The Only Way Is Essex

Two ’70s coupes both powered by the same brawny V6 engine but very different in character. We try to choose between Reliant and Ford.

- Nigel Clark

It’s the late seventies, the British economy is in an inflationary mess and millions of us are avoiding the doom and gloom of the daily news by watching the Persuaders on TV each week. Taking escapism to the next level, as youngsters we all wanted to emulate the antics of stars Bodie and Doyle in their Capri 3 litre.

Ford’s Capri had been a runaway sales success since its launch in 1968 and ten years later was out in Mk3 guise, arguably much improved by the intervening decade’s development. Powered by the Dagenham-built Essex V6, the top Capris offered effortless performance and crowd-pulling style which kept the showrooms busy; it had become the natural company car choice for rising young executives.

Meanwhile there was a rival, another 2+2 sports tourer offering the promise of ready performance and stylish long distance touring capability. Built in very low volumes compared to the Capri, Reliant’s Scimitar GTE used the same Ford 3 litre powerplant, installed in a separate backbone chassis and clothed in a glass fibre body. Both cars were defined by the Essex engine’s beefy performance and purring exhaust note but in most other respects, the challenger from Tamworth was quite a different animal.

As classic choices today, both the Capri and the Scimitar are well worthy of consideration. The appeal of the Essex engine’s easy torque and reliability means it still delivers performance and pleasure for many a classic enthusiast. While Capri values have headed skywards, Scimitar prices have remained in the classic doldrums. Which is the best way to get behind an Essex V6 and which is most deserving of space in your garage?

FORD CAPRI Mk3 3.0 GHIA