Unfeasible as it may seem, Ford entered the 1960s without a mid-sized family car. The Anglia, Popular and Prefect were all smaller options, while the Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac range were variations on an executive theme. However, that changed with the launch of the 109E Consul Classic.
Ford had decided to repurpose the Consul name (established as the name for the four-cylinder version of its big models) for its new mid-size cars, leaving the Zephyr/Zodiac as its big flagship. The new Consul range would consist of the Consul Classic saloon with two or four doors and an Anglia-style reverse-rake rear window, plus the Consul Capri with a sleek pillarless coupe roofline and panoramic windows. Unfortunately, the Anglia’s runaway success meant that resources and production capacity intended for the new Consuls was directed elsewhere and the Consul Classic’s launch was postponed until the spring of 1961, with British sales of the Consul Capri not starting until January 1962. By that stage the gap in the market had been filled by rivals, and the Transatlantic styling was already looking dated. The Capri’s sloping roofline came as a shock to many UK motorists too, especially as it severely restricted rear passenger space and gave the false impression that the Capri was sportier
