The last ever Ford Capri The Capri's Brooklands final encore was orchestrated by Ford's Special Vehicle Engineering division in Dunton, Essex, which was determined to give it dynamic and cosmetic credibility. It had stiffer suspension settings, including fairly agricultural rear semi-elliptic leaf springs, and a hefty iron block 2.8-litre, 160bhp V6 "Cologne" engine, with overhead valves, mated to a five-speed manual transmission. Like most of the other 104 eclectic Fords stored in an anonymous red brick workshop at the US giant's factory in Dagenham, Essex, the dark metallic green Capri is covered in grey polythene. Unwrapped from its protective shroud, D194 UVW emerges as immaculate as when it left the Cologne production line on December 19 1986. Meet European Capri number 1,886,647 - the last in a run dating back to 1969 - a genuinely special edition Capri 280, the 1,038th and final Brooklands model. The first thing you notice about the flagship series three Capri is the short wheelbase. A tad over 8ft separates front and back wheels, within an overall length of 14.3ft. The resulting long overhangs at either end make parking a skilled operation. Limbo into the sombre cabin, with perforated grey leather Recaro seats, wind-up windows and ergonomically challenging controls and you realise how far interior design has come in 25 years. Turn the ignition key and the substantial lump of an engine rumbles into life. Blip the throttle and the body shell flexes in sympathy. The gearbox, with a clunky long-throw action, copes with the marine-like torque of an engine producing no more power than a current warm hatch. It boasts a nominal top speed of 127mph and a zero to 60mph sprint time in a shade over eight seconds. This is no long-range tourer, carrying just nine gallons of petrol consumed at a rate of about 20mpg. With 24,000 miles on the clock since new, broken road surfaces threaten to loosen fillings but generate few creaks even if the oil pressure gauge chatters away. Motorsport campaigns improved the production chassis although the limited-slip differential of this final version does not eliminate the Capri's rear-end waywardness. The recently reconditioned braking system requires anticipation and a strong right foot. The Capri Brooklands, originally £11,999, still attracts admiring looks and commands good prices, with one optimistic owner of an earlier but E-registered, 10,000-mile example currently asking £16,995 for its rugged charms.