This Ford Capri Mk1 1300L Might Be One Of The Rarest Cars In Existence

When people think of rare, iconic European cars, their minds immediately turn toward luxury. Of course, who wouldn't want to get behind the wheel of an Aston Martin DB5, a Maserati, or a Rolls-Royce? In actuality, a car doesn't have to cost a fortune to be one of the rarest in existence. Just look at the Ford Capri Mk1 1300L.

Sure, the title gives it away, but the Ford Capri Mk1 1300L might be one of the rarest cars on the planet, and it's not because of some sky-high price point. Originally, Ford introduced the fastback coupe in 1969, and if its looks weren't enough to sway blue collar Brits, the engine availability certainly was. At launch, the Capri Mk1 came with either a 1.3-liter or 1.6-liter, four-cylinder powerhouse under the hood, and the available GT models could boost the performance up to 2.0 liters. Then, there were the countless trim packages — which bumped up the price, but considering the Capri Mk1 1300L started at 890 British pounds, it's clear to see why it became a "blue collar sports car."

But what makes the Mustang-inspired European pony car so rare today is the extremely limited stock of entry-level models. According to The Telegraph, owners frequently sullied the beloved car with "tasteless" aftermarket accessories, leaving only 14 original Capri Mk1 1300Ls in the wild. J.D. Classics has a gorgeously restored one for sale, but good luck finding another 1969 Capri Mk1 1300L.

[Featured image by Vauxford via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]

Sure, you're going to need a fair bit of luck to get your hands on one of the 14 Ford Capri Mk1 1300Ls somewhere out there in the world, but even that seems easier than finding one of the all-wheel drive models. 

The Capri Mk1 1300L's debut came at an interesting time, because right around the same time in the late 1960s, Harry Ferguson began his quest to bring AWD technology to passenger cars. This came when the Capri was just getting into production, and Ford's Competition Department sent two Capri 1600GTs to Ferguson's company to be fitted with their AWD tech. The result was a rallycross race-ready, four wheel drive Ford Capri Mk1 capable of producing 160 horsepower. It was eventually upgraded even more to produce 252 horsepower, but that resulted in a Ford Capri rallycross 4x4 that was too tough to drive.

Despite all of that, an American dentist with a surprising rallying hobby (and certainly a lot of money) commissioned Ferguson to build 15 AWD Capris, which according to Hagerty, are somewhere out there today. All that to say, there are some AWD Ford Capris circulating in the world, but it seems like a near-impossible feat to find one. 

[Featured image by Sicnag via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY 2.0]