In the late seventies and early eighties, Ford was a dominant player in the touring car series that preceded today’s German DTM series. The Zakspeed Capri was a special project built for Ford Germany when the Mark III Capri was introduced to the European market. With the closure of Ford’s Competition Department in 1975, it was necessary to contract the racing effort to an outside specialist. With this, the Zakspeed Capri was born. Ford Capris were already being raced by Ford from the early 70s but the dominant cars during this time were the BMW 320s. With Zakspeed entering the picture in the late 70s, the the 320 was rendered practically obsolete.
The Zakspeed Capri was run in Group 5 Division II, which meant a maximum engine capacity of 2000cc. If one were to run a turbo engine, it meant a base engine capacity of 1.4. What Zakspeed chose to do was to destroke a 2-liter Cosworth BDA to 1427cc and boost it with twin KKK turbochargers. Using Garret intercoolers and Bosch fuel injection, performance calculations showed an output of 380 horsepower. However, this initial setup produced teething problems and final variants of the Zakspeed Capri engine used a single, larger KKK turbo that produced 460 horsepower reliably.
Suspension was composed of a strut/wishbone combination front and rear, using titanium springs and Bilstein gas pressure shocks. Brakes were Girling units with two calipers per rotor for the fronts. The body structure was what you’d expect from a race car, which would be a full rollcage with lightweight body panels and floorpan. The engine mounts were set as far back as possible for the best weight distribution. Ready to race, the Zakspeed Capri weighed 790 kg.
The car debut in the middle of the 1978 season, where it achieved a time 25 seconds faster than the previous racing Capris. Entering the 1979 season, the Zakspeed Capri won 8 races, together with the Division II title. It’s unfortunate that Ford does not contest European championships as much as it did in the 80s. The competition would be more lively and the shape of a different car would certainly be welcome, compared to the Audis and Mercedes sedans that dominate DTM today.
Inspiration for this article here.
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