The production of the Capri kicked off on September 23, 2024. Benjamin Gruschka, Works Council Chairman, called it "an important milestone for the Cologne plant and its employees in what are generally difficult times in the industry." Ford didn't make a big announcement about this, unlike the Explorer's production launch in June, which had a major media event.
The Capri is an electric SUV coupé built on Volkswagen's MEB platform. It's 4.63 metres long, making it a bit longer than the Explorer, but with a flatter roofline. The Cologne plant can make up to 250,000 units a year and is currently ramping up production. By October, they aim to produce more than 600 vehicles per day in two-shift operation.
So far, both the Explorer and Capri have been well-received in the market. The Explorer is doing better than expected, but there aren't any solid numbers available yet for either model.
The Capri comes in two main versions. The Standard Range RWD model has a 52 kWh battery and starts at 44,950 euros. The Extended Range AWD version has a bigger 79 kWh battery and costs 55,950 euros to start.
For Ford, the success of the Explorer and Capri is crucial. The Cologne plant now only makes electric cars, so these models will play a big part in the future of the site and its workers.
Source: Electrive
