Ford Capri rally car built to tackle ‘ultimate driving challenge’ up for sale – it once suffered ‘freak accident’

A FORD Capri rally car that once suffered a ‘freak accident’ has hit the market – and it looks better than ever.

The 1972 model Ford Capri Endurance Rally Car, which competed in the 2016 Peking to Paris Motor Challenge, has been listed for £49,995.

After suffering a freak incident during the endurance motor rally race, auto experts at Car & Classic said the vintage motor is built to tackle the “ultimate driving challenge”.

A father-and-son crew set off from Beijing on June 12 2016, along with 114 other crews, to tackle the route from China through the wilderness of Mongolia and then the breadth of Russia.

However during the race, the car came into trouble after tracks across the desert crossed and were unseen while the car went around a long, fast bend.

It caused the car to pitch over into a roll and reshaping it from the racer it is today.

Car & Classic said: “Never giving up – which is the spirit of long distance rallying – the crew found themselves in a workshop on the outskirts of Novosibirsk, Russia where a team of mechanics or if you like magicians ensured the car was fit for the road and the many miles to follow.”

At the finish line in Paris on July 17, the car came in 29th out of 57 cars who took to the start in the Classic car category.

Having started its life as a 1972 1, 600cc automatic version, the car was transformed for the event.

Along with the usual endurance rally car upgrades, it was fitted with a 2,000cc OHC Pinto engine matched up to a manual five-speed gearbox, a long-range fuel tank, a competition harnesses, and of course a roll cage.

Auto experts said that the iconic car has since been refreshed to its pre-event condition.

The Ford Capri was originally created for the European market by American car designer Philip T Clark, who was also responsible for designing the hugely successful Ford Mustang.

First produced in 1968, it was offered to the world when it was released at the Brussels Motor Show where it was pitched as a fastback coupe for the European market.

Based on tried and tested running gear from other models in the Ford stable, the Ford Capri was offered in varying formats for different markets over the years ranging from 1, 300cc four-cylinder engines through to the powerful 3, 000cc Essex V6.

The offering comes after a one-off Ford Capri, custom built for rallying, went up for sale.

Meanwhile, a limited edition end of the line Ford Capri with low mileage was recently sold after being stored for 23 years.