The Capri craze continues - another record price

  • Sign in required

    Please sign in to your account to add a vehicle to favourite

  • Share this article

The 1978 3.0 S Capri from The Professionals sets new record price

Ford Capris are the hottest modern-classic car for collectors right now. Throw in the fact that a model featured in a cult TV show and you're onto a winner.

That was certainly the case with a seventies Capri that sold at auction on Wednesday, famed for starring in the much-loved The Professionals series.

The 1978 3.0 S Capri sold for $NZ113,254, surpassing the previous world record set earlier this year.

However, it wasn't all plain sailing for famous TV Fords. The Capri driven by Dennis Waterman in Minder, also up for auction with had an estimate of $NZ134,000 to $NZ175,000, failed to meet its reserve.

The car, driven by actor Lewis Collins' character William Bodie, featured in seven episodes in series two of the ITV show that aired from 1977 to 1983.

At the hands of the ex-paratrooper, mercenary and SAS sergeant, the Strato Silver Capri was a firm favourite among fans of the show.

However, the final sale price still came as a surprise to many, with the $NZ113,254 paid dwarfing the initial estimate of $NZ72,000 to $NZ93,000.

Thoroughly restored by the previous owner, the 77,300-mile example uses the registration 'VHK 495S'  - the registration number 'UOO 303T' used on camera was a fake, according to H&H Classic, which hosted the sale at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford on Wednesday.

One of the earliest production models available at the time, the silver livery was complemented by a tartan plaid Fishnet Recaro interior.

The $113,000 forked out nudged past the previous record high achieved for a Capri set in February by a near-showroom fresh Capri 280 'Brooklands' that had covered a meagre 936 miles.

Speaking following the sale, Damian Jones, sales manager at H&H Classic, said: 'This classic car is also a wonderful piece of entertainment memorabilia. 

'Classic cars and film props are two of the fastest growing areas in collecting where we have seen values soar. 

'You only have to think of Julie Garland’s little gingham dress from the Wizard of Oz which sold recently for $1.5m to have some idea where this film memorabilia market is going.' 

A proportion of the sale proceeds will be donated to Cancer Research in memory of Lewis Collins who lost his battle with the disease three years ago.

Also under the hammer at the same event was the 1977 Capri that featured in the opening credits of TV series Minder.

Driven by Dennis Waterman's character Terry McCann, registration 'SLE 71R' is a well renowned telly car - Sky TV viewers even voted it the 28th Greatest TV Car Ever.

But that hasn't guaranteed it an easy life. 

In fact, H&H Classic said the vehicle was almost scrapped once filming had finished.

That was until a collector from the Capri Club International members group bought it in 1991 and spent around £13,000 restoring the bodywork, vinyl roof and refreshing the wheels and suspension components.

Finished in Polar White, the 1977 MKII Capri has 88,700 miles on the clock. 

The engine powering the Minder car is the 2.0-litre single overhead camshaft Pinto unit, that in standard form produced 98bhp at 5,200rpm and 112 lb ft of torque at 3,500rpm. 

-Daily Mail



Keep up to date with DRIVEN Car Guide

Sign up for the latest news, reviews, our favourite cars and more.

By signing up for this newsletter, you agree to NZME's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.