Recycled car names like Ford Capri and Renault 5 have been great for the industry, let’s have more in 2025
Car brands recycling famous car names from the past has been a controversial trend in recent years but our deputy editor, Richard Ingram is all for it...
We saw some pretty big names return to the pages of Auto Express in 2024. The Vauxhall Frontera and Ford Capri have been resurrected as SUVs, for example, causing plenty of controversy in the process.
It’s cars like these (see also the Renault 5 and Honda Prelude, even Jaguar) that are making the auto industry such an emotive and exciting place to be right now. They’re generating conversation; people are talking about cars in a way they weren’t five or 10 years ago.
No, the Capri may not be a sleek, two-door coupe with a snarling V6, but the reinvented electric crossover is infinitely more relevant right now – and will no doubt sell in far greater numbers than its niche forebear.
And relevancy is exactly what we need if we want a buoyant and fast-paced marketplace – one striving to build better cars, no matter what branding is on the bootlid.
The manufacturers behind these famous badges know exactly what they’re doing. They understand the equity they hold. While the chatter around Jaguar’s latest media campaign probably took even those responsible for its creation by surprise, it’s a shining example of how no publicity is bad publicity.
People are more intrigued by the company now than at any point in the last half-century. I’d wager many will register their interest as a result, and some will, inevitably, buy the cars.
Ford has taken a similar approach with the Puma, Mustang, Explorer and Capri. It simply wasn’t making enough money selling small cars and superminis, so ramping up its SUV selection could be the difference between life or death for a brand that’s been in the business for over 100 years.
These names generate conversation and ultimately, they sell cars. So when you mouth off on social media about how “the new Capri isn’t a Capri” you are merely fuelling the fire. It’s exactly what Ford wants you to do, and it may even help it sell more cars.
Do you like to see old car names making a comeback or should car brands leave their glorious past alone? Have your say in the comments...
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