Early magic marker exercise's...

Early sketches had a transalantic feel, oddly echoing the work going on over at GM on the new Mustang rivals - the Firebird and Camaro. One even has shades of the front driven Oldsmobile Tornado.

Here we see the shift from GM F-body wannabe to what we know as "Capri". The kicked up quarter lights are still present, but the grill (which would influence the new compact "Escort") is still in design hell stage; maybe there was a Corvair in Dunton at the time?

It is believed that Phil Clark (designer of the original Pony car motif - the galloping Mustang horse) was the creator of the "Colt" project.   Clark transfered from his native America to a damp Essex, England in Febuary 1964 to work beneath Roy Haynes and John Fallis on the Colt project.

Looking more akin to the finished article - note the date of the 18th of April 1966,  nearly 3 years before launch.

Its still there! On this "yumping" pre-production Capri, the quarterlight still has its kick and not the production curved item? Did a visiting member of the board stamp their feet and demand the change at the 11th hour?

Note the production cars final window treatment:

A colour shot of the original rear quarter treatment next to the final version.

Picture: Consumer guide automotive