Having sold out its initial print run in 2019 and with hundreds of back orders, Steve Saxty has released a new, limited edition 500 copy run of “The Cars You Always Promised Yourself’. Available now, this larger format edition charts the evolution of Ford’s most desirable coupes including the Capri, Puma, XR and RS Sierra. Spanning 336 pages, it features a soft feel cover and custom-commissioned double-page renders of cars such as Henry Ford’s unique RS2000 alongside fascinating insight from the original designers. Intended for enthusiasts who didn’t manage to secure one of the first run, signed copies are available, as a twin set with RS Icons, for £89.95 from www.stevesaxty.com.
New Capri – The internet may be buzzing about Ford’s recent decision to bring back the Capri as an SUV, but Saxty’s dive into Ford’s archives revealed no fewer than ten attempts to design a new Capri coupe. This one is beautiful but never progressed beyond this fantastically detailed sketch. “It would have been too expensive to change every panel on the original Capri,” the author explains, “so the designers were tasked with making the second-generation car look more different.”
“We had hundreds of requests to reproduce the original and although we could have simply reprinted it, we wanted to do more. I envisioned a ‘restomod’ version—longer with extra content, larger to match the size of my recently launched BMW books and minor improvements to highlight what was inside,” says Steve Saxty. “As the definitive story of the design of the Capri, Sierra and RS Cosworth, we wanted to the new cover to convey what was inside.”
|
|
|
To fully recount stories of Ford’s desirable coupes from the 1970s to the early 2000s, Saxty had full access to the company’s archive and spent hundreds of hours talking to the designers, engineers and managers that brought to life the cars that defined car culture and remain firmly in demand by enthusiasts today. Saxty’s book provides fascinating anecdotes and stunning images of the cars as they evolved from hand-drawn sketches through to clay models, intriguing mules and for some, emerging as showroom stars. Alongside the cars the public adored, Saxty also offers a tantalizing glimpse into the Fords we didn’t get. The book is filled with images of concepts and prototypes alongside their stories of why they never reached the road.
RS1700T – Designer Thomas Plath created the striking look of the ill-fated Escort RS1700T. The German stylist, who also shaped the futuristic Sierra XR4i, aimed for a timeless look for the rally Escort. “I wanted it to look tough, but also friendly so that people liked the RS and wouldn’t feel intimidated,” he says. He met the brief; the RS1700T inspired hundreds of lookalike body kits during the eighties.
Since first writing this, his first book, Saxty has quickly established himself as a definitive and respected writer on car design, particularly with his works on Ford and BMW. Both companies granted Saxty unparalleled access to their archives and designers, enabling him to tell untold stories and reveal previously unseen secret cars. His latest work, the ‘BMW Behind The Scenes’ set, is the result of Saxty spending over two years with the Munich design team and has received critical acclaim from media and BMW fans.
Sierra XR Cosworth – This is the birth of an icon. The controversial Sierra XR4i, with its twin spoilers, polarized buyers, but that didn’t deter Ford’s aerodynamicists and RS engineers from creating this wild-looking version with a giant rear spoiler designed for race speeds. The car that eventually became the Sierra RS Cosworth began to take shape here in the wind tunnel. Ford’s designers were asked to tone down the aggressive design, which they did — by about three per cent.
With half the allocation already sold to satisfy the preorders, the remaining copies of ‘The Cars You Always Promised Yourself’ are now released in plenty of time for Christmas with free UK P&P. Each book includes a copy of Saxty’s RS Icons book, and retail for £89.95 via www.stevesaxty.com.
Download high resolution images here.
Modular Capri – This one-off Capri show car previewed Ford’s thinking in 1978 for the much-loved Capri Mark III, which made its debut that same year. Notice the beak-nosed front, similar to the Escort RS2000, and the giant 16-inch wheels—considered large for their time—with narrow tires designed to reduce drag. The car was named “Modular” because each step showcased incremental aerodynamic improvements aimed at increasing efficiency, reducing fuel consumption, and enhancing the sleek coupe’s speed.