Ford Capri RS3100

As part of the Ford racing programme another homologation special Capri appeared in 1973, the RS3100. Ford had to build a 1,000 versions of this very special road going model and it was quickly discontinued in 1974. As with the RS2600 a standard Capri body was used, the only major changes being a large rear spoiler, 1/4 bumpers and alloy wheels.
A special 3,091cc V6 engine powered the RS3100 and ventilated disc brakes were fitted to improve braking performance. Due to the limited production run, very few of these impressive cars have survived today.
In November 1973, at Ford's Halewood plant in the UK, production of the RS3100 began. Production of the RS3100 actually overlapped with the Capri MKII and was intermittent at best.
Homologated in January 1974 for the forthcoming UK Touring Car season, only 248 examples of the RS3100 were officially completed. They were an expensive road car at 2,450 Pounds and arrived right in the middle of the 70's oil crisis.
Ford Australia managed to import 50 examples of this "Special" Capri and many of these cars still exist today in private collections.
The RS3100 differed from the 3000GT with a larger bore and therefore an increase in capacity to 3091cc (188.6 cu in), a Weber 38 EGAS twin choke carburettor and a 9.0:1 compression ratio, which meant it developed 148bhp @ 5000rpm.
Its torque was rated at 187lb ft @ 3000rpm and it came with manual transmission only, with an optional limited slip differential. It had ventilated disc brakes, RS2600 German cast alloy wheels with 6in wide rims and had a top speed of 125mph (201kmh).
To improve the aerodynamics of their racing Capris Ford fitted newly designed front and rear spoilers. To meet the ETC rules these new aerodynamic aids on the racing RS3100's had to have been fitted to 100 road homologation cars. The distinctive boot mounted "duck-tail" rear spoiler and smaller front lip spoiler reduced the coefficient of drag (Cd) from 0.40 on the RS2600 to 0.37 for the RS3100.
The RS2600 had used the German 2.6 Cologne engine - which had been bored out as far as it would go. Therefore the RS3100 used an overbored Essex 3 litre unit producing 148 bhp (although the racing engines were bored to 3421cc and produced around 415 bhp). The road going homologation RS3100's shared many fetures with the RS2600's; brakes, suspension, wheels bumpers, and headlights were all the same.
The dummy side vents and interior were standard 3000GXL equipment but the 130mph speedometer, flat dish RS steering wheel, and AVO paint scheme were unique to the RS3100, as was an optional limmted slip differential.