The Ford Capri convertible was a failed MX-5 competitor

Ford Australia’s ambitious plan to take on the Mazda MX-5 was far from successful.

Unlike the original Capri which was introduced in the late 60s and lasted through until the early 80s, Australia's two-seat convertible was far from sensational and is held in similar regard to the AU Falcon.

Hard to believe when the exterior was designed by Ghia and the interior styled by Italdesign Giugiaro.

I don't know if you could call the styling inspirational.

However, the car was let down by sharing the same underpinnings as the Mazda 323/Ford Laser, meaning the Capri didn't possess any real sporting abilities.

Performance also wasn't a strong point, with Mazda's 1.6-litre B engine producing a modest 61kW and later 75kW. A turbocharged version was also offered, increasing power to 100kW.

An absolute powerhouse... not really.

This turbo didn't help sales, especially when competing against the Mazda MX-5, which also lacked power but benefited from a rear-wheel drive layout while the Capri had to settle for front-wheel drive.

Upon release in 1989, the Ford was criticised for having a leaking roof which was later fixed by using German sourced materials.

Other common complaints included torque steer from the turbo model and a poor interior that squeaked and rattled.

The Capri's interior didn't get any better when converted to left-hand drive.

All these issues and a lack of sales brought the Capri name to an end in 1994, only lasting 5 years.

Even exporting the Capri as a rebadged Mercury to America couldn't save the sports car, with all the same issues plaguing the small convertible overseas, making it a complete flop.

Is this the worst car Ford Australia made? Let us know in the comments.