31 May 2011

Capri RS Zakspeed Turbo

When you think 'Zakspeed Capri', you think this:


But it could also mean this:


From July 1981 the Zakspeed-engineered Capri Turbo was launched onto the German market. It was a strange mixture of the 2.8-litre carburettor-fed Granada engine with a KKK turbocharger, 2.8 injection running gear and X-Pack body panels, and was no doubt designed to cash in on the success of the Zakspeed racers. Only around 200 were built and officially it was only ever available in Germany, through RS dealerships, although at least one has found it's way to the UK.


The previously mentioned KKK-blown Granada V6, blowing through a twin choke Solex carburettor, was probably used because the Capri was now using the injected 2.8, which would have required more work to turbocharge. Power was up to 188bhp and 206lb/ft of torque, so to channel all this turbo urge to Mother Earth, a 4-speed was used from the early 2.8 injection driving into a 3.09:1 LSD.
To keep all this power under control, the suspension was uprated with Bilstein struts, uprated coils, a thicker RS anti-roll bar and modified track control ams, all mounted on a beefier crossmember. Rearwards, Bilsteins again took care of the damping, coupled with 140lb single leaf springs and an axle-tramp-quelling a-frame kept things under control. More RS parts-bin raiding took place for the braking, with an uprated servo, vented 2.8i discs and harder pads; the standard 3.0 rear drums were deemed adequate to the task.



To compliment all of the Zakspeed gymwork underneath, the car was clothed with the tough-looking  RS 'Cologne' body kit and now hard-to-find 7.5x13 RS four-spoke alloys. The sum total of all this work was a 137mph top speed and the 0-60 benchmark coming up in 7.7 seconds.
One for the Amazo Vitrual Garage methinks.

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