SELDOM SEEN 90s Ford coupe that was released as a replacement to the Capri can be yours for less than £4,000

 A RETRO coupe that Ford once hoped would enjoy the same success as the legendary Capri is now a very rare car - but it can still be found for a bargain price.

The seldom seen Ford Cougar had plenty of potential when it was first released in 1998, but it ultimately failed to live up to expectations

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The Ford Cougar was first released in 1998Credit: Getty

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Many saw it as the replacement for the Ford Capri - which had been discontinued years priorCredit: collectingcars

Based on the Ford Mondeo and considered the bigger brother to the original Puma, the Cougar featured either a 2.0-litre Zetec or 2.5-litre Duratec V6 engine, and set buyers back up to £21,840 from new.

Reviews for the sleek sports car were mixed upon release, and while Jeremy Clarkson described it as "fun to drive", he revealed that he much preferred another recently released coupe - the Alfa Romeo GTV6.

The Cougar failed to capture the public's imagination in the same way the Capri had decades prior, and it was eventually discontinued in Britain in 2001.

According to data, Ford had sold only 12,000 units of the motor in the UK after its first two years of production.HowRareIsMyCar claim that just 468 Cougars are left in the UK with an MOT.

Despite its drawbacks, the Cougar is considered a modern classic in 2024.

Recently, YouTube car expert Matt Goodwin revealed that the Cougar can be bought for as little as £1,500, and firmly believed that the model could rise in value in years to come.

He said: "This is a bit of an unusual one, but I guarantee that in 10, maybe 15 years time, you'll be kicking yourself that you didn't buy one of these.We found a great example on Motors for just £3,495.

This 1998 model has just 62,000 miles on the clock and comes the 2.5-litre V6 engine - capable of delivering an impressive 168 bhp

The seller describes it as a "great choice for anyone looking for a reliable and well-maintained vehicle."

Speaking of the Capri, Ford recently released a new version of the famous motor - and Sun Motors supremo Rob Gill said "no one who had classic version will buy it."

Meanwhile, Ford are set to produce a new range of smaller and more affordable electric cars that could replace the Fiesta and the soon-to-be-discontinued Focus.

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Only 12,000 units of the Cougar were sold in the UK before it was pulled from productionCredit: Getty

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The Cougar was also seen as a larger version of the original Ford Puma (pictured)