To this day, I do not understand why some cars were not bigger hits when sold new. Bad marketing? Bad timing? Lack of interest from dealers? It’s likely a little bit of all of the above. However, when going up against a formidable incumbent like the Mazda Miata, all bets are off – your best effort may simply not be good enough. In the case of the sporty Mercury Capri, like this desirable turbocharged XR2 trim model offered here on craigslist for $10,997, it had all the chops of being a winner but somehow never won over the hearts of budget performance car shoppers in the 90s. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Barney for the tip.

And when you consider the fact that the XR2 had the same turbocharged engine that came from the Mazda 323 GT, it’s even more surprising this rad roadster didn’t take off. Perhaps the Miata had one key advantage: it was rear-wheel drive, which can make all the difference in the driving experience. The Mercury seemingly checked every other box, with tri-spoke wheels, attractive styling, a driver-focused cockpit, flip-up headlights, and other details that would appeal to a variety of shoppers. Heck, if you just wanted a fun drop-top, the naturally-aspirated entry level model would suit you just fine.

You could even order a factory hard top, leaving virtually no stone unturned in terms of going toe-to-toe with the Miata. The turbocharged four-cylinder could rip to 60 in just over 8 seconds, thanks to a capable 132 horsepower. But it seems that despite its good-on-paper qualities, the driving experience simply didn’t measure up the charm and capabilities of the Miata. Road test editors at the time reported loads of understeer, and a chassis that seemed unsettled at times. Most drivers wouldn’t care, certainly, but they would if they were used to the blissfully neutral qualities of the Miata.

Inside, you got a cockpit that was dead simple but also functional; really, this interior still works well today. The hard top supposedly made the Capri four-season capable, with the combination of the fixed roof and robust chassis strengthening creating a fairly stiff structure. The seller reports a long list of recent servicing, with most of it occurring in the 2022 timeframe. The car seems like a turnkey example, which is near impossible to find with the Capri given they never became darlings of the collector car world. For the money, it seems like a great way to get the Miata experience without having to buy one if you’ve never been a fan of Mazda’s classic roadster. Which would you choose?