What kind of car is a Ford Probe?
The Ford Probe is a liftback coupé produced by Ford, introduced in 1988 and produced until 1997. The Probe was the result of Ford's collaboration with its longtime Japanese partner, Mazda, and both generations of Probe were derived from the front-wheel drive Mazda G platform that underpinned the Mazda Capella .
Why did Ford stop making the probe?
Ford dropped the Probe mainly because it failed to carve out a place for itself in the market. It was unique, but its Mazda sibling was a better-looking car with a more grown-up name, and people looking for juvenile thrills in a fast Ford rightfully turned their attentions to the Mustang.
What is the difference between the first and second generation Ford Probe?
Technically, the second generation Probe is 60% Mazda and 40% Ford. Despite the car being extended 2 inches and widened 4 inches, it was 125 pounds lighter than the first generation Probe. The second generation Probe was introduced in August 1992 as a 1993 model.
What is the difference between a Mazda and Ford Probe?
Mazda engineered the engine, transmission, and chassis, while Ford engineered the body and interior. Technically, the second generation Probe is 60% Mazda and 40% Ford. Despite the car being extended and widened 2 inches, it was 125 pounds lighter than the first generation Probe.
Why did they call it a Ford Probe?
In its infinite wisdom, Ford USA decided to name the new car after the concept streamliners that gave its shape. Ford went ahead and called it the Probe. The Europeans couldn't believe it. Contemporary publications insisted it sounded more like a sex toy than a car.
Is a Ford Probe a good car?
It's a great car to drive, especially the V6. It's easy to maintain, as they are based on the Mazda MX-6. Go look at as many as you can, but don't wait around too long as prices are starting to creep up.”
Why did they discontinue the Ford Probe?
Ford dropped the Probe mainly because it failed to carve out a place for itself in the market. It was unique, but its Mazda sibling was a better-looking car with a more grown-up name, and people looking for juvenile thrills in a fast Ford rightfully turned their attentions to the Mustang.
How many Ford Probes are there?
But during the three years it was sold there, only around 15,000 examples were delivered – nearly a quarter of the projected figure. According to latest reports, only 718 units are still in use in the country.
Are Ford Probes collectible?
Despite their status as "economy" cars, they are very much collectible. We suspect the Probe will exceed the expectations of collectors for the same reasons.
How much are Ford Probes worth?
A: The average price of a Ford Probe is $6,279.
Was the Ford Probe supposed to be the Mustang?
Based on the Mazda MX-6 as a sport compact coupe, the Probe was intended to fill the market niche formerly occupied by the Capri in Europe, and it was originally intended to be the fourth generation Ford Mustang in the North American market as a direct competitor with the Acura Integra, Isuzu Piazza, Nissan 200SX, and ...
Was the Probe supposed to replace the Mustang?
Despite its good qualities, the Ford Probe was doomed from the start. It would never replace the Mustang due to the backlash from enraged fans. A front-wheel drive Mustang without a V8 was an unthinkable idea, and several people wrote letters to Ford about the issue.
Who made the Ford Probe?
Background. Starting in the late 1970s, Ford and Ghia started exploring a series of futuristic designs with the "Probe" series of concept vehicles. The Probe I, first shown in 1979, was a wedge-shaped design that incorporated a number of drag-reducing features like covered rear wheels and pop-up headlights.
How much horsepower does a 1994 Ford Probe GT have?
164 hp1994 Ford Probe GT / Horsepower
Did the Ford Probe have a Mazda engine?
The first generation Ford Probe was based on the Mazda GD platform, and was powered by a 2.2 L SOHC 12-valve 4-cylinder Mazda F2 engine. It debuted in 1988 for the 1989 model year and was produced until 1992 in the United States in Flat Rock, Michigan.
Who made the Ford Probe?
Background. Starting in the late 1970s, Ford and Ghia started exploring a series of futuristic designs with the "Probe" series of concept vehicles. The Probe I, first shown in 1979, was a wedge-shaped design that incorporated a number of drag-reducing features like covered rear wheels and pop-up headlights.
How much horsepower does a 1995 Ford Probe have?
118 to 164 hp1995 Ford Probe / Horsepower
What Was the Ford Probe?
There isn’t an overview of any vehicle produced in the mid-to-late 20th century that doesn’t somehow involve the OPEC oil embargo. In response to the massive fuel shortage in the United States, the design of the Mustang began to respond accordingly. Both the Mustang II and the Fox Body Mustang were a step down from the raw power and grunt of the first generation. After the Fox Body had completed its stint as the Mustang du jour, the direction of the Mustang’s future was unclear. Was it going to continue down the path of being a relatively modest vehicle (no knock on the Fox Body), or was it going to return to a more typical pony car brashness?
Where did the Ford Probe come from?
The majority of the Probe’s design came from Mazda , despite being known here as the Ford Probe. The same thing could be said about the North American Ranger truck at the time. Most of the Probe’s technical components can be traced back to the Mazda MX-6.
How many generations of Ford Probe?
There were two generations of the Ford Probe, with the potential third generation being pitched right on the eve of their discontinuation. The first generation of the Ford Probe had two inline 4 engines engineered by Mazda (a 2.2L I4 that was turbocharged and a non-turbocharged variant) and a 3.0L V6 engine made by Ford. The second generation had a 2.0L I4 and 2.5L V6 from Mazda and Ford respectively as well.
Is the Ford Probe a Mustang?
This car wasn’t especially popular, powerful, or memorable. That all being said, the Ford Probe was nearly introduced as a Mustang.
Is the Probe antithetical to Mustang?
Everything about the Probe is antithetical to what a Mustang is. This whole moment could have just been a contrived circumstance to get Mustang fans to rally around their own vehicle, stoking passion for it even further.
What is it?
The Probe is a global sports coupe, introduced by Ford in 1989 to replace the EXP model in the United States and to succeed the Capri in Europe. It was sold in two generations until 1997.
When and where was it made?
The first-gen model was introduced in late 1988 and manufacturing started shortly after. It remained on sale until 1993, when the second generation was launched. A total of 309,876 vehicles rolled of the Flat Rock assembly line in Michigan.
Technical information
Both generations were based on Mazda platforms and were co-engineered between Ford and the Japanese manufacturer. Many of the technical components of the car were shared with the Mazda MX-6, and the second generation was actually 60:40 engineered by Mazda.
Was it that bad?
No, not really. It was, in fact, a good car to drive – in both generations, and even took the third place in Automobile Magazine ’s coast-to-coast mega test in search of the best cars in the world.
What is a Ford Probe GT?
One such machine was the Ford Probe GT, a front-wheel-drive sports car built on a Japanese platform with a silly name that was originally meant to replace the Mustang. Thankfully, Ford didn’t push it quite that far – Mustang fans were not exactly thrilled at the idea of their dearly beloved pony car going FWD.
Why did Ford drop the Probe?
Ford dropped the Probe mainly because it failed to carve out a place for itself in the market. It was unique, but its Mazda sibling was a better-looking car with a more grown-up name, and people looking for juvenile thrills in a fast Ford rightfully turned their attentions to the Mustang.
What Mustang was the Probe?
Of course, that didn't happen, and Ford instead gave us the frumpy-looking but very much V8-powered and rear-driven SN-95 Mustang. The Probe existed alongside two generations of the pony car and spent its whole life at risk of Vitamin D deficiency from spending so much time in the Mustang's shadow.
When did Ford discontinue the Probe?
The Probe is slowly starting to emerge as a cult classic, a darling of Radwood meets and the driveways of 90s fantasists. The Probe was discontinued in 1997 , to little fanfare. Read on to find out why Ford pulled the plug on the Probe project only a few years before the turn of the decade.
Where was the MX-6 made?
As such, the MX-6 was canceled in 1997, which also meant it was curtains for the Probe GT. Though it was manufactured in Michigan, a lot of its parts came from Mazda in Japan, and without that supply, it wouldn't have been possible to make the Probe GT, at least not as it was.
Was the Ford Probe a success?
It was never a run away sales success, which no doubt had something to do with the initial poor response to it as a Mustang replacement, and as the 90s wore on the Probe's future was starting to look bleak.
Is the Probe a performance car?
The quick answer is the Probe is a two-door, four-seat evolution of the personal luxury car. It's sporty , but not a dedicated performance car. It's quick, but not overwhelmingly so, and certainly not enough to get you in serious trouble.
