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.
Why did Ford stop making the Mustang probe?
Mustang fans objected to the front-wheel drive configuration, Japanese engineering, and lack of a V8, so Ford began work on a new design for the Mustang instead. On March 17, 1997, Ford announced the discontinuation of the Probe.
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 .
When was the Ford Probe discontinued?
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. What’s A Ford Probe?
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 Ford discontinue 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.
How many Ford Probes are left?
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.
Was the Ford Probe supposed to replace the Mustang?
For over 50 years, it has been one of Ford's best-selling cars. Many people don't know that Ford once planned to replace the Mustang with what Motor1 called one of the worst sports cars in history. Enter the Ford Probe, a front-wheel drive sports car that was also meant to replace the European Ford Capri.
How much are Ford Probes worth?
A: The average price of a Ford Probe is $6,279.
What was the fastest Ford Probe?
166.553 mphThe NASCAR Dash Series version of a 1990 Ford Probe driven by Jeffrey Collier set a new track record at Daytona International Speedway February 13, 1990 with a speed of 166.553 mph. That record still stands as the fastest closed course lap for a non-turbo 4-cylinder powered 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.”
How many Ford Probe GTS are left?
20222019FORD PROBE 16V103144FORD PROBE 24V162224
How much horsepower does a 1994 Ford Probe GT have?
164 hp1994 Ford Probe GT / Horsepower
What happened to the Ford Taurus?
On April 25, 2018, Ford announced plans to discontinue the Taurus (along with the Fiesta, Focus, and Fusion), in order to focus more on its line of trucks and SUVs. The announcement was part of a plan by Ford Motor Company to cut costs and increase profits.
How much horsepower does a 1995 Ford Probe have?
118 to 164 hp1995 Ford Probe / Horsepower
Who designed the Ford Probe?
In this week's Designing Women profile, we take a peek into the archives of Ford Motor Company's Design Studio—now celebrating its 80th anniversary—and find an extraordinary woman along the way. Mimi Vandermolen posing with the 1993 Ford Probe.
How much is a 1993 Ford Probe?
1993 Ford Probe Value - $196-$2,045 | Edmunds.
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.
What is a Ford EXP?
The Ford EXP is a sports compact coupe produced and sold by the Ford Motor Company in North America for the 1982 to 1988 model years. The EXP debuted at the 1981 Chicago Auto Show. It shared many mechanical components with the contemporary Ford Escort.
What is a Ford Cougar?
The Ford Cougar is a coupé that was produced and sold in the European market between 1998 and 2002, and sold in Canada and the United States from 1999 until 2002 as the Mercury Cougar.
What is a Ford Pinto?
The Ford Pinto is a subcompact car that was manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company in North America from the 1971 to the 1980 model years. The Pinto was the first subcompact vehicle produced by Ford in North America.
What is a Ford Probe?
The Ford Probe was 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 .
When was the Ford Probe made?
It debuted in 1988 for the 1989 model year and was produced until 1992 in the United States in Flat Rock, Michigan. The Probe was available in several trim levels that differ depending on the market in which the vehicle was sold. In the United States, the Probe was available in GL, LX, and GT trim levels:
How big was the 1991 Ford Probe?
51.8 in (1,316 mm) 1991–93 LX: 51.9 in (1,318 mm) 1991–93 GT: 52.0 in (1,321 mm) The first generation Ford Probe was based on the Mazda GD platform, and was powered by a 2.2 L SOHC 4-cylinder Mazda F2 engine.
How much does a 1993 Ford Probe weigh?
2,894 lb (1,313 kg) The Ford and Mazda design teams merged once again to give the Ford Probe a complete redesign for the 1993 model year. As before, the Probe was to share its under-structure with Mazda's MX-6 and 626. Mazda engineered the engine, transmission, and chassis, while Ford engineered the body and interior.
What is a probe car?
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. This was followed the next year by a much more conventional looking Probe II, whose hatchback styling was also reminiscent of the pony cars. The 1981 Probe III was an advanced demonstrator with covered wheels, but its bodywork evolved into the more conventional Ford Sierra (or Merkur XR4Ti) and styling notes that were used on the Ford Taurus. The 1983 Probe IV was a more radical concept car with a low Cd ( drag coefficient ), and evolved into the equally radical 1985 Probe V.
What year did Ford redesign the Mustang?
After the 1979 energy crisis, the economic slump initiated by high fuel prices prompted Ford to give the Ford Mustang a major redesign. The new design would be based on a totally new platform introduced to Ford by Japanese automaker Mazda, who had been partnering with Ford since 1971, and whom Ford had owned a 25% stake in since 1979. Toshi Saito, a North American-based designer working for Ford, took the lead in envisioning styling directions for the front-wheel drive Mustang, and a design by Saito was chosen and finalized in early 1984. The project was then transferred to Mazda in Hiroshima, Japan and in internal Ford parlance, was referred to by the codename "ST-16". It was intended to gradually phase out the RWD Fox platform Mustang under the name "Mustang Classic" and have it eventually supplanted by the ST-16 as the "Mustang."
How many stars did the 1991 Probe have?
The 1991 Probe was given a 4-star crash rating in collision tests conducted by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Why didn’t the Ford Probe sell?
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.
What engine does the Ford Probe have?
The first generation of the Ford Probe was available from 1989-1993. It could be powered by either a turbo or naturally aspirated 2.2-liter four-cylinder, with a 3.0-liter V6 available. These engines could be paired with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission.
Is the Ford Mustang a sports car?
It’s hard to imagine a world without the Ford Mustang. For over 50 years, it has been one of Ford’s best-selling cars. Many people don’t know that Ford once planned to replace the Mustang with what Motor1 called one of the worst sports cars in history.
What’s A Ford Probe?
The People Spoke, and Ford Listened
- Your eyes don't deceive you. You did just read that Ford thought about making the Mustang a front-wheel-drive car built on a Mazda platform developed in Japan. Sounds crazy, but we do now live in a world where you can buy an electric, four-door, four-wheel-drive CUV called Mustang. The idea goes back as far as the late-70s when the reality of an oil-starved world had taken its toll o…
Declining Sales and Hard Times in Japan
- In 1993, Ford produced and sold over 100,000 Probes. By 1997, that number had dwindled to less than 20,000, fewer than one fifth, within only five full years of production and sales. This is a sharp drop-off, the likes of which few cars from major manufacturers ever see, but it's a clear indicator that the FWD sport-coupe segment was starting to fa...