Vehicle Sighting - 1990ish Ford Probe

[Number_35]

These were a reskinned Mazda MX-6, back when Ford owned a big chunk of Mazda. I've Ford considered these as the next-gen (post-Fox-body) Mustang. I think the FWD configuration was a bridge too far. With the 2.5 litre V6 and 5-speed, they apparently went very well.

 

[ET16]

Some were turbocharged, too.

 

[Rand]

yea the turbo was a 2.2 with 145hp ?? and ran out of air around 4500 or 5k

the 2.5 v6 has slightly less torque but 7k redline and was definitely the better engine of the 2.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

I always thought those were shaped (and named) for implements you’d find at the proctologist’s office.

That’s a mid-90s model, the earlier years were longer and more hatchback-y.

 

[WylieCoyote]

Much prefer the 2nd generation to the 1st, and 2nd gen MX-6 was the best looking of the bunch. Sweet exhaust note on the V6 and reasonably quick. It did much better under its own name than it would have had it been saddled with the Mustang name. As a front wheel drive coupe with no V8 option, imagine the uproar had Ford not awakened to see what they were about to do was a huge misstep.

 

[earlyre]

Much prefer the 2nd generation to the 1st, and 2nd gen MX-6 was the best looking of the bunch. Sweet exhaust note on the V6 and reasonably quick. It did much better under its own name than it would have had it been saddled with the Mustang name. As a front wheel drive coupe with no V8 option, imagine the uproar had Ford not awakened to see what they were about to do was a huge misstep.

they haven't noticed the error in calling the Mach-E a Mustang.... just saying....

 

[WylieCoyote]

they haven't noticed the error in calling the Mach-E a Mustang.... just saying....

Agreed. Legacy means nothing.

 

[JavierH19]

Think the last one i ever saw was in 2009. Real cool looking car I'd definitely drive it. That's if it's got working AC though.

But is it just me or is that 97-03 back there real pretty looking. She deserves some attention too.

 

[PF52]

The second-gen Probes like this one always seemed to me like they were Ford's version of the Geo Storm.

 

[earlyre]

Agreed. Legacy means nothing.

If they want to put that drive line in an s650 chassis... That's fine with me, that's an electric mustang I could get behind...
but calling a crossover/suv a mustang....no...

 

[HemiBenny]

I haven’t seen a Ford Probe out in the wild for a very long time!

 

[leadcounsel]

Best friend's mom had one in HS. Rode in it a handful of times. I forgot that car existed. I haven't seen one in decades in person. Guessing the lack of widespread popularity or longevity sorta means it was not built very well. I really haven't seen one in memory, decades. Not a good sign for build quality or popularity.

 

[meep]

They looked better inside than outside. They weren’t the worst car. The v6 could scoot and at least as a passenger felt well-connected. The front overhang was ... A lot.

 

[SatinSilver]

There's a total of one Probe on Autotrader nationwide. It's a '97 with 8200 miles V6 manual for 16k, has mods done to it but still seems like a nice car.

 

[heavy260]

There’s a first gen GT rolling in my town. Looks like new.

I had GF that had a 2nd gen GT but she traded cars every year and dug a hole quickly. She wasn’t real smart but she was hot and the hotness to crazy scale was high.

 

[PF52]

There's a total of one Probe on Autotrader nationwide. It's a '97 with 8200 miles V6 manual for 16k, has mods done to it but still seems like a nice car. View attachment 162791

That photo reminds me of the ads where all the photos are cropped just like that and then when you get there to look at the car you find there is severe damage that's just coincidentally always in the cropped section of each photo!

 

[michaelluscher]

It was supposed to be the replacement for the Fox Body Mustang, but the enthusiasts howled to Ford

Not a bad car, but they didn't age well
No one really bothered to keep up with them, and some parts are NLA
The KL-V6 isn't tolerant of neglect, and the F-4EAT is garbage


I'd prefer the '99-'02 Cougar, the best of the platform, with the better 2.5 Duratec V6
Manual Sport

 

[zzyzzx]

 

[PF52]

I'd prefer the '99-'02 Cougar, the best of the platform, with the better 2.5 Duratec V6
Manual Sport

Wasn't that a twin of the Contour? Not Probe.

 

[michaelluscher]

Wasn't that a twin of the Contour? Not Probe.

I stand corrected, the Cougar was a Contour/Mondeo platform, not the MX-6 based Probe