You Need This: When's the last time you saw a Probe GT this clean? (2024)

David S. Wallens Editorial Director
8/28/24 11:26 a.m.

You Need This: When's the last time you saw a Probe GT this clean? (2)

Remember Ford’s plans for a front-drive Mustang? Yeah, never happened. But, instead, we got the Ford Probe–two generations, in fact, with this being another Ford/Mazda collab.

You Need This: When's the last time you saw a Probe GT this clean? (3)

The high point for the first generation was the Probe GT. Instead of an old-school V8 powered the rear axle, this front-driver received an intercooled and turbocharged 2.2-liter inline-four.

Power output? How about 145 …

Read the rest of the story

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
8/28/24 11:31 a.m.

You had me at Probe GT.

You lost me at 1st Gen.

David S. Wallens Editorial Director
8/28/24 11:35 a.m.

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

No turbo love? You know who would approve, right?

Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
8/28/24 11:36 a.m.

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

You lost me at 1st Gen.

But F2T!

That thing is ridiculously clean.

Motojunky Reader
8/28/24 11:39 a.m.

My next door neighbor (who was at the time my good friend's fiance) bought one new in 1988. On the way to spend a day out on the Hobie Cat that my buddy and I shared, I scratched her bumper with the trailer while trying to squeeze past her in a parking lot. The repair cost me $600 in 1988 money. As a result, I have a completely unjustified hatred for the Ford Probe.

The second generation isn't so bad.

Rodan UberDork
8/28/24 11:58 a.m.

My wife had a brand new 2nd Gen Probe when we met. It was not an interesting car to drive.

Datsun240ZGuy MegaDork
8/28/24 12:04 p.m.

Yes, I had a Datsun 310GX so I shouldn't throw stones at this probably better car but I never liked this car.

The Ford EXP was even weirder.

CyberEric SuperDork
8/28/24 12:05 p.m.

EFFFFF TWOOOOO TEEEEEEEEEEE!You Need This: When's the last time you saw a Probe GT this clean? (11)

Don't hate until you've tried one dialed up to 11. That thing is CLEAN. I like the MX-6 body better, but that thing is pretty sweet.

codrus (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
8/28/24 12:09 p.m.

Rodan said:

My wife had a brand new 2nd Gen Probe when we met. It was not an interesting car to drive.

A '95 Probe GT was the first car I bought after graduating from college, and I would disagree. They were fun and were one of the cars to have in G Stock at the time.

You Need This: When's the last time you saw a Probe GT this clean? (13)

MadScientistMatt UltimaDork
8/28/24 12:40 p.m.

Much nicer than the one I ran at the Challenge, and that was 20 years ago. It may be a good thing the price is high enough not to seriously tempt me to replace the Kia as a daily driver.

Rodan UberDork
8/28/24 1:36 p.m.

codrus (Forum Supporter) said:
Rodan said:

My wife had a brand new 2nd Gen Probe when we met. It was not an interesting car to drive.

A '95 Probe GT was the first car I bought after graduating from college, and I would disagree. They were fun and were one of the cars to have in G Stock at the time.

You Need This: When's the last time you saw a Probe GT this clean? (16)Hers was not a GT, and at the time I had a sportbike and an 11 sec street Mustang... so yeah, didn't even blip the meter. Wasn't a bad car for road trips, though.

CyberEric SuperDork
8/28/24 1:56 p.m.

Yeah a non GT is a different animal. No F2T babay!

Edit: Just realized you were talking second gen, so no KL, another Mazda gem.

1988RedT2 MegaDork
8/28/24 1:58 p.m.

CyberEric said:

EFFFFF TWOOOOO TEEEEEEEEEEE!You Need This: When's the last time you saw a Probe GT this clean? (19)

Don't hate until you've tried one dialed up to 11. That thing is CLEAN. I like the MX-6 body better, but that thing is pretty sweet.

Yes! This. I assume anyone hating on the first gen GT is too young to have driven one.

Also, +1 on the MX-6.

DavyZ Reader
8/28/24 4:56 p.m.

Ford Probe? Um, no.

I didn't know any existed anymore.

codrus (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
8/28/24 6:52 p.m.

1988RedT2 said:

Yes! This. I assume anyone hating on the first gen GT is too young to have driven one.

This this purelyaethestics, but the styling on the first gen never did it for me. IMHO Toyota did the boxy-but-angled late 80s styling well (AW11 MR2, A70 Supra), but I didn't really care for Ford's efforts in that regard. They really nailed the curvy early 90s styling on the second gen though!

Blunder Reader
8/28/24 7:48 p.m.

A blue 2nd gen was almost my second car. I just couldn't unload my mx-3 in time. If the mx-3 was the gs I probably wouldn't have wanted to get rid of it but it was 1992 with the 88hp 1.6. Ithit 60mph in 20 seconds. Might have needed a driver mod. Might not have. I have wanted a 2nd gen probe ever since missing out years ago.

slefain UltimaDork
8/29/24 9:47 a.m.

I had a '89 Probe GT. I can attest that running 14psi with a Home Depot bleeder valve is an absolute hoot. It will turn the front tires into a smoke show during a 1-2 bangshift.

I can also attest that the engine will last roughly one month at that performance level. I paid $68 for the car, no regrets but I wouldn't own another one.

JG Pasterjak Production/Art Director
8/29/24 9:51 a.m.

WTF was up with Ford steering wheels during this era? The low-mounted two-spoke thing was just hot garbage.

Ranger50 MegaDork
8/29/24 12:48 p.m.

In reply to JG Pasterjak :

Better than the thin 4spoke airbag garbage that followed on about 95% of all the models they made....

Toyman! GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
8/29/24 12:53 p.m.

My wife was driving a 626 in that era. I really wanted a MX6 GT.

Alas, I was broke at the time so I was driving an '87 Town Car.

crankwalk (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
8/29/24 1:37 p.m.

The last time I saw a Probe that cool was....well...right here.

Ironside's Probe build is so clean and well thought out and I guess I've followed it for a decade:

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/newb-intro-89-probe-gt-build/107456/page1/

You Need This: When's the last time you saw a Probe GT this clean? (28)

You Need This: When's the last time you saw a Probe GT this clean? (29)

Noddaz GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
8/30/24 8:22 a.m.

When’s the last time you saw a ProbeGTthisclean?

I cannot remember when the last time I saw a Ford Probe at all.

That looks like a nice car.

David S. Wallens Editorial Director
8/30/24 9:23 a.m.

We sometimes get one at our local autocrosses. I’ll see if I have a pic.

CyberEric SuperDork
8/30/24 10:09 a.m.

Yeah I remember Ironside's build. Very cool. It's proof they can look pretty cool with the right wheels.

Tho I do agree they aren't my favorite design from the era for some reason.

Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
8/30/24 11:28 a.m.

I agree that the second gen is a better-looking car. I was THIS >< close to buying a new one when I was a freshly graduated lad working for Ford, but I ended up with a B-lot SHO instead. In retrospect, I probably should have gone with the Probe. That SHO was a giant POS, nothing but problems.

Still, looking back now, I find the first gen to be a bit more desirable, despite not being as pretty. It's more 80s, and the potential of the F2T gives it a lot of points in my book.

You Need This: When's the last time you saw a Probe GT this clean? (2024)

FAQs

When did Ford stop making the probe? ›

Proposed third generation

The last Probe was built on June 20, 1997. A third-generation model, using the same platform as the Ford Contour, was under development intended for release in mid-1998 as a 1999 model. When Ford decided to discontinue the Probe, this new design became the next-generation Mercury Cougar.

Did the Ford Probe have a turbo? ›

The original car's 2.2-liter turbo four was gutsy but coarse and wheezing over 5000 rpm. The new 2.5-liter 24-valve V-6 gives up none of the turbo's performance, but it sets the class standard for refinement and pulls to 7000 rpm as eagerly as another V-type engine with red heads made in Italy.

What engine is in the 1994 Ford Probe GT? ›

How many Ford probes are left on the road? ›

There are 34,343,366 cars & other vehicles with valid MOTs. There are 259 FORD PROBE left in the UK with an MOT. 0.0008% of all UK vehicles are FORD PROBE. Vehicle data is updated in near real-time as they pass & fail MOT tests.

How much horsepower does a 89 Probe GT have? ›

Turbocharged GT engines have 7.8:1 compression and produce 145 hp at 4300 rpm and 190 Ibs. -ft. of torque at 3500 rpm. The standard EFI version runs with a higher 8.6:1 compression ratio and produces 110 horsepower at 4700 rpm and 130 Ibs.

What is the top speed of a 1992 Ford Probe GT? ›

Performance
0 - 60 mph7.0 s
0 - 100 mph20.4 s
0 - 120 mph39.5 s
1/4 mile15.5 s @ 89.0 mph
Top speed214 kph (133 mph)
2 more rows

Why did the Ford Probe fail? ›

So why was the Probe ultimately discontinued? It boiled down to poor sales. By 1997, the Probe's final year, Ford sold less than 20,000 units compared to 108,000 Mustangs.

Was the Ford Probe fast? ›

The Probe's Mazda-built 2.5-liter aluminum V-6 is unusually smooth and very quiet. This fast-revving 24-valve engine develops 164-horsepower and features dual overhead camshafts and electronic fuel injection. Ford says the new Probe will go 0-to-60 mph in 7.5 seconds. The engine pulls strongly all the way to 7,500 rpm.

Did the Ford Probe replace the Mustang? ›

As some commenters pointed out, the lineage of the small “Stallion” Mustang would likely flow into the rather unloved Escort-based EXP (which I'll tackle soon) and terminate into the introduction of the front-drive Mazda-based Probe in 1988: a car that was initially planned to replace the rear drive Mustang entirely ...

How much horsepower does a 1989 Ford Probe have? ›

Turbocharged GT engines have 7.8:1 compression and produce 145 hp at 4300 rpm and 190 Ibs. -ft. of torque at 3500 rpm. The standard EFI version runs with a higher 8.6:1 compression ratio and produces 110 horsepower at 4700 rpm and 130 Ibs.

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