This was back when no one really knew what the face of the future would be, but this car did age fairly well with its sporty aero design. Anything with pop-up headlights dates it though. No one has made a car that uses pop up headlights since the '04 Chevy Corvette.
My girlfriend had an '89 Mazda MX6... champagne exterior and luxurious dark red heavy weave cloth interior... I thought it was vastly better looking than the Probe... especially the Probes with the top extending back over the back window... like a '62 Chevy Biscayne... Seemed powerful, I thought it was a V6 to drive it, but opening hood revealed a DOHC 4... Weird that it didn't have self-adjusting brakes, just wore out one end of the brake shoes...
Well maybe if the market didn’t demand so many suvs and crossovers they wouldn’t make that many, it’s not the 80s anymore where the average joe could afford a sports car fresh out of high school. People are having family’s now and what will a family buy? A crossover... time’s change bro deal with it
@@ronaldmcdonald5292 "people are having families now" People didn't have families back in the 80's and 90's? That has nothing to do with why an average joe can't afford a sports coupe anymore. It's due to corporate greed and lack of salary increase to match the rise in cost of living over the years.
You and me both, a front wheel drive mustang? No thank you... and what the hell is that abomination called the Mustang Mach E?? (I know what it is, I just cannot believe it's a thing).
Honestly everybody would think the mach e was cool if it didn’t have the mustang name. I feel as if Ford is gonna do something stupid and branch out the mustang name into a performance division.
@@ronaldmcdonald5292 Agree with you. Putting the Mustang name and taillights on an electric SUV is cheap marketing. Maybe it will work though. I actually like the look, but Ford could have done that and said it was "Mustang styling inspired" or something, not slap the Mustang name on it.
People are so god damned stupid that the name of an otherwise nice vehicle would make them stay away from such a purchase. This is why as Americans we deserve what's happening to the car culture lol.
@@camberwellcarrot420 one example of a high mileage turbo engine doesn't really prove your point there bud lol. I don't disagree with you either but a good example is any diesel trucks they all pretty much have turbos and they last over a million miles pretty regularly with proper maintenance being complied with.
@@Sanpedranoazul Took me awhile to figure out what you were talking about - cause they've never been on my radar. All reviews today are about cup holders and infotainment. It would be nice see what a vehicle could actually accomplish.
Rockwood Joe today’s car vloggers have zero knowledge about how cars are engineered or made. They have no idea what makes a good car different from a bad car. They are interested in what ten year old boys are interested in - the power windows, the power seats and the horsepower. A few are even clever enough to look at the dash plastic fit and finish.
@@777jones The slalom, brake, raceway, and 0-60 tests were always my favorite on motor week, because they showed what you couldn't really do on a test drive - to an ordinary car. I have no idea why today's vloggers just spout of specs that are easy to obtain on the web - or the viewer already knows!
Growing up, my neighbor had a red second gen Probe V6. I thought it was one of the coolest looking car in the mid-90s! It seemed legitimately spacey and futuristic back in the day.
I’ve been a MW fan since it started on public television. It’s the one show that never gets old. I may even cry the day John Davis and Pat Goss retire.
John Davis is awesome but I could do without pat goss. Any legit ASE certified technician could give much more useful and understandable information than that guy
I bought one of these new back in '89, though mine was red. It had a great balance of speed, handling, braking, economy and styling. And having a sub $20,000 car in 1989 with 4 wheel disc brakes, ABS, a turbocharged engine and an adjustable suspension made it an incredible value. But I'm still relieved that it didn't replace the Fox-Body Mustangs, which had their own unique character.
@@E_tiBEAMERBOY I was given a '90 LX with 3.0 V6/5 speed manual. I beat that thing like a red headed stepchild and it never gave me a problem. I sold it to some kids that wanted to enter it in a derby. Some decisions we make, we don't know are regrettable until it's far too late.
Well my girlfriends had an '89 Mazda MX6... champagne exterior and luxurious dark red heavy weave cloth interior... I thought it was vastly better looking than the Probe... especially the Probes with the top extending back over the back window... like a '62 Chevy Biscayne... Seemed powerful, I thought it was a V6 to drive it, but opening hood revealed an OHC 4... Weird that it didn't have self-adjusting brakes, just wore out one end of the brake shoes...
Since 1998 my commute cars is a Ford Probe 1991, it is a great car indeed, very reliable, comfortable, and nice car. Its design still holds today, and I love that sucker!
I ran across a 91 LX (the one with the V6 engine) a few years ago out in the middle of nowhere, I still kick myself for not having bought it. It was bright red in and out, with a digital instrument cluster...somewhat futuristic all the way around. The price was fairly decent, too, but I had no way to get it home and no nice garage to put it in when it got there.
I had a 90 Probe GT and the HP on that car was vastly underrated. Mine was completely decked out with all the available trim options. That car was lightning quick. Still, to this day, one of the favorite cars I've ever owned.
Notice how a version of this wheel design is nearly the identical style used later on the '93 Mustang Cobra R and the 17" wheel upgrade option on '94-'95 Mustang GTs.....
Notice how nobody knows how to end a sentence or paragraph right? Stopped putting multiple periods. Use one period to end your statement. Doing so otherwise shows how many people in America failed basic English and writing classes.
@@DocR16 LOL... If you had paid attention in class, using an ellipsis is a form of leaving the lines of communication open(you know, for others to chime in?). Okay, sue me, I used more than the correct ... three periods to form an ellipsis, cheers!
I've heard they actually made a lot more than 145hp but Ford didn't disclose the actual number because it was too close or more than the Mustang and they couldn't have that.
@@artemusifasuenshuffleman8535 Yeah, I think it was closer to 175-180hp, going by the 1/4 mile speeds. I totally remember the outcry when Ford mentioned replacing the Mustang with the Probe. The redesigned '94 Mustang was the result, giving it a new lease on life for another 11 model years. Ford would've made a serious, bigger than Edsel, mistake had they used the FWD Mazda platform on the Mustang IMO.
It was always considered to be an underrated horsepower figure, I remember Car & Driver getting 0-60 in the high 6 second range and a 225HP Mustang GT at the time was like 6.3-6.4 seconds..... and even the Diamond Star turbo cars (Talon/Laser/Eclipse) with 190-195HP were only a few tenths faster, so definitely had atleast a few more HP than advertised. To have 190/lb ft torque would be strange to have only 145HP 🤔 And this car was NOT as light as a current Mazda Miata. 300-400 lbs heavier for sure
One of the best cars that I ever owned. I bought it used when I was a bachelor and I had to trade it in for a minivan when I started a family. I know that it was a long time ago, but I miss that Ford Probe !
I had a 1989 model... bought it for $600 in 2002... the odometer broke a couple years prior with 250,000 miles on the motor i drove that thing for probably another good 100,000 living in Houston.. it was a standard..i drove it til the 3rd & 5 th gears gave out
My friend had a 90 Probe GT,I drove it a few times fun quick little car,0-60 blasts were fast,on the highway in 5th gear at 80 mph put the pedal down in a few seconds your doing 110 mph when that turbo kicks in. Good times.
Saw one of these examples last year when I was following it for a short time. Can’t believe how rare those cars are nowadays. Just once and never seen it again.
An absolutely respectable car from ford. I cant remember the last time I said that, but it sure wasnt in the last 2 decades. These little coupes were fun, easy to work on, and were meh as far as reliability goes. It was a joint venture with mazda after all.
Remember when you could put the word "anal" in front of any ford product and it would be funny... Probe, Explorer, Expedition, Excursion, Fiesta, Escort, etc. hehe
I had a 89 GT. Fantastic car. Definitely felt faster than the 5.0 IROC Z I owned previous to it. HP ratings were severely underrated by Ford. The ridiculous amount of torque steer was my only complaint. All in all a revolutionary car for its time. Absolutely loved it.
My mom had one of these when I was a kid. Seeing some on Facebook marketplace, and thinking about picking one up. Man, Ford really knocked it out of the ballpark with this car
Haha...i remember when my friend pulled up in one, I thought this was so forward looking and what a machine. Had not seen anything like the probe during that era. Good job Ford back in the day.
And back when that was what the market demanded. They aren’t gonna start making a shit ton of sports cars just to cater to boomers like you, and then go bankrupt because they spent more money on development and then got no sales.
@@ronaldmcdonald5292 I'm a Millenial and I love these sports cars, I don't need a crossover, they are still bigger than sub compacts which prefer to drive. Also, Millenials that actually have families are generally having smaller families now so if the Boomers and Gen Xers could live with this, Millenials easily could. The problem is Millenials in general don't care about as much about sports cars as previous generations so it does make sense for Ford not to bring this back. Another problem is that many Millenials also can't afford new cars.
My friend had one of these in high school. It was black with custom gold lettering down the side with the previous owners name. 😆 It was very fitting of the cars style. The cars power band was interesting with peak torque at 3500 and falling off from there. A really fun and unique car from a car era I will always love for its bizarre and sometimes gaudy styles.
@@JDMHaze so one engine that had a few issues and you assume they are all like that? Tell that to my XR6 Turbo with 600hp on stock everything down to the turbo.
I had one of these in high school. Gutless below 3000 rpm but could punch above it's weight class above that. It was able to keep up with mid-late 80's era z28's and 5.0's.
I had a 90 Gt. It was a fun easy to mod car that I could get into the 14s on street tires with just an exhaust and boost controller. I miss that car. Got 29 mpg to boot.
Love the car, and bonus info on the probe, if you're a fan of the back to the future trilogy, there is a ford probe in the second film, if you watch carefully
There was also the original concept for the Ford Probe in the movie 2010: The Year We Make Contact. (Roy Scheider gets passed by one while jogging early in the film)
I had a White 1989 Probe GT with a 5 speed. It constantly got over 30 MPG on the highway and you felt safe in it. Now cars are so small and rarely can get that. 3.0 5 speed was a good combo. Plenty of power and fun to drive.
I've always liked the style of the 1st and 2nd generation Probe. Really slick and distinctive. I personally think the styling has aged exceptionally well. I miss 80s/90s pop up headlights.
My parents had the GL version back in '91. I'm on the hunt for this 1st gen GT now; owned a '93 GT from '96-'00 in Rio Red, 5sp manual, cloth seats, etc. Poured many thousands of $'s into it, all without regret. A fun, great handling coupe! PS: a full compliment of gauges and he's STILL unhappy?!?!? Jeez, what more can he ask for???
I had an 89 Probe GT with a V-6, and I loved it. I had bought it used and in very good condition, but as it aged and needed maintenance, and repairs. I could not find a mechanic who would touch it -- not even Ford and Mazda dealers. Because of the difficulty with finding repair availability (it was having undiagnosable suspension issues), I sold it at a loss, and have often regretted doing so. This car was the most fun I ever had on 4 wheels, with 165HP delivered to a 5 speed gear box. On the Intestates, I ran with Corvettes and European muscle!
1:55 I think it has aged very well, I like it better than the post Fox body Mustangs of the 90's. Still glad this didn't replace the Mustsng though, espically with it being FWD.
Just chilling like two lemons in an ice lemonade (Because the word Citroen is derived from the french word Citron which means lemon (after they changed it after the family's arrival in France.)
I rented one of these for a week back in the day, it seemed nice, then I later bought a Mazda 626. It was the same platform as the Probe but its ride and handling made the Probe seem really clunky and heavy in comparison. The Mazda had the same torque steer problem as the Probe but I liked the car better, kept it for 15 years.
I worked for a local Ford dealership in the late 80's early 90's (Latham Ford). The dealership was owned by a father and two sons. One of the sons (Rob) had a red Probe GT and the other had a red Thunderbird SC. I got to drive them both occasionally... they were really great cars. Rob's Probe GT got broken into on a trip to Boston, they broke the read quarter window... that was about a $1500 replacement in 1990.
If I remember correctly, the Probe was originally intended to be the next generation of Mustang. Because of the backlash from diehard Mustang fans, Ford scrapped those plans and thus this car became the Probe. The existing Mustang was updated and kept for several more years.
I love this car! I remember thinking it was too fast for me and I would get tickets after I test drove one. Bought an 89 Cavalier Z-24 instead, also a good car, and looked nice in white with silver rocker panel extensions and orange Z24 badge.
The Cavalier, in Z-24 form, was a really good looking car back in the day. I think all the base models, that were all ragged out, that you'd see everywhere, made people sort of forget how good it looked. Personally I like the Beretta Z-26 a bit better, but they're both good looking cars.
My Dad almost bought one in '89. Got a Mitsubishi Galant instead which was pretty cool too so I couldn't complain. I got my license in '90 and had to learn on stick only!
reminds me of my Army days, I had a Daytona shelby, 1 buddy had a Beretta gt, and the other Probe Gt. We had a ball racing from colorado springs to denver on the weekends in the summer. cops left us alone. man what fun
At first it was a cracked radiator, I said fine, it could have happened to anyone, then ac compressor locked, fine I could live without ac for awhile, then headgasket blew, okay that cost quite a bit to fix, then clutch went out, ok probably time to replace it anyway then the turbo started making noises and then finally the motor crapped out
Back in the day the rumor was that these made closer to around 180hp, but Ford rated it at only 145 so it wouldn't steal potential customers away from the Mustang.
My cousin's husband had a 90 GL with the non turbo and 5 speed. A bare bones car, he ran that thing to 250k when the trans finally let go. Then he got a used 91 GT turbo and had nothing but trouble with it. After sinking a ton of $ in it, he got a trade in V6 Probe, I wanna say a 93. That 1 was a really good car according to him, and the only reason he sold it was because they couldn't find car seats for their kids that fit the rear seats of the car. Though I'm a Dodge guy, I always liked the look of the Probe GT's.
My wife had an 89 Ford Probe. It was actually a damn good car that got fantastic gas mileage even running it at 80 mph for hours. I'm a Chevy man practically from birth but I give Ford its due on the Probe. Only thing is it was pretty small to act as a family car.
@@bilbobaggins4710 junk but there's TONS of them here and TONS of built ones too, turboed and all. Some even win autoshows here and audio competitions.
These were fun cars. Supposedly in a warehouse somewhere in Dearborn is one of these with Mustang badges. Car and Driver rumored there was an AWD SHO with the Yamaha V6 coming .
@@realazduffman why not? The Mustang was nothing more than an economy car in drag. Fists just a rebadged Falcon. Then Pinto. Then a barely stylized Fairmont hatchback. Theres nothing special about Mustangs mechanically, today you would be better off buying one of the many cheaper and undervalued cars that share its mechanicals than buying an actual Mustang. People who like Mustangs care more about looks than performance, that's why amont the early cars the demonstrably worse fastback holds all the value while the superior for a performance car coupe is ignored. At least with the Mazda platform they designed it from the beginning to be a performer, rather than a grocery getter that got dressed up in new sheetmetal to cash in on boomer idiocy.
@@DrewLSsix I dont even like mustangs but have to disagree. Sure, they had some lackluster years and models but you are forgetting about the 03 and 04 terminators, the cobra R and plenty else.
Want to help keep our weekly Retro Reviews alive? DONATE NOW: mptevents.regfox.com/motorweek
Sometimes these old MotorWeek videos are the biggest thing getting me through the week
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Yep
Same here bro
True
The flash backs for me are are awesome , always waiting to see what will be uploaded next . Keep em coming
“Lacks enough distinction to age gracefully” I think this car still looks amazing 30+ years later. Maybe it’s just me.
This was back when no one really knew what the face of the future would be, but this car did age fairly well with its sporty aero design. Anything with pop-up headlights dates it though. No one has made a car that uses pop up headlights since the '04 Chevy Corvette.
@@Trance88 I like pop up headlights better than what they are doing now. They might not have gone out if it wasn't for safety regulations.
I think it's done quite well in the styling category 30-odd years later.
Not just you. I had an 89 GT that I loved.
Rust killed it.
My girlfriend had an '89 Mazda MX6... champagne exterior and luxurious dark red heavy weave cloth interior... I thought it was vastly better looking than the Probe... especially the Probes with the top extending back over the back window... like a '62 Chevy Biscayne...
Seemed powerful, I thought it was a V6 to drive it, but opening hood revealed a DOHC 4...
Weird that it didn't have self-adjusting brakes, just wore out one end of the brake shoes...
I wish I was a car enthusiast during the 80s and 90s. So many cool cars and not a lot of SUVs back then.
Barsa F I know, SUVs and crossovers will be the death of real card
Well maybe if the market didn’t demand so many suvs and crossovers they wouldn’t make that many, it’s not the 80s anymore where the average joe could afford a sports car fresh out of high school. People are having family’s now and what will a family buy? A crossover... time’s change bro deal with it
@@ronaldmcdonald5292 "people are having families now"
People didn't have families back in the 80's and 90's? That has nothing to do with why an average joe can't afford a sports coupe anymore. It's due to corporate greed and lack of salary increase to match the rise in cost of living over the years.
@@ronaldmcdonald5292 The birthrate in America is actually in a decline.
Dave S. If there was a big market they’d make them, learn about supply and demand
Actually, I think that this car has aged very well, aesthetically speaking. It still looks quite contemporary.
I chuckled a bit at the thought of someone from the past telling me how something will age.
@@billschlafly4107 In retrospect, it does seem funny.
The last time this car was contemporary was 1996.
It looks dorky, but I like the second gen in all it's 90s glory.
Contemporary? No
Nice car but I'm glad Ford didn't slap a "Mustang" badge on it as originally planned. Mustang Mach E
You and me both, a front wheel drive mustang? No thank you... and what the hell is that abomination called the Mustang Mach E?? (I know what it is, I just cannot believe it's a thing).
Honestly everybody would think the mach e was cool if it didn’t have the mustang name. I feel as if Ford is gonna do something stupid and branch out the mustang name into a performance division.
@@ronaldmcdonald5292 Agree with you. Putting the Mustang name and taillights on an electric SUV is cheap marketing. Maybe it will work though. I actually like the look, but Ford could have done that and said it was "Mustang styling inspired" or something, not slap the Mustang name on it.
into your shoulder please
People are so god damned stupid that the name of an otherwise nice vehicle would make them stay away from such a purchase. This is why as Americans we deserve what's happening to the car culture lol.
I was a Ford salesman in 1989. Good year to be at Ford. That Probe sold well! We also had the new Thunderbird SC that year. Good memories.
I own an black 89 gt and my dad owns an white 89 gt and hes had it since 92 and its got over 700,000 miles
TWF gameing that’s impressive!
Awesome ! I'd like one myself !
So much for turbocharged engines not being reliable.
@@camberwellcarrot420 one example of a high mileage turbo engine doesn't really prove your point there bud lol. I don't disagree with you either but a good example is any diesel trucks they all pretty much have turbos and they last over a million miles pretty regularly with proper maintenance being complied with.
@@camberwellcarrot420 700k im sure the engine have been rebuilt maybe twice 😆
The good ole days, when reviews didn't only consists of a narcissist talking to a windshield. I miss the production values.
Like kbb for example???
@@Sanpedranoazul Took me awhile to figure out what you were talking about - cause they've never been on my radar. All reviews today are about cup holders and infotainment. It would be nice see what a vehicle could actually accomplish.
Rockwood Joe today’s car vloggers have zero knowledge about how cars are engineered or made. They have no idea what makes a good car different from a bad car. They are interested in what ten year old boys are interested in - the power windows, the power seats and the horsepower. A few are even clever enough to look at the dash plastic fit and finish.
@@777jones The slalom, brake, raceway, and 0-60 tests were always my favorite on motor week, because they showed what you couldn't really do on a test drive - to an ordinary car. I have no idea why today's vloggers just spout of specs that are easy to obtain on the web - or the viewer already knows!
This just screams "old man yells at cloud," and I'm 33
Wow... those Citroen in the back... a sight unseen
Citroen CX, i guess
I wondered if anyone else noticed that as well. Would like to see a retro review on them.
Yep, a pair of CX's.
Good eyes! :)
Growing up, my neighbor had a red second gen Probe V6. I thought it was one of the coolest looking car in the mid-90s! It seemed legitimately spacey and futuristic back in the day.
They used one in Back to the Future part 2
Sounded great too!
I’ve been a MW fan since it started on public television. It’s the one show that never gets old. I may even cry the day John Davis and Pat Goss retire.
So am I
I record it weekly
John Davis is awesome but I could do without pat goss. Any legit ASE certified technician could give much more useful and understandable information than that guy
I bought one of these new back in '89, though mine was red. It had a great balance of speed, handling, braking, economy and styling. And having a sub $20,000 car in 1989 with 4 wheel disc brakes, ABS, a turbocharged engine and an adjustable suspension made it an incredible value. But I'm still relieved that it didn't replace the Fox-Body Mustangs, which had their own unique character.
Omg this was a mean little car back in the day.. Wanted one so bad but got an MX-6 instead. Smooth and fast 2.2 Turbo
I had the probe got. I loved that car! Still miss it.
How was reliability @previous owners
@@E_tiBEAMERBOY I was given a '90 LX with 3.0 V6/5 speed manual. I beat that thing like a red headed stepchild and it never gave me a problem.
I sold it to some kids that wanted to enter it in a derby. Some decisions we make, we don't know are regrettable until it's far too late.
The Mazda 626 was also available with Turbo 2.2 and 5sp manual back then....a true sleeper if there ever was one!!
Well my girlfriends had an '89 Mazda MX6... champagne exterior and luxurious dark red heavy weave cloth interior... I thought it was vastly better looking than the Probe... especially the Probes with the top extending back over the back window... like a '62 Chevy Biscayne...
Seemed powerful, I thought it was a V6 to drive it, but opening hood revealed an OHC 4...
Weird that it didn't have self-adjusting brakes, just wore out one end of the brake shoes...
Since 1998 my commute cars is a Ford Probe 1991, it is a great car indeed, very reliable, comfortable, and nice car.
Its design still holds today, and I love that sucker!
Congratulations ! Dude above says theirs has + 700,000
that year looked better than this 89 in the video too
I ran across a 91 LX (the one with the V6 engine) a few years ago out in the middle of nowhere, I still kick myself for not having bought it. It was bright red in and out, with a digital instrument cluster...somewhat futuristic all the way around. The price was fairly decent, too, but I had no way to get it home and no nice garage to put it in when it got there.
5:11 Wearers of long fingernails however, were not amused with the small buttons (on the stereo)! LOL
I had a 90 Probe GT and the HP on that car was vastly underrated. Mine was completely decked out with all the available trim options. That car was lightning quick. Still, to this day, one of the favorite cars I've ever owned.
An '89 Probe GT was my first new car. I absolutely LOVED it. The Midnight Garnet metallic paint color was awesome.
Had a 92' GT 5 speed...loved that car.
Last week a wiener, this week a probe. Let's keep it clean, Motorweek.
😂😂😂👍👍
😂😂 I didnt even notice that
Good catch. LMFAO 😂
2:59 are those Citroën XMs? 😳 WE NEED A REVIEW OF THAT!
Both of them are Citroen CXs.
@@petrol0069 Yes and these CXs, whose design dates from 1974, have aged well better than the Probe...
Those cars are extremely rare to find in the US, but instead I've seen some Peugeot 505's.
These Retro Motor Week reviews are the Cats meow!😻
1:54 lacks enough distinction to age gracefully? This car has aged wonderfully. Way better than most.
The two-tone ones did, but I don't think these solid color ones aged as well, still a nice looking car, but the two toned ones still look amazing.
Notice how a version of this wheel design is nearly the identical style used later on the '93 Mustang Cobra R and the 17" wheel upgrade option on '94-'95 Mustang GTs.....
05gtdriver
Yep, and there was a lot of people that didn't see the resemblance!
I noticed that detail instantly. More than likely much quicker than you
@@bingobango170 Uh, okay, I guess?
Notice how nobody knows how to end a sentence or paragraph right? Stopped putting multiple periods. Use one period to end your statement. Doing so otherwise shows how many people in America failed basic English and writing classes.
@@DocR16 LOL...
If you had paid attention in class, using an ellipsis is a form of leaving the lines of communication open(you know, for others to chime in?). Okay, sue me, I used more than the correct ... three periods to form an ellipsis, cheers!
I drove a GT as a kid. It’s always been one of my favorites. Sad to learn that it only had 145 HP. I remember it being so much faster.
it's very light! about the weight of a (more modern) miata
I've heard they actually made a lot more than 145hp but Ford didn't disclose the actual number because it was too close or more than the Mustang and they couldn't have that.
@@artemusifasuenshuffleman8535 Yeah, I think it was closer to 175-180hp, going by the 1/4 mile speeds. I totally remember the outcry when Ford mentioned replacing the Mustang with the Probe. The redesigned '94 Mustang was the result, giving it a new lease on life for another 11 model years. Ford would've made a serious, bigger than Edsel, mistake had they used the FWD Mazda platform on the Mustang IMO.
The thing is a torque monster.
It was always considered to be an underrated horsepower figure, I remember Car & Driver getting 0-60 in the high 6 second range and a 225HP Mustang GT at the time was like 6.3-6.4 seconds..... and even the Diamond Star turbo cars (Talon/Laser/Eclipse) with 190-195HP were only a few tenths faster, so definitely had atleast a few more HP than advertised. To have 190/lb ft torque would be strange to have only 145HP 🤔
And this car was NOT as light as a current Mazda Miata. 300-400 lbs heavier for sure
Such an underrated car. The turbo car was easily faster than the contemporary V6-powered Nissan Maxima, which had more rated HP.
As Italian, motorweek old tests are the only way to discover Cars that would otherwise be unknown to me.
Thank you for posting those videos!
Waited on this for a while. Bought a 1990 GT 9 years ago for my first car and still have it.
Would love to see one on the road again. Especially a well cared for example. It was a lithe and quick car, particularly in mid-range acceleration.
Omg I’ve been waiting for a retro review of the probe😁
One of the best cars that I ever owned. I bought it used when I was a bachelor and I had to trade it in for a minivan when I started a family. I know that it was a long time ago, but I miss that Ford Probe !
A car guys' memory is Elephantine...I understand. 👍
I had a 1989 model... bought it for $600 in 2002... the odometer broke a couple years prior with 250,000 miles on the motor i drove that thing for probably another good 100,000 living in Houston.. it was a standard..i drove it til the 3rd & 5 th gears gave out
I bought a 1989 Probe GT new and kept it 10 years. I loved it.
My friend had a 90 Probe GT,I drove it a few times fun quick little car,0-60 blasts were fast,on the highway in 5th gear at 80 mph put the pedal down in a few seconds your doing 110 mph when that turbo kicks in. Good times.
I still DD my Probe in the summer, but 2nd gen. I'd love to get m hands on one of these
I have one...Make an offer
@@bilbobaggins4710 When I said, "I'd love one" what I really meant was "I'm broke" :(
@@elkofcanada5003 ohhhh
@@bilbobaggins4710 One day, one day. There's a guy in my town who is like 80 and DD's a 1st gen LX, pretty cool.
@@bilbobaggins4710 what color and specs does it have
Saw one of these examples last year when I was following it for a short time. Can’t believe how rare those cars are nowadays. Just once and never seen it again.
An absolutely respectable car from ford. I cant remember the last time I said that, but it sure wasnt in the last 2 decades. These little coupes were fun, easy to work on, and were meh as far as reliability goes. It was a joint venture with mazda after all.
Fusion, also made with Mazda parts, was very reliable and good. Put 230k on one and only did brakes and tires. Everything still worked when sold.
I remember my mom's friend having one of these in red when I was a kid, and I thought it was the coolest car I've ever seen!
Remember when you could put the word "anal" in front of any ford product and it would be funny... Probe, Explorer, Expedition, Excursion, Fiesta, Escort, etc. hehe
IDK but Anal Flex and Anal Escape sound better than Anal EcoTurd. Anal Transit makes me giggle abit.
@@wiibaron Anal Fusion is actually not too bad. Neither is Anal Focus or Edge
I had a 89 GT. Fantastic car. Definitely felt faster than the 5.0 IROC Z I owned previous to it. HP ratings were severely underrated by Ford. The ridiculous amount of torque steer was my only complaint. All in all a revolutionary car for its time. Absolutely loved it.
My mom had one of these when I was a kid. Seeing some on Facebook marketplace, and thinking about picking one up. Man, Ford really knocked it out of the ballpark with this car
Haha...i remember when my friend pulled up in one, I thought this was so forward looking and what a machine. Had not seen anything like the probe during that era. Good job Ford back in the day.
3:04 ARE THOSE FREAKING CITROEN CXs???? WE NEED THAT REVIEW!
Back when Ford made cool cars and not soccer mom crossovers!
And back when that was what the market demanded. They aren’t gonna start making a shit ton of sports cars just to cater to boomers like you, and then go bankrupt because they spent more money on development and then got no sales.
Crown Victoria:)
@@ronaldmcdonald5292 I'm a Millenial and I love these sports cars, I don't need a crossover, they are still bigger than sub compacts which prefer to drive. Also, Millenials that actually have families are generally having smaller families now so if the Boomers and Gen Xers could live with this, Millenials easily could. The problem is Millenials in general don't care about as much about sports cars as previous generations so it does make sense for Ford not to bring this back. Another problem is that many Millenials also can't afford new cars.
Matt Wolf millennials can’t afford sports cars in 2020... it’s not 1987 anymore
@R Robert No, but it was built on the same platform and was mechanically identical.
My Proctologist drove a brown Probe!
Grow up. Your comment is not relevant to this video.
@@Joesmusclecargarage lol
My friend had one of these in high school. It was black with custom gold lettering down the side with the previous owners name. 😆 It was very fitting of the cars style. The cars power band was interesting with peak torque at 3500 and falling off from there. A really fun and unique car from a car era I will always love for its bizarre and sometimes gaudy styles.
and to THINK, the mustang almost got replaced by THIS lol... a mazda
Keye Haze mustangs are awesome as is this
K Garba yes but imagine a probe today VS a mustang today lol
@@JDMHaze they had a concept ford probe in 2010 that would have awd and twin turbo v10 so it could compete with car like the audi r8 at the time
TWF gameing well glad they didnt lol , imagine if the v10 wouldve been like the 3v 5.4 lol
@@JDMHaze so one engine that had a few issues and you assume they are all like that? Tell that to my XR6 Turbo with 600hp on stock everything down to the turbo.
I had one of these in high school. Gutless below 3000 rpm but could punch above it's weight class above that. It was able to keep up with mid-late 80's era z28's and 5.0's.
I have one thing to say, thanks John.
I had a 90 Gt. It was a fun easy to mod car that I could get into the 14s on street tires with just an exhaust and boost controller. I miss that car. Got 29 mpg to boot.
My very first car back in 1999, same color and everything 😍
Me too!
Love the car, and bonus info on the probe, if you're a fan of the back to the future trilogy, there is a ford probe in the second film, if you watch carefully
Yes there was a 92 gl and a gt i think
There was also the original concept for the Ford Probe in the movie 2010: The Year We Make Contact. (Roy Scheider gets passed by one while jogging early in the film)
@@raverboyloki amazing bit of trivia, seen that movie many times but never knew what that particular car was.
Thanks for the info 👍
as I recall there was a sidewalk in that movie too
I had a ‘94 GT with a rear wing and a standard. I miss that car.
I had a White 1989 Probe GT with a 5 speed. It constantly got over 30 MPG on the highway and you felt safe in it. Now cars are so small and rarely can get that. 3.0 5 speed was a good combo. Plenty of power and fun to drive.
I've always liked the style of the 1st and 2nd generation Probe. Really slick and distinctive. I personally think the styling has aged exceptionally well. I miss 80s/90s pop up headlights.
My parents had the GL version back in '91. I'm on the hunt for this 1st gen GT now; owned a '93 GT from '96-'00 in Rio Red, 5sp manual, cloth seats, etc. Poured many thousands of $'s into it, all without regret. A fun, great handling coupe!
PS: a full compliment of gauges and he's STILL unhappy?!?!? Jeez, what more can he ask for???
I had an 89 Probe GT with a V-6, and I loved it. I had bought it used and in very good condition, but as it aged and needed maintenance, and repairs. I could not find a mechanic who would touch it -- not even Ford and Mazda dealers. Because of the difficulty with finding repair availability (it was having undiagnosable suspension issues), I sold it at a loss, and have often regretted doing so. This car was the most fun I ever had on 4 wheels, with 165HP delivered to a 5 speed gear box. On the Intestates, I ran with Corvettes and European muscle!
Yeah, OK
🧢
no such thing as a 89 GT with a v6.
1:55 I think it has aged very well, I like it better than the post Fox body Mustangs of the 90's. Still glad this didn't replace the Mustsng though, espically with it being FWD.
Would love to find a clean first gen Probe GT like that.
I miss my 89 ford probe so much. I beat the crap out of it everyday and it kept going strong. Best handling car I ever owned.
I had a 89 Ford Probe LX as my 1st car. Digital everything. CD player. I had that car for 13 years.... I miss it :(
It's special car, Ford Probe LX!!! The LX was available with the V6 "Vulcan" engine No turbo, but with better reliability
Wow the amount of features on this car is astounding im loving thr hatch style i swear my next car is going to be a hatch if not small crossover
3:00 What were those Citroens doing there?
Just chilling like two lemons in an ice lemonade (Because the word Citroen is derived from the french word Citron which means lemon (after they changed it after the family's arrival in France.)
Give it some coilovers and a tune and she'll drive like a champ
I love these videos .. Ibinge watch them all the time! Esp cars i used to own.
I rented one of these for a week back in the day, it seemed nice, then I later bought a Mazda 626. It was the same platform as the Probe but its ride and handling made the Probe seem really clunky and heavy in comparison. The Mazda had the same torque steer problem as the Probe but I liked the car better, kept it for 15 years.
I worked for a local Ford dealership in the late 80's early 90's (Latham Ford). The dealership was owned by a father and two sons. One of the sons (Rob) had a red Probe GT and the other had a red Thunderbird SC. I got to drive them both occasionally... they were really great cars. Rob's Probe GT got broken into on a trip to Boston, they broke the read quarter window... that was about a $1500 replacement in 1990.
94-95 Mustang GT owners got a preview of the 17" Tri-bar wheels back in 89!
I love how in these videos someone always runs over after the brake test.."Oh my god..are you OK? Was that too many Gs?"
The Probe is nice, but I'd like to see a piece on the 2 Citroën CX's in the background, starting at 2:58!
If I remember correctly, the Probe was originally intended to be the next generation of Mustang. Because of the backlash from diehard Mustang fans, Ford scrapped those plans and thus this car became the Probe. The existing Mustang was updated and kept for several more years.
I love this car! I remember thinking it was too fast for me and I would get tickets after I test drove one. Bought an 89 Cavalier Z-24 instead, also a good car, and looked nice in white with silver rocker panel extensions and orange Z24 badge.
The Cavalier, in Z-24 form, was a really good looking car back in the day. I think all the base models, that were all ragged out, that you'd see everywhere, made people sort of forget how good it looked. Personally I like the Beretta Z-26 a bit better, but they're both good looking cars.
My Dad almost bought one in '89. Got a Mitsubishi Galant instead which was pretty cool too so I couldn't complain. I got my license in '90 and had to learn on stick only!
reminds me of my Army days, I had a Daytona shelby, 1 buddy had a Beretta gt, and the other Probe Gt. We had a ball racing from colorado springs to denver on the weekends in the summer. cops left us alone. man what fun
Ahhhh! My first car!!! Loved that little thing. I had the GT but it needed a new alternator every year. 🤪
I remember my probe gt, fun at first then the breakdowns began
troublemaker240 lol wasnt this mazda based... what breakdowns im curious lol
At first it was a cracked radiator, I said fine, it could have happened to anyone, then ac compressor locked, fine I could live without ac for awhile, then headgasket blew, okay that cost quite a bit to fix, then clutch went out, ok probably time to replace it anyway then the turbo started making noises and then finally the motor crapped out
Mind you this all was in the span of 6 months
troublemaker240 And none of this was covered by the dealer?
I don't think you were alone in experiencing mechanical issues with a Ford Probe.
My first car was a 90 probe gt 5 spd manual. The previous owners babied the turbo. It pulled hard and was fast for its time!
Yea low 15s in the 80s was really quick!
I owned a ‘92 GT turbo back in 2001. I loved that car. Mine would get 35mpg highway. Hardly see any on the road these days.
1:40 maybe it's just the camera angle, but the lines on that lower cladding don't appeat line up.. And no shoulder belts in the back?
Are those two Citroens at the top of the race track (2:59)? That's what I'd really have wanted, but I'd have had to move to Europe to get one.
If you’ve watched many of these videos you’d know that 15.3@93 is very quick for it’s time.
"It would look archaic next to the new probe." lol
At 3:00 there are two Citroen CX. Is there any material of those cars? Would be nice.
These had to be underrated in turbo trim. I outran quite a few cars with close to or having 200hp
Back in the day the rumor was that these made closer to around 180hp, but Ford rated it at only 145 so it wouldn't steal potential customers away from the Mustang.
My cousin's husband had a 90 GL with the non turbo and 5 speed. A bare bones car, he ran that thing to 250k when the trans finally let go. Then he got a used 91 GT turbo and had nothing but trouble with it. After sinking a ton of $ in it, he got a trade in V6 Probe, I wanna say a 93. That 1 was a really good car according to him, and the only reason he sold it was because they couldn't find car seats for their kids that fit the rear seats of the car. Though I'm a Dodge guy, I always liked the look of the Probe GT's.
Is that a Citroen CX long wheelbase I see in the background there? 3:05
$13500 (1989) adjusted for inflation is over $28000 in 2020.
Still cheaper than most cars.
This GT was over $16,000
Try more like $13,500 in 1989 is more like $39,000 in 2020. Most inflation calculators *grossly* underestimate the real rate of inflation.
My dad had a 94 base. Cool-looking car.
My wife had an 89 Ford Probe. It was actually a damn good car that got fantastic gas mileage even running it at 80 mph for hours. I'm a Chevy man practically from birth but I give Ford its due on the Probe. Only thing is it was pretty small to act as a family car.
Please a Daihatsu or Daewoo review!
Junk
@@bilbobaggins4710 that's kinda why we want the review
@@bilbobaggins4710 junk but there's TONS of them here and TONS of built ones too, turboed and all. Some even win autoshows here and audio competitions.
Daihatsu, lol.
Grünkohlaktionär ......omfg why?!! Hell naw, both of those Asian auto manufacturers suck mansack, just like every other Asian auto manufacturer.....
HNNNNNG
PROBE ME
I wonder if you have content about the rumors of a Mustang FWD that would later become the Probe.
Probably happened the other way around... was going to slap the Mustang name on a FWD Mazda... like after 1987 GM mid sized cars all got FWD...
A very good friend of mine had a Ford Probe GT, model after this one..He love that car and it was pretty quick too
Is that two Citroen CX's in the background at 3:00 ?
100ft braking!! That is amazing for the time, even today. Didn't the Porsche 911 Turbo of this time period do it in about 98ft.👍
And this was supposed to be the Mustang’s replacement back then. I’m glad it didn’t go that route.
These were fun cars. Supposedly in a warehouse somewhere in Dearborn is one of these with Mustang badges. Car and Driver rumored there was an AWD SHO with the Yamaha V6 coming .
This was Fords version of "New Coke " when they were thinking of replacing the Mustang with this
Easy. By the 80s they hired MBAs not car guys. Its a near car but no Mustang. A car guy would never think of doing it. An MBA just thinks of the 4Ps.
@@realazduffman why not? The Mustang was nothing more than an economy car in drag. Fists just a rebadged Falcon. Then Pinto. Then a barely stylized Fairmont hatchback.
Theres nothing special about Mustangs mechanically, today you would be better off buying one of the many cheaper and undervalued cars that share its mechanicals than buying an actual Mustang.
People who like Mustangs care more about looks than performance, that's why amont the early cars the demonstrably worse fastback holds all the value while the superior for a performance car coupe is ignored.
At least with the Mazda platform they designed it from the beginning to be a performer, rather than a grocery getter that got dressed up in new sheetmetal to cash in on boomer idiocy.
@@DrewLSsix I dont even like mustangs but have to disagree. Sure, they had some lackluster years and models but you are forgetting about the 03 and 04 terminators, the cobra R and plenty else.
@@DrewLSsix what the fuck has a coyote besides a mustang and f150?
Oh man. Remember new coke? It was awful. How bout the pepsi challenge? Good ole day's
My neighbor had a white GT with white wheels back in the late 80’s. I remember as a kid thinking how futuristic and cool this car looked back then.
I loved that white on white and the teal green.
My first new car was a 91 Probe GT, man I miss that car!
I so need a time machine.
I always thought that this probe looked very similar to the 80's Dodge Daytona
It is a competitor to the 90s one. Watch the MotorWeek for it. That thing brakes terribly. It's hilarious compared to the Probe.
@@RodknockRhett - MX6 didn't have self adjusting brakes... maybe same for Probe?