In the 1980s, this beautiful, front-wheel-drive sports car almost took the place of the Mustang. Instead, the Ford Probe came out as a different car that was based on the Mazda MX-6. You should buy the GT version of this first-generation car. It has a manual gearbox and a turbocharged engine. The Ford Mustang is still going strong, as shown by its third-place win at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans and the fact that the ultimate GTD model is now sold out everywhere. Ford, on the other hand, loved their pony car in the 1980s, as a doctor loves that Far Side comic where everyone wears a white coat and a shotgun. The plan was to use Ford’s relationship with Mazda to get rid of the old Fox-body Mustang and replace it with something new, efficient, and up-to-date. Even though Mustang fans didn’t want it to, the pony car lived on, and Ford chose to make and sell the Mustang’s replacement at the same time. This is the first Ford Probe that you are looking at. The sale for this 1989 Probe GT is being run by Bring A Trailer, which is part of Hearst Autos and Invoice Pricing. It sticks out because it is in such great original condition and has a manual transmission and a turbocharged engine that people want. This sports car is surprisingly fast and exciting, even though it doesn’t look anything like the Mustang. This makes it perfect for auto shows. The name “Probe” might not be the best choice. It sounded like an alien contact that got too close, and it was made to look like a Voyager spaceship from the future. It was time for Ford to give this would-be front-wheel-drive Mustang a new name. They had the perfect one ready because the phrase came from a series of experimental aerodynamic concept cars. The base model of the first-generation Probe, which shared a frame with the second-generation car, came with a 2.2-liter naturally aspirated engine that made 110 horsepower in the US. By 1990, you could get a 3.0-liter V-6 engine with 140 horsepower and an automatic drive. Neither of these results is good. Instead, it would help if you got behind the wheel of the GT car. Be careful, though, because this is one of the most advanced torque-steering tools from the late 1980s. Hold on tight with both hands. A small IHI turbocharger in the front of this F2T engine, which was leased from Mazda, makes a lot of torque at low speeds. It has 145 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque in its stock trim. High revs make the 12-valve engine lose power, but the Probe GT feels faster than it is because it has a lot of torque. The Mazda suspension also makes it very comfortable to drive in tight spots, even though it is much heavier in the front than the second-generation Probe GT that replaced it. In 1989, a Probe GT came in second place in a Invoice Pricing eight-car sub-$20,000 sport-coupe race. It was praised for having a brave engine and quick (but maybe too stiff) handling. The study also said that Ford made the right choice when it chose front-wheel drive since the company sold 77,000 of them in their first year of production. But when was the last time you saw one in real life? These sport coupes used to be common, but now they’re only seen occasionally, especially ones with a turbocharged engine and a five-speed manual gearbox. This car has only 88K kilometers on it and is said to have had only one owner. The white paint on the Probe makes its aerodynamic shape look great, and the gray interior looks like it has held up well over time. Since the GT is a high-end car, it comes with many great features. In addition to cruise control, this model has push-button adjustable dampers and factory-installed air conditioning. It has what looks like a long repair history and comes with full factory manuals. This cute little turbocharged car is a hidden gem that not many people know about. This version of the Probe wasn’t meant to replace the Mustang, but it was still given the chance to wander. The sale ends on July 3, which is getting close.
