Would you take a look at this 1989 Ford Probe GT for $8,750? – Jalopnik

As a member of the lost boy tribe of small sporty coupes from the 1980s, the current Nice Price or No Dice Probe GT stands out in our current crossover-oriented car market. Let’s see if this Radwood headliner is priced as a standout value.

During World War I, Walter Owen helped Bentley develop radial aircraft engines, using innovations in materials and design he had gained from building racing car engines in the years before. There is no irony lost in the fact that Bentley’s eponymous car company is today owned by Volkswagen, a company founded in the very country Bentley defended itself against during the war.

In the interim between these events, WO Bentley sold its car business to Rolls-Royce, giving that company a sportier nameplate for those looking for something more than just the ultimate in luxury. The 2008 Bentley Arnage T Mulliner we reviewed yesterday represented the last of this series of Rolls/Bentley combinations as the companies split between VW and BMW shortly after development. With a 500-horsepower twin-turbo V8 behind its Flying B, the Arnage offered a lot of car for the $38,500 the seller was hoping to fetch. In the end, too few of you shared that thought, sending the big B into a 54% No Dice loss.

The Japanese attack also hit American automakers, prompting the U.S. government to impose import restrictions to protect the domestic auto industry from the advancing threat of better-designed and higher-quality products from abroad. This led to Japanese automakers opening factories in the US. That, in turn, led Ford to adopt a “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” position, resulting in a joint venture in Flat Rock, Michigan, which spawned the Mazda MX-6 and the subject of today’s discussion, the Ford Probe.

This 1989 Ford Probe GT is the result of a collaboration between Ford and its former subsidiary Mazda. Its development was also almost one of the biggest mistakes in automotive history. Ford initially envisioned the Probe as a FWD replacement for the V8 RWD pony car Mustang. The company had seen the success of cars like the Toyota Celica and thought, “Hey, we should get some of that nice FWD coupe too.” After the plan leaked before the car’s debut, Mustang fans went apoplectic, forcing Ford to launch the small FWD coupe as the Probe and keep the Mustang around.

However, that doesn’t mean the Probe is a Mazda with a blue oval stuck on it. The Probe has unique styling, its own suspension tuning and a completely different interior than the MX-6. It’s also exclusively a hatchback with wraparound glass and taillights, while the Mazda only offered a trunk and separate cluster butt. Somewhat strangely, Ford has gone to the trouble of making the GT’s bodywork substantially different from that of the lower-end cars, giving it a more squared-off nose and ribbed side trim. The GT also got a killer set of three-spoke alloy wheels, the most ’80s looking wheels you could imagine.

It’s even more fun in the cabin. The seller states that the original Ford stereo and speakers “could use an upgrade” but claims everything else works without issue. That includes the 145 hp 2.2 turbo engine with four wheels under the hood and the five-speed manual gearbox that pushes these ponies to the max. Updates to the car include new brakes and the air conditioning condenser. Everything else appears original. And yes, these cars have the cool feature that the instrument panel tilts with the steering wheel. The car is accident free and comes with a clean title.

What is your opinion on this probe and that price tag? Does that seem reasonable given the specifications and condition of the car? Or is that too much to investigate the past?

You decide!

Omaha, Nebraska, Craigslistor go here when the ad disappears.

H/T to Don R. for the connection!

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