Minneapolis Street Sighting: Ford Probe LX

With the sporty-car segment booming thanks to the likes of the Toyota Celica, Honda Prelude, and Mitsubishi Eclipse/Plymouth Laser/Eagle Talon, Ford knew it could not sit out. Still in their partnership with Mazda, they decided to give this market a chance-- but not without a controversy. Initially, this new sporty car was intended to replace the much-loved Mustang. A foul cry from enthusiasts, owners, and car magazines alike promptly forced Ford--and Mazda--to rethink the idea. Instead of carrying the famous Mustang nameplate, this new car wore a new name--Probe; and it had a twin--the Mazda MX-6.
Unfortunately, in the later 1990s, the sporty-car market began a slippery decline; the Eclipse lost its luster, the Celica became a shadow of its former self, and Prelude was replaced by the Accord coupe, and after years of dwindling sales, Ford finally pulled the plug in 1997 with that being its worst year--and the worst selling Ford car of that year to boot.
While the other cars I named would go on to have a vast community of enthusiasts and aftermarket support, the Probe--and the MX-6 received very little of either. Yes, there were Probe enthusiasts, and people did "rice them out", examples of such were few and far between, especially compared to the Eclipse and Celica with which it competed.
I do like the second generation cars made from 1993 to 1997, but I have to say finding an early first generation, like this 1990 or 1991 LX is truly icing on the cake for me. What could only be better? Finding a mint GT or--even better--a mint GT Turbo.








It seems as though my 1990s cars are horrible examples of the breed, and this Probe LX is certainly no different. Shod of it centercaps, and equipped with enough tape to qualify for the 24 Hours of Lemons, this once-sporty coupe has fallen down the totem pole even lower; when new, this LX was a modestly equipped vehicle with sporty looks. Now, this coupe is nothing but a beater. I will say this, however. Unlike most cars of this era, the Probe is only now just beginning to rust. I can't say that about the Ford Escorts and F-150s of this vintage, that's for sure.
I've always liked these, and this color was one of my favorites growing up. It's sad to see a childhood icon slowly succumbing to tinworm, but I suppose that's the fate for most of these cars. Aside from being raced on the Lemons circuit, this generation of Probe receives almost no fanfare. I sometimes wonder if I'm weird for liking these--I've always thought these were quite cool. I had a babysitter with one, and I--for whatever reason--absolutely loved it. Hers was this color, too. Maybe I'm just being nostalgic, but I had tremendous fun shooting this little guy. Now, imagine my excitement if this example were a GT/Turbo!