PetrolBlogPetrolBlogPetrolBlogPetrolBlog
  • Home
  • 70s cars
  • 80s cars
  • 90s cars
  • 00s cars
  • Manufacturers
    • CITROËN
    • PEUGEOT
    • RENAULT
    • Alfa Romeo
    • Audi
    • Dacia
    • Daihatsu
    • Fiat
    • Ford
    • Honda
    • Hyundai
    • Lancia
    • Matra
    • Mazda
    • Mercedes-Benz
    • Mitsubishi
    • Nissan
    • Opel
    • Proton
    • Saab
    • Seat
    • Skoda
    • Suzuki
    • Talbot
    • Toyota
    • Vauxhall
    • Volkswagen
    • Volvo
  • Features
    • 10 of the best
    • CarTunes
    • General Bunk
    • It’s time to appreciate
    • Major Waffle
    • New cars
    • Regrets
    • Reviews
    • Save Our Scrap
    • Shatchbacks
    • Shednesday
    • The Barn
    • Whatever happened to?
  • Garage
  • Shop
0

Ford Probe: Snapper to crusher in 16 years

Published by Gavin Big-Surname at 1st March 2010
Ford Probe red

First things first. This isn’t the second installment in my ‘Whatever happened to‘ series of mildly interesting articles. Nope, they appear on Tuesdays, so you’re 24 hours early.

Instead, this post seeks to celebrate and laud the Ford Probe. It is 16 years since the Probe protruded onto the market, bringing with it the hopes that Ford could finally deliver a car to replace the Capri. To be honest, carrying the hopes of a nation looking to follow in the footsteps of the car we’d always promised ourselves was bound to weigh heavy on the coupe.

But when the Probe first appeared on our TV screens, the signs were good. Forget the fact that Volkswagen already had the excellent Corrado VR6 in circulation and Vauxhall’s Calibra was a common sight in the UK, the Probe seemed to have potential.

Sixteen years on, the car driven by a well-spoken Jeremy Clarkson in this video looks quite appealing. A 24v in a dark colour was always the only Probe to be seen in. Just look at the 3-spokes on the 16v for further evidence that the Saab 900 Turbo is indeed the only car to pull off 3-spokes. If nothing else, this video showcases one of Clarkson’s earliest brushes with the Daily Mail with his infamous quote about knicker elastic.

Ford Probe silverBut from there onwards, the Probe was on a downward spiral. Criticised for having poor dynamics and some quality control issues, sales of the Probe never took off. Maybe the UK was still mourning the passing of the Capri just seven years earlier.

Values of the Probe have since deteriorated and today, you’ll be hard pressed to spend more than £1k on a late 24v in even the best condition. Is the car doomed to extinction? Well, there’s an owners club that hopes to keep the Probe throbbing and maybe, just maybe, in some bizarre twist of fate, the new DVLA TV ad will give it some appeal to a whole new generation of buyers. Retro cool is apparently…er…cool, so the iTunes generation might embrace some kind of iProbe?

I’ll leave you with the latest DVLA offering. I may be alone here, but I was quietly pleased when the 30 second ad stopped short of crushing the helpless Probe. Shame on the DVLA for killing it during the 9 second ident.

Share
0


Related Waffle


Ford Sierra Swift special edition

Do you remember the Ford Sierra Swift special edition?

Jan 27, 2021
Ford Escort best-selling car 1992

Revealed: The UK’s Best-Selling Cars of 1992

Jan 6, 2021
Mk1 Ford Focus Zetec three-door

Bangerwatch: Mk1 Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec

Nov 11, 2020
Ford Puma ST 2020

Helping Ford Out of a Great Big Hole

Nov 11, 2020

5 Comments

  1. james Clark says:
    2nd March 2010 at 12:31 pm

    Wasn’t helped, if i recall, by Steve Coogan’s travelling saleman character Gareth Cheeseman. Was a great moment when he was in the bar of a Travelodge and a member of staff came in and asked “does anyone own a Ford Probe in the car park?”; to which Cheesman replied “RED Ford Probe 2.0ltr 24v with alloys? Yes, that’s me”

    Reply
  2. mark colgan says:
    15th June 2010 at 4:04 pm

    For once an article not slagging off the Probe, nice one guys!

    Reply
    • MajorGav says:
      15th June 2010 at 4:14 pm

      Thanks for the feedback! Look out for another mention for the Ford Probe shortly…

      Reply
  3. Mike says:
    15th June 2010 at 10:15 pm

    Great blog. These are criminally underrated cars and a positive write up about the Ford Probe is very welcome.

    Reply
    • MajorGav says:
      15th June 2010 at 10:18 pm

      Thanks. Just this minute finished a blog entry about my secret desire for the 24v. I might be heading your way soon…

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest PetrolBlog Videos:

https://youtu.be/fXRLAHLNX7M
https://youtu.be/0vnsNaXh7KM

PetrolBlog in print!

Classic.Retro.Modern

Support PetrolBlog – Buy Stickers

  • Waffle & Bunk laptop sticker Waffle & Bunk laptop sticker £3.00 £2.50
  • PETROLBLOG laptop sticker PetrolBlog laptop sticker £3.00 £2.50
  • GOAT My car is the G.O.A.T window sticker £3.00
  • French Tat window sticker #FrenchTat window sticker £4.00
  • My car is the goat bumper sticker My car is the G.O.A.T bumper sticker £3.00
  • PetrolBlog sticker PetrolBlog car sticker £4.00
  • French Tat bumper sticker #FrenchTat bumper sticker £3.50
  • Tollfoolery sticker Tollfoolery car window sticker £4.00
  • Too good to scrap bumper sticker TOO GOOD TO SCRAP bumper sticker/plaster £3.00
  • Tollfoolery sticker Tollfoolery car bumper sticker £3.50

What you’re saying

  • 1st August 2022

    Gavin Southwest commented on Buy this Renault Clio Baccara and be like PetrolBlog

  • 26th July 2022

    Volker commented on AMC Eagle: the original crossover?

  • 25th July 2022

    Alun Morris commented on The Autobianchi Bianchina Panoramica was a shooting brake for ladies

  • 22nd June 2022

    David Cooper commented on Whatever happened to the Talbot Matra Rancho?

  • 8th June 2022

    Astra commented on Has Top Gear wrecked a Matra Bagheera?

Fresh waffle

  • Citroen 2CV resting on the back of a truck1
    PetrolBlog: the chump is coming back
    13th May 2022
  • 2022 Dacia Jogger in Terracotta1
    The Dacia Jogger is a practical remix of the Matra Rancho
    14th December 2021
  • Toyota Land Cruiser No Time To Die2
    No Time To Die in a Toyota Land Cruiser
    13th December 2021
  • Fahnome Knight Rider build your own KITT0
    Sponsored: K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider is now available as a kit
    17th November 2021
  • Hyundai Heritage Series Grandeur rear light7
    The Hyundai Heritage Series Grandeur is the future we want
    12th November 2021
  • Club PetrolBlog most beautiful1
    Club PetrolBlog members at their most beautiful
    20th August 2021
  • Renault Avantime in Geneva0
    You won’t believe these facts about French cars
    19th August 2021
  • 2008 Citroen C51
    Berlin or bust: the Unmistakeably German ad campaign
    12th August 2021
  • Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres1
    PetrolBlog looks at Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres
    11th August 2021
  • Toyota Camry V6 and Porsche 9243
    An unexceptional day out in the Toyota Camry V6
    2nd August 2021

Newsletters

PetrolBlog
ABOUT | ADVERTISING / SPONSORSHIP | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS & CONDITIONS | CONTACT US

The world’s least influential car blog since 2010.

Copyright © PetrolBlog.

0
We use cookies to offer you a better browsing experience and analyse site traffic. We also share information about how you browse our site with our advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you have provided to them or that they have collected for your use of their services.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT