What was the Ford Probe based on?
The Ford Probe was a late-1980s to 1990s sports coupe developed by Ford in collaboration with Mazda. It was built around Mazda's MX-6 platform, making it essentially Ford's version of Mazda's sport coupe with distinct styling and branding.
Origins and Development
The Probe emerged from Ford's push to offer a modern two-door sports coupe to compete in the market of its era. It started life as a concept car in the late 1980s and went into production for the 1990 model year. The car spanned two generations and was developed alongside Mazda, sharing its underlying platform with the Mazda MX-6 while delivering Ford's design language and badge.
Platform and Design Details
Relationship to Mazda MX-6
The Ford Probe was built on Mazda's MX-6 platform, sharing the same fundamental chassis and mechanical layout. Ford and Mazda collaborated on development, resulting in two cars that were closely related under the skin but styled and marketed separately by the two brands.
Key facts about the shared underpinnings:
- Shared platform and major components with the Mazda MX-6
- Front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout
- Distinct Ford styling and branding while retaining MX-6 mechanics
In summary, the Probe was essentially Ford's take on Mazda's MX-6 sports coupe, using the same core engineering with its own exterior and badge.
Summary
In brief, the Ford Probe was based on the Mazda MX-6 platform, born from a collaboration between Ford and Mazda. This shared groundwork allowed Ford to offer a modern two-door coupe while capitalizing on Mazda's proven sports-car architecture of the era.
