1989-1992 Ford ProbeFirst-Generation Probe (1989-1992)

Ford Probe 1989-1992 year by year

The Mazda GD platform and the MX-6 connection

The 1989-1992 Ford Probe was built on the Mazda GD platform and shared most of its mechanical hardware with the Mazda MX-6 coupe and the Mazda 626 sedan. The Probe carried Ford-specific body panels and interior over Mazda's engineering, including the four-cylinder engines, transmissions, and suspension, while the 1990-1992 LX option was Ford's own 3.0-liter Vulcan V6. Both the Probe and the MX-6 were assembled at the Flat Rock, Michigan plant, which had opened in 1987 as Mazda Motor Manufacturing USA and was later renamed AutoAlliance International. The first-generation Probe is identified by its pop-up headlamps, which the second-generation 1993 redesign replaced with fixed lamps.

Engines of the 1989-1992 Ford Probe

The base engine of the 1989-1992 Ford Probe was the Mazda F2 2.2-liter four-cylinder, rated at 110 horsepower and 130 lb-ft of torque, fitted to the GL and LX. The GT used the turbocharged and intercooled Mazda F2T version of the same 2.2-liter four, rated at 145 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque, fed by an IHI turbocharger. From the 1990 model year the LX offered the Ford 3.0-liter Vulcan V6, a pushrod engine from the same family used in the Ford Taurus, rated at 140 horsepower and 160 lb-ft of torque for 1990 and 145 horsepower and 165 lb-ft for 1991-1992. The 3.0 Vulcan was a Ford engine, not a Mazda unit, which distinguishes the first-generation V6 from the Mazda 2.5 V6 used later in the second-generation GT. Transmissions were a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic depending on engine and trim.

The first-generation Ford Probe GT

The GT was the performance version of the 1989-1992 Ford Probe. It used the Mazda F2T 2.2-liter turbocharged four rated at 145 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque, with an IHI turbocharger, an intercooler, and engine-management additions such as a knock sensor and boost control. The GT was the only first-generation Probe with forced induction. When the second-generation Probe arrived for 1993, the GT dropped the turbocharged four in favor of a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter Mazda V6, so the turbo four is specific to the 1989-1992 GT.

Trims of the 1989-1992 Ford Probe

The 1989-1992 Ford Probe was sold in GL, LX, and GT trims. The GL was the base car with the Mazda F2 2.2 four. The LX added equipment over the GL and, from 1990, offered the optional Ford 3.0 Vulcan V6. The GT was the turbocharged performance model with the F2T 2.2 four. All three were front-wheel-drive hatchback coupes built on the Mazda GD platform.

Frequently asked questions

What platform is the 1989-1992 Ford Probe?

The 1989-1992 Ford Probe is the first-generation car, built on the Mazda GD platform and sharing most of its mechanical hardware with the Mazda MX-6 and Mazda 626. It is a front-wheel-drive sport coupe identified by its pop-up headlamps.

What engines did the 1989-1992 Ford Probe use?

The 1989-1992 Ford Probe used the Mazda F2 2.2-liter four (110 hp) in the GL and LX, a turbocharged Mazda F2T 2.2 in the GT (145 hp, 190 lb-ft), and from 1990 an optional Ford 3.0-liter Vulcan V6 in the LX rated at 140 horsepower and 160 lb-ft for 1990 and 145 horsepower and 165 lb-ft for 1991-1992.

Was the first-generation Probe GT turbocharged?

Yes. The 1989-1992 Ford Probe GT used the turbocharged and intercooled Mazda F2T 2.2-liter four, rated at 145 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque, with an IHI turbocharger. It was the only first-generation Probe with forced induction. The second-generation GT switched to a naturally aspirated 2.5 V6 for 1993.

Is the first-generation Ford Probe V6 a Mazda engine?

No. The V6 in the 1989-1992 Ford Probe LX, available from 1990, was the Ford 3.0-liter Vulcan V6, the same pushrod V6 family used in the Ford Taurus. The Mazda-sourced V6 in the Probe is the 2.5-liter unit used later in the second-generation GT.

Where was the 1989-1992 Ford Probe built?

The 1989-1992 Ford Probe was built at the Flat Rock, Michigan plant that also assembled the Mazda MX-6 and Mazda 626. The plant opened in 1987 as Mazda Motor Manufacturing USA and was later renamed AutoAlliance International.

Sources

• Ford factory specification literature for the 1989-1992 Probe
• Wikipedia, Ford Probe (first generation)
• Mazda F2 and F2T engine references; Ford 3.0 Vulcan V6 references
• AutoAlliance International / Flat Rock plant production history
• Mazda MX-6 and 626 platform-sharing references (Mazda GD platform)