Probe
From 1988 until 1997, Ford produced the unfortunately-named “Probe,” a car that brought to mind a painful medical procedure or possibly alien abduction. The front-wheel-drive coupe was supposed to replace the more elegantly named Capri in Europe, but it never succeeded in market penetration.
Ford and Mazda worked on the car together and it was built on a Mazda platform, using many Mazda parts that were also used in the Mazda MX6, which lowered production costs.
The design elements included covered rear wheels and pop-up headlights. The LX model had a moon roof. The GT model featured an intercooled engine and 4-wheel disc brakes. In 1994 the GT model was offered in a special “Wild Orchid” edition. In 1997 a rare “GTS” package was offered including racing stripes, chrome plated wheels, and a spoiler — and today those models are extremely rare.
The Probe lasted two generations.