79-587: The Ford Probe is a liftback coupé produced by Ford , introduced in 1988 and produced until 1997. The Probe was the result of Ford's collaboration with its longtime Japanese partner Mazda , and both generations of Probe were derived from the front-wheel drive Mazda G platform that underpinned the Mazda Capella . The Probe succeeded the Ford EXP , and the instrument cluster of the first-generation Probe and pop-up headlight mechanisms were borrowed from
158-464: A front-wheel drive platform (borrowed Mazda GD and GE platforms ) would have lower costs for production, and also because the platform had been gaining popularity with consumers. Mustang fans objected to the front-wheel drive configuration, Japanese engineering, and lack of a V8 , so Ford began work on a new design for the Mustang instead. On March 17, 1997, Ford announced the discontinuation of
237-601: A skunkworks team that would develop a RWD Mustang successor with the understanding there would not be a full budget to create an entirely new car. Coletti's team heavily revised the 1979 Fox platform for the new car, which eventually became the fourth-generation Ford Mustang released for the 1994 model year. However, production for the ST-16 was about to commence, meaning Ford had to put it on sale or lose its development budget along with further potential financial headaches if Ford would break its production contract with Mazda. It
316-497: A "blank" center reflector which lacked "GT" lettering as the regular GT models have. The "GTS" was an appearance package and not an actual model or trim level. Very few Probes were produced with the GTS package and are considered today to be extremely rare. In most other markets outside North America , trim levels were labeled as simply 16v (I4) and 24v (V6). The last Probe was built on June 20, 1997. A third-generation model, using
395-470: A 'Countryman' version of the Austin A40 Farina two‑box economy car in 1959. Just like its A30 and A35 Countryman predecessors, it was a very small estate car — but instead of regular, sideways opening rear doors, it had a horizontally split tailgate, having a top-hinged upper door and bottom-hinged lower door. The 1959 A40 Countryman differed from the 1958 A40 Farina saloon, in that
474-469: A 5-door hatchback or a 5-door station wagon. Often the hatchback and the sedan shared the same wheelbase and the same overall length, and the full rear overhang length of a conventional sedan trunk was retained on the five-door hatchback version of the car. The 1989-2000 Citroën XM and second-generation Skoda Superb (2008-2015) are cars that blur the line between hatchbacks and sedans. They feature an innovative "Twindoor" trunk lid. It can be opened like in
553-439: A 5-door more horizontal hatch, for which the term Liftback was used. The first production hatchback was made by Citroën in 1938: the (11CV) "Commerciale" version of their 1934–1957 Citroën Traction Avant series. The initial target market was tradesmen who needed to carry bulky objects, like butchers, bakers, vintners, and grocers. Before World War II , the tailgate had two pieces, a top section hinged from roof level and
632-531: A bottom section hinged from below. When production of the Commerciale resumed after the war, the tailgate became a one-piece design that was hinged from roof level, as per the design used on most hatchbacks since. In 1949, Kaiser-Frazer introduced the Vagabond and Traveler hatchbacks. These models were styled much like a typical 1940s sedan, fully retaining their three-box profile; however, they included
711-511: A flexible seating arrangement which gave the option of forming a double bed. Created by the same designer as BMC's Mini, sir Alec Issigonis – accountants had determined that the car had to use the same set of doors as the Austin / Morris 1800 , but would be marketed below it in the model range, so needed a shorter rear body. A curtailed rear end with a big hatch resulted. The Austin Maxi operated in
790-580: A full model line-up, completed by a station wagon, as well as panel van versions. Also in 1967, Citroën released the Dyane , a redesigned 2CV with a large rear hatch, to compete with the Renault 4. The Simca was closely followed by Mini's larger stablemate, the Austin Maxi . Counting the rear hatch made it a five-door saloon. It featured a transverse-mounted SOHC engine , a five-speed transmission, and
869-550: A result, the hatch is lifted more upwards than backward, to open. The term was first used by Toyota in 1973, to describe the Toyota Celica Liftback GT. Toyota called the new body style a Liftback, signifying that it was a three-door hatchback rather than a two-door coupe. With its sloping fastback roofline, the Celica Liftback was, if anything, even less habitable for rear-seat passengers than
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#1732779730116948-535: A result. The Probe was a sales success in its first model year, owing to its futuristic styling and enjoyable driving experience. In fact, demand exceeded supply in 1988, enough that buyers were paying list price or higher for a Probe, and Jim Mateja, the automotive columnist for the Chicago Tribune , urged potential Probe buyers who couldn't find a Probe to consider its sibling, the Mazda MX-6. Sales of
1027-463: A sedan, using the hinges located below the rear glass; or together with the rear glass, like in a hatchback, using the hinges at the roof. Audi and BMW introduced hatchbacks in 2009, but marketed them as "Sportback" (Audi) or "Gran Turismo"/"Gran Coupe" (BMW). In the 2010s hatchback versions became available on luxury cars such as the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo , Porsche Panamera , and Audi A7 while
1106-656: A speed of 166.553 mph. That record still stands as the fastest closed course lap for a non-turbo four-cylinder powered car. Only models sold in Continental Europe and the British Isles are shown, overseas territories often have different offerings. Developed in collaboration with other manufacturers Manufactured in Ford factories in other continents Hatchback#liftback A hatchback
1185-443: A strong disagreement between two factions that had radically different notions about what the Mustang should be: This idea came forth that we would replace the Mustang with this front-drive car, the ST-16. There were a lot of people who thought that was a great idea—a modern car. There were also a lot of us who were appalled by that. It was like the champagne sipping crowd replaced the beer drinking crowd. The idea that we would replace
1264-410: A suitable Mustang. At this point, somewhat ironically, Mustang sales, which were lackluster, grew substantially after the article's publication, out of fear that it would be the last opportunity to purchase a traditional RWD V8 Mustang. While Trotman approved the development of a RWD successor, there were many difficulties, notably that the engineering budget for the Mustang was spent on the ST-16 and Ford
1343-458: A two-piece tailgate as per the first Citroën 11CV Commerciale. The Vagabond and Traveler models also had folding rear seats and a shared volume for the passengers and cargo. The design was neither fully a sedan nor a station wagon, but the folding rear seat provided for a large, 8-foot (2.4 m) long interior cargo area. These Kaiser-Frazer models have been described as "America's First Hatchback". The British Motor Corporation (BMC) launched
1422-488: Is a car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to the main interior of the car as a cargo area rather than just to a separated trunk. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second-row seating, where the interior can be reconfigured to prioritize passenger or cargo volume. While early examples of the body configuration can be traced to the 1930s, the Merriam-Webster dictionary dates
1501-402: Is hinged at roof level, similar to hatchbacks. Liftback cars are similar to hatchbacks from a functional perspective in having a tailgate hinged from the roof, but differ from hatchbacks from a styling perspective in having more of a sloped roofline. The term " fastback " may sometimes also be used by manufacturers to market liftback cars. A fastback is a broad automotive term used to describe
1580-413: Is hinged below the rear window). Most hatchbacks use a two-box design body style, where the cargo area ( trunk/boot ) and passenger areas are a single volume. The rear seats can often be folded down to increase the available cargo area. Hatchbacks may have a removable rigid parcel shelf, or flexible roll-up tonneau cover to cover the cargo space behind the rear seats. When describing the body style,
1659-687: Is the Mini-Camper Kit for the AMC Hornet, a low-priced canvas tent that converted an open hatchback into a camping compartment with room for sleeping. The "Mini-Camper" was a weatherproof covering that fitted over the roof section from the B-pillar back to the rear bumper that was easy to set up. Ford Motor Company 's first hatchback was the Ford Pinto Runabout, introduced in 1971. The Pinto-based 1974-1978 Ford Mustang II
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#17327797301161738-466: The 1979 energy crisis , the economic slump initiated by high fuel prices prompted Ford to give the Ford Mustang a major redesign. The new design would be based on a totally new platform introduced to Ford by Japanese automaker Mazda , who had been partnering with Ford since 1971, and whom Ford had owned a 25% stake in since 1979. Toshi Saito, a North American-based designer working for Ford, took
1817-633: The AMC Gremlin . Although the Gremlin has the appearance of a hatchback, it is frequently called a Kammback coupe instead, with only its rear window being an upwards opening hatch, that gives access to the rear cargo space. The Gremlin was based on the AMC Hornet , but its abrupt hatchback rear end cut the car's overall length from 179 to 161 inches (4,500 to 4,100 mm). AMC added a hatchback version to its larger compact-sized Hornet line for
1896-900: The FC Series RX-7 . Based on the Mazda MX-6 as a sport compact coupe , the Probe was intended to fill the market niche formerly occupied by the Capri in Europe, and it was originally intended to be the fourth generation Ford Mustang in the North American market as a direct competitor with the Acura Integra , Isuzu Impulse , Nissan 200SX , and the Toyota Celica . During that time, Ford's marketing team had deemed that
1975-712: The Mazda GD platform , and was powered by a 2.2 L SOHC 12-valve 4-cylinder Mazda F2 engine . It debuted in 1988 for the 1989 model year and was produced until 1992 in the United States in Flat Rock , Michigan. The Probe was available in several trim levels that differ depending on the market in which the vehicle was sold. In the United States , the Probe was available in GL, LX, and GT trim levels: The 1991 Probe
2054-580: The Renault 4 as a moderately upscale alternative to the Citroën 2CV . The Renault 4 was the first million-selling, mass-produced, compact two-box car with a steeply raked rear side, opened by a large, one-piece, lift-gate hatch. During its production life cycle, Renault marketed the R4 calling it a small station wagon , just like Austin's series of small Countryman estate models from 1954 until 1968 – even after
2133-597: The Volkswagen Corrado and the Vauxhall/Opel Calibra from Ford's direct competitor General Motors . By 1992, Ford had decided that there was now justifiable demand in Europe for a new affordable sports coupe to be launched. Ford had been hoping to sell around 20,000 Probes each year in Britain as the car market recovered from the effects of the recession from 1992, but in the three years it
2212-620: The 1958 DB Mark III , also offered a folding rear seat. The 1954 AC Aceca and later Aceca-Bristol from AC Cars had a similar hatch tailgate, though only 320 were built. In 1965, MG had Pininfarina modify the MGB roadster into a hatchback design called the MGB GT, becoming the first volume-production sports car with this type of body. Many coupés have 3 doors , including the Jaguar E-Type and Datsun 240Z . In 1961, Renault introduced
2291-534: The 1970s led to the release of models such as the Austin Ambassador , Austin Maestro , Fiat 127 and Renault 5 . By the late 1970s and early 1980s, the majority of superminis and compact cars had been updated or replaced with hatchback models. Hatchbacks were the mainstay of manufacturers' D-segment offerings in Europe in the 1990s (they were already popular in the 1980s) and until the late 2000s. It
2370-464: The 1973 model year. The design and fold-down rear seat more than doubled cargo space and the Hornet was claimed to be the "first compact hatchback" manufactured by U.S. automaker. The 1975 Pacer featured a rear door or hatchback. A longer model with a wagon-type configuration was added in 1977 with its large rear "hatch" as one of the car's three doors, all having different sizes. The 1979 AMC Spirit
2449-510: The 1978 Dodge Omni / Plymouth Horizon models, which were based on the French Simca-Talbot Horizon . These were followed by the 3-door hatchback Dodge Omni 024 / Plymouth Horizon TC3 which were later renamed Dodge Charger and Plymouth Turismo . The first Japanese hatchbacks were the 1972 Honda Civic , Nissan Sunny , and Nissan Cherry . The Civic and Cherry had front-wheel drive powertrains, which later became
Ford Probe - Misplaced Pages Continue
2528-562: The 1999 Mercury Cougar in the North American market to strengthen the Mercury brand. After disappointing sales of the Cougar and the waning popularity of front-wheel drive sport coupes in the late 1990s in favor of sport utility vehicles , Ford left the market segment with the 2002 discontinuation of the Cougar, and the 2003 discontinuation of the ZX2. The first generation Ford Probe was based on
2607-569: The 2.0 L Mazda FS 16-valve 4-cylinder engine, performance instrument cluster with tachometer and full gauge complement, and an electronic AM/FM stereo. The sportier GT model started at $ 15,504 and came standard with the 2.5 L Mazda K engine KL-DE 24-valve V6, low profile P225/50VR16 91V Goodyear VR50 Gatorback tires, 4-wheel disc brakes, unique front and rear fascias, fog lights, 5-spoke aluminum wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and driver-seat power lumbar/seat back side bolster adjustment. Both engines featured dual overhead cam designs with
2686-795: The Brazilian market, for example, the Fiat Premio and sedan versions of the Opel Corsa and Ford Fiesta . The vehicle is classified as a B-segment marque in the European single market, a segment referred to as a supermini in the British Isles. Prior to this, the "Swift" nameplate had been applied to the rebadged Suzuki Cultus in numerous export markets since 1984 and for the Japanese-market Suzuki Ignis since 2000. The Swift became its own model in 2004. Currently,
2765-410: The Mustang with a Japanese car—a different car from a different culture aimed at a different audience—this is not going to work. By 1987, Alex Trotman , the newly appointed vice president in charge of Ford's North American operations, with strong urging from Ford Marketing vice president Bob Rewey, a dedicated performance enthusiast, decided that in the light of consumer outrage, the ST-16 would not make
2844-461: The Probe "Feature Car", but officially called the "GT Plus" package. This special package is better known to the general public and enthusiast community as the Probe "Wild Orchid Edition". Included on this limited appearance package was Wild Orchid exterior paint, "PROBE" badge on floor mats outlined in Wild Orchid, black cloth bucket seats with unique Wild Orchid inserts, and the "PROBE" badge on
2923-528: The Probe against popular imported sports coupes of the era such as the Toyota Celica and Honda Prelude . Both generations of the Probe were sold in Japan as Fords, at Ford/Mazda sales channels called Autorama. Japanese models were not in compliance with Japanese Government regulations concerning exterior dimensions and engine displacement , resulting in Japanese buyers being held liable for additional taxes as
3002-421: The Probe. Starting in the late 1970s, Ford and Ghia started exploring a series of futuristic designs with the "Probe" series of concept vehicles . The Probe I , first shown in 1979, was a wedge-shaped design that incorporated a number of drag-reducing features like covered rear wheels and pop-up headlights. This was followed the next year by a much more conventional looking Probe II , whose hatchback styling
3081-514: The SE package. Appearance wise, the only noticeable differences from the GT model were the wheels, "SE" nomenclature, rear bumper w/o air slot and lack of fog lights. "SE" was an appearance package and not an actual model or trim level. "SE" became a trim level in 1995 and was the middle-grade model in the Probe lineup between base and GT models. In 1994, Ford released a limited edition of the Probe, marketed as
3160-465: The ST-16 as the "Mustang." By 1985, Mazda acquired the former Ford Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Flat Rock, Michigan , and intended to commence production of the two Mazda-badged GD platform cars for North America, the 626 along with the MX-6, and the ST-16, contracted by Ford, in 1987. Christopher Sawyer, writing for AutoWeek magazine, in their issue for April 13, 1987, was the first to publicly reveal
3239-428: The ST-16's Japanese engineering, front-wheel drive platform and lack of a V8 engine, which were anathema to traditional Mustang buyers and enthusiasts. Ford Motor Company executives, along with many car magazines received strongly-worded letters of criticism decrying the decision. Neil Ressler, the then-chief of small car engineering at Ford, spoke about the internal cultural differences at Ford Motor Company which led to
Ford Probe - Misplaced Pages Continue
3318-526: The Skoda Octavia was always available as a hatchback. Meanwhile, three-door hatchbacks have seen a fall in popularity, compared with 5-door models. This has led to many models no longer being offered in 3-door body styles, for example, the Audi A3 and Renault Clio . In 1970, American Motors Corporation (AMC) released the first North American subcompact car since the 1953-1961 Nash Metropolitan ,
3397-737: The Swift is positioned between Ignis and Baleno in Suzuki's global Holden produced the Torana Hatchback from 1976 to 1980 across the LX and UC generations. Up until recent years, buyers in Australia have preferred the station wagon body style, with the big three Australian manufacturers; Holden , Ford Australia , and Chrysler Australia all producing station wagon models of their sedan models. Australia started moving to hatchbacks partially in
3476-535: The choice of a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic transmission. Two automatic transmissions were available in the Probe. At first both engines shared the same automatic transmission, the Ford F-4EAT transmission , but from 1994 onwards this changed. The V6 engine continued to use the 4EAT, but the 2.0 L I4 engine used a different automatic transmission, the Ford CD4E transmission . It
3555-690: The common configuration for a hatchback. Along with the Honda Civic, other Japanese hatchback models included the Nissan Pulsar , Toyota Corolla , and Suzuki Swift . Almost all Japanese Kei cars ("city cars") use a hatchback body style, to maximize cargo capacity given the overall vehicle size is limited by the regulations applicable to these vehicles. Kei cars include the Mitsubishi Minica , Honda Life , Suzuki Fronte , Subaru Vivio , and Daihatsu Mira . The first Soviet hatchback
3634-477: The driving experience for women, stating "If I can solve all the problems inherent in operating a vehicle for a woman, that'll make it that much easier for a man to use." However, the late 1980s and early 1990s saw the sales of affordable sports cars recover, first with a rising demand for Japanese built models like the Honda Prelude , Nissan Silvia , Mitsubishi Eclipse , and Toyota Celica , and then with
3713-401: The end of Capri production was announced, Ford decided against launching a direct replacement. The second-generation Probe was designed by a team led by Mimi Vandermolen, who led the interior design of the 1986 Ford Taurus . In 1987, Vandermolen became the first female designer to be the design executive of small cars for an automobile manufacturer, and Vandermolen designed the Probe to improve
3792-484: The engine, transmission, and chassis, while Ford engineered the body and interior. Technically, the second generation Probe is 60% Mazda and 40% Ford. Despite the car being extended and widened 2 in (50 mm) it was 125 pounds (60 kg) lighter than the first generation Probe. The second generation Probe was introduced in August 1992 as a 1993 model. As first planned during 1992, it finally went on sale in Europe in
3871-480: The existence of the ST-16 Mustang in a sensational report that featured an artist rendering on the issue's cover of a vehicle nearly identical to what would be released as the 1989 Ford Probe GT stating "Exclusive: The '89 Mustang," along with detailed technical reports about its Mazda origins and switch to front-wheel drive. The public outcry was immediate, with many Mustang fans and pony car purists detesting
3950-466: The first-generation Probe were successful enough that Ford partnered with Mazda again, with further Ford engineering from the beginning of the project, to create a second-generation Probe for the 1993 model year developed alongside a second-generation Mazda MX-6. A proposed third-generation Probe, which would have been based on the Ford Mondeo instead of being Mazda-derived, was eventually released as
4029-456: The footsteps of the 1959 BMC Mini with front-wheel drive, a more space-efficient transverse engine layout, unitary bodywork, and independent suspension (features which became key design concepts used by almost every mass-market family car since) - and it was the first hatchback with these features. The Simca 1100 also came in both three and five-door variants, and the hatchback models took a central position, traditionally taken up by saloons, in
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#17327797301164108-402: The hatch is often counted as a door, therefore a hatchback with two passenger doors is called a three-door and a hatchback with four passenger doors is called a five-door . Estates/station wagons and liftbacks have in common a two-box design configuration, a shared interior volume for passengers and cargo and a rear door (often called a tailgate in the case of an estate/wagon) that
4187-632: The larger Chevrolet Nova became available in a hatchback body style. The Nova hatchback was also rebadged as the Chevrolet Concours , Pontiac Ventura , Pontiac Phoenix , Oldsmobile Omega , Buick Apollo , and Buick Skylark . In 1980, General Motors released its first front-wheel drive hatchback models, the Chevrolet Citation and Pontiac Phoenix . Both AMC and GM offered a dealer accessory that turned their compact hatchback models into low-cost recreational vehicles. An example
4266-523: The lead in envisioning styling directions for the front-wheel drive Mustang, and a design by Saito was chosen and finalized in early 1984. The project was then transferred to Mazda in Hiroshima, Japan and in internal Ford parlance, was referred to by the codename "ST-16". It was intended to gradually phase out the RWD Fox platform Mustang under the name "Mustang Classic" and have it eventually supplanted by
4345-732: The mid-1990s with relatively cheap offerings from Hyundai and Honda . Australia now sells mostly hatchbacks, after the last domestic-built wagon, the Holden Commodore Sportwagon ceased production in October 2017. The Ford Laser hatchback was produced in Australia. Nissan produced the Pulsar and Pintara hatchbacks and Mitsubishi built the Colt hatch. Toyota produced the Corolla hatchback, and more recently Holden produced
4424-543: The rear outlined in Wild Orchid. This package was offered in 1994 only, and was exclusive to GT models. After dropping the Probe Feature Car after only a year of production, Ford carried over the Wild Orchid exterior color for the 1995 model year which was available on all Probe models. In 1997, a "GTS" package was offered on the Probe GT. It was essentially nothing more than an appearance package, as performance
4503-466: The rear window was marginally smaller, to allow for a frame that could be lifted with roof-mounted hinges and side support struts so that the car now incorporated a horizontal-split two-piece tailgate. The lower panel was now flush with the floor and its bottom-mounted hinges were strengthened. In 1953, Aston Martin marketed the DB2 with a top-hinged rear tailgate, manufacturing 700 examples. Its successor,
4582-603: The same market segment as the Renault 16, and the two competitors were closely matched in specifications and exterior dimensions, although the Maxi had significantly more interior space due to its transverse engine. In 1974, the Volkswagen Golf was introduced, intended to replace the ubiquitous Beetle . In 1976 British Leyland introduced the Rover 3500 , a rear wheel drive executive car five-door hatchback. Increasing demand for compact hatchbacks in Europe during
4661-401: The same platform as the Ford Contour , was under development intended for release in mid-1998 as a 1999 model. When Ford decided to discontinue the Probe, this new design became the next-generation Mercury Cougar . The name change was intended to attract younger buyers into Mercury showrooms, but this proved unsuccessful. The Escort ZX2 , released shortly after the discontinuation of the Probe,
4740-410: The slope of the roofline on a notchback is interrupted by its three-box design. An estate/wagon typically differs from a liftback or hatchback by being longer (therefore more likely to have a D-pillar ). Other potential differences of a station wagon include: "Liftback" is a term for hatchback models in which the rear cargo door or hatch is more horizontally angled than on an average hatchback, and as
4819-427: The spring of 1994, filling the gap left there by Ford in that market sector since the demise of the Capri seven years earlier. The Capri had regularly been one of Britain's 10 best selling cars throughout the 1970s, but its popularity declined in the early 1980s as Ford launched high performance versions of the Fiesta , Escort and Sierra hatchbacks. Such was the falling demand for this type of car that by 1986, when
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#17327797301164898-475: The styling of the rear of a car in having a single slope from the roof to the rear bumper . Some hatchbacks are notchback three box designs , bearing a resemblance to sedans/saloons from a styling perspective, but being closer to hatchbacks in functionality by having a tailgate hinged from the roof. This is featured on cars such as the 1951 Kaiser-Frazer Vagabond, Simca 1100 , Mazda 6 GG1 , and Opel Vectra C . As such, notchbacks are not fastbacks, as
4977-412: The term "hatchback" appeared around 1970. The company only offered one two-box body style. The Renault 4 continued in production through 1992, selling over 8 million cars. In 1965, the R4 economy car was complemented by the D-segment Renault 16 , the first volume production two-box, hatchback family car . Its rear seats were adjustable, would fold down, or could be completely removed. The Renault 16
5056-422: The term itself to 1970. The hatchback body style has been marketed worldwide on cars ranging in size from superminis to small family cars , as well as executive cars and some sports cars . They are a primary component of sport utility vehicles . The distinguishing feature of a hatchback is a rear door that opens upwards and is hinged at roof level (as opposed to the boot/trunk lid of a saloon/sedan , which
5135-429: The world, the Probe GT scored third place, behind an $ 80,000 Mercedes-Benz and an $ 80,000 BMW. In the article, the Probe listed at about $ 15,000. For 1993 and 1994, Ford offered a "SE" appearance package on the base model Probe. The package offered 3 spoke swirl-style alloy wheels, the GT model's ground effects, and the GT model's front bumper. Unlike the base model, buyers were able to opt for power windows and mirrors on
5214-400: Was also reminiscent of the pony cars . The 1981 Probe III was an advanced demonstrator with covered wheels, but its bodywork evolved into the more conventional Ford Sierra (or Merkur XR4Ti ) and styling notes that were used on the Ford Taurus . The 1983 Probe IV was a more radical concept car with a low Cd ( drag coefficient ), and evolved into the equally radical 1985 Probe V . After
5293-548: Was available in two designs, a "sedan" with a rear lift up window and a semi-fastback "liftback" version. General Motors ' first hatchback model was the Chevrolet Vega , introduced in September 1970. Over a million Vega hatchbacks were produced for the 1971–1977 model years accounting for about half of the Vega's total production. The Vega hatchback was also rebadged and sold as the 1973–1977 Pontiac Astre , 1978 Chevrolet Monza S , 1975–1980 Buick Skyhawk , 1975–1980 Oldsmobile Starfire and 1977–1980 Pontiac Sunbird . In 1974,
5372-442: Was common for manufacturers to offer the same D-segment model in three different body styles: a 4-door sedan, a 5-door hatchback, and a 5-door station wagon. Such models included the Ford Mondeo , the Mazda 626 / Mazda6 , the Nissan Primera , the Opel Vectra / Insignia , and the Toyota Carina / Avensis . There were also models in this market segment available only as a 5-door hatchback or a 4-door sedan, and models available only as
5451-461: Was considered the Probe's successor. In June 1998, Ford released what would have been the new Probe as the 1999 Mercury Cougar . The Probe GT was Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year for 1993. It also made Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 1989, 1993, and 1994. The NASCAR Dash Series version of a 1990 Ford Probe driven by Jeffrey Collier set a new track record at Daytona International Speedway on February 13, 1990, with
5530-414: Was decided that the ST-16 would be released as the Ford Probe in 1988, taking the name from Ford's line of futuristic concept vehicles, and be sold alongside the Mustang, which would continue production in its then-current form with minor refreshing. Instead of being aimed as a successor to the Mustang or as a rival to its traditional competitors, the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird , Ford would aim
5609-451: Was given a 4-star crash rating in collision tests conducted by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration . 2,810 lb (1,270 kg) (AT) 3,035 lb (1,377 kg) (AT) 3,070 lb (1,390 kg) (AT) The Ford and Mazda design teams merged once again to give the Ford Probe a complete redesign for the 1993 model year. As before, the Probe was to share its under-structure with Mazda's MX-6 and 626. Mazda engineered
5688-421: Was identical to the GT, but differences with the exterior were distinct. Dual racing stripes available in either white or black started at the top edge of the front bumper and continued on to the back lip of the hatch, terminating just below the center light reflector on the rear bumper. A chrome plated version of the GT's directional "swirlie" wheels and a spoiler were also included in the package, as well as having
5767-612: Was offered as a hatchback. The body style was continued for the redesigned Fox platform -based 1979 third generation Mustang and the Mercury Capri derivative. For 1981, Ford offered hatchback versions of its sub-compact Escort and the badge-engineered Mercury Lynx , which were now front-wheel drive. Two-seat hatchback derivatives were introduced for 1982, the Ford EXP and the Mercury LN-7. Chrysler Corporation 's first hatchbacks (and first front-wheel drive cars) were
5846-425: Was sold there, a total of just over 15,000 were sold - around a quarter of the projected figure for that length of time. Imports ceased during 1997, and its Cougar successor - launched a year later - was even less successful, being imported to Europe for just two years. By February 2016, just 718 examples of the Probe were still in use in Britain. The base model started at just over US$ 13,000 and came standard with
5925-456: Was sourced by Ford, and manufactured at Ford's Batavia Transmission plant in Batavia, Ohio. A new SE (Sport Edition) trim level was available for 1995 and 1996. It included the GT front fascia (without fog lamps), unique 15-inch (380 mm) aluminum wheels, P205/55R15 BSW and Sport Edition "SE" nomenclature. In a coast to coast road test by Automobile Magazine in search of the best cars in
6004-539: Was still recovering from a financial crisis of the early 1980s that brought the company close to bankruptcy until the Taurus arrived. John Coletti , Ford's small-car engineering manager and a vociferous opponent of the ST-16 Mustang, said of the project, "I would rather have seen the Mustang name die than put the Mustang name on the Probe ;...". Ken Dabrowski, Ford's small-car line manager, tapped Coletti to lead
6083-409: Was successful in a market segment previously exclusively populated by notchback sedans and, despite making only one body style for 15 years, consumers purchased over 1 3 ⁄ 4 million R16s. Unlike the Renault 4, which had a semi-integrated body, mounted on a platform chassis , and a front mid-mounted and longitudinally placed engine behind the front axle, the 1967 Simca 1100 , which followed in
6162-519: Was the hardtop, but the hatchback roof and folding rear seat made the Liftback more versatile for quotidian chores or the sort of "active lifestyle" pastimes that so fascinate advertising copywriters. Later, Toyota needed to distinguish between two 5-door versions of the Toyota Corolla , one of which was a conventional 5-door hatchback with a nearly vertical rear hatch while the other one was
6241-540: Was the rear-wheel drive IZh 2125 Kombi , which entered production in 1973. This was followed only in the 1980s by the front-wheel drive Lada Samara in 1984, the Moskvitch 2141/Aleko in 1986, and ZAZ Tavria in 1987. In 2014, four of the top five selling models in Brazil were hatchbacks. However, in the 1980s and 1990s, hatchbacks were less popular than sedans, leading manufacturers to develop compact sedan models for
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