In 1986 Ford killed off the Capri, removing the chance for ordinary folks to delight in the pleasures of an affordable sports coupé. There were tears in Essex pubs. After eight years Ford tried to rectify this with a “spiritual successor” called the Probe. The what? It doesn’t matter how many times you hear it, you can’t help wondering who would call a car after a surgical instrument. The name meant the car quickly developed a reputation for naffness, memorably lampooned by Steve Coogan’s loathsome character Gareth Cheeseman, who drove one.

On top of that Ford messed up the pricing. In 1994 the basic 2 litre cost £16,000 and the 2.5 litre V6 close to £20,000. That’s expensive even at today’s prices. With only 113bhp the 2 litre couldn’t offer performance to match the Probe’s racy good looks. The 163bhp V6 delivered a 0-60 time of 8.5sec and its slippery shape meant it was capable of 140mph — better but still not brilliant.

The Probe isn’t a small car. At just one inch shorter than a seven-seat Ford Galaxy you might expect to find four good seats in it, but you won’t because most of that length is taken up by the bonnet. The front seats may be generous and headroom isn’t a problem but the back seat is minute and suitable only for children.

Equipment levels, however, are pretty good. It has ABS, twin front airbags, alarm, electric windows and alloys as standard. The V6 gets bigger 16in alloys, cruise control and an electric sunroof. If you can live with the fuel consumption then the good news is that the Probe’s heavy depreciation has eroded the V6’s original £4,000 premium over the 2 litre to £400. The best buy is a post October 1996 2.5 litre V6, which gained air-con and leather.

On the road the Probe drives well. The speed-sensitive power steering is nicely weighted and the manual gearbox easy to use. But to realise the car’s performance it needs to be revved vigorously. Only when the needle pushes past 4000rpm does the engine wake up.

Trim, particularly the standard cloth, has weathered well and the fit and finish of the interior are above average. Early cars suffered from a few panel gaps but apart from that it is well screwed together and unless it’s been poorly repaired at some time rust is not a problem.

Today, seven years after the last Probe rolled off the production line, even immaculate V6 2.5s rarely go for more than a couple of grand. But the signs are that it is enjoying a mini-renaissance. Buy now and you should see your investment hold.

Remember the Triumph TR6 and Jensen Interceptor? Not so long ago you couldn’t give them away but few of us would mind a garage full of them now. The Ford Probe: a future classic? You heard it here first.

Safety Twin front airbags, ABS and side impact beams are standard

Air-conditioning Standard on post October 1996 cars and worth having but check it works by switching it from hot to cold quickly

Fuel consumption Low to mid-twenties from V6 and low thirties from the 2 litre

Brakes Rear calipers are prone to seizing

Spare parts Many shared with Mazda MX-6 and Mazda 626 so compare Ford and Mazda prices to find the best deal

Electrics Usually robust but check they all work: some items are expensive to replace

Steering Speed sensitive to provide more feel at higher speeds

Engine immobiliser Integrated into ignition key, but a £200 bill if you need to replace it

Engine V6 comes from Mazda MX-6 Coupe and is pretty robust but check for noisy tappets

Bonnet One of the most stone-chip-prone profiles in the business. Suspect a repaint if the nose is immaculate

Tyres Check for uneven wear on inside of front tyres

Insurance Group 16 on 2 litre and group 17 on 2.5 litre so get a quote or you will spend more on that than you did buying the car

The one to buy

Ford Probe V6 2.5 with leather upholstery and air-con. 1998 R with 60,000 miles. Pay £2,395 from a dealer or £1,500 privately

Or for similar money

1992 Mazda MX-6 V6 GT Coupé

1996 Rover 827 Coupé auto

1995 Honda Prelude 2.0 Coupé

1991 VW Corrado 1.8 G60

1996 Hyundai S Coupé 1.5 Turbo SE

Values



Source: estimates based on confidential CAP black book prices. 'Trade' is what a dealer would pay to buy your car; 'Retail' is what you would pay a dealer