Priceless Ford Concept Car Destroyed in Fire After Leaving Pebble Beach Concours

The 1979 Ford Probe I Ghia concept car, valued at $1 million, was tragically destroyed in a fire while being transported after its display at the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Ford Probe I Ghia Concept Car Destroyed in Fire After Pebble Beach Display

The 1979 Ford Probe I Ghia concept car, a significant piece of automotive history, met a tragic end following its display at the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Showcased in the prestigious Wedge Shaped Concept Cars & Prototypes class, the iconic vehicle was extensively damaged in a fire while being transported from the event on Sunday, August 18.

Fire Breaks Out During Transport

The fire broke out while the Probe I was being towed along a freeway. A passing motorist alerted the driver, a Scott Grundfor Co. employee, to smoke emanating from the trailer. Despite the driver’s efforts, the flames had already spread too far to save the car, which was engulfed and ultimately destroyed along with the trailer. Fortunately, no one was injured, and the driver managed to prevent the fire from spreading to surrounding vegetation. The cause of the fire remains undetermined.

Extensive Damage Confirmed

Scott Grundfor Co., a renowned California restoration shop that acquired the Probe I from Ford in 2002, confirmed the extensive damage. The Monterey Fire Department, which responded to the incident, reported that 17 fire personnel and multiple fire engines were deployed to the scene. They found the trailer and vehicle fully engulfed in flames, with the fire threatening nearby vegetation. Firefighters were able to detach the tow vehicle in time to prevent further damage and contained the fire within fifteen minutes. The department estimated the total loss at approximately $1,028,300, with the Probe I itself valued at around $1 million.

Probe I: A Visionary Concept

The Probe I was Ford’s vision of the future when it debuted at the 1979 Frankfurt Auto Show. The first of five concept cars under the Probe name, it was a futuristic take on what family cars of the 1980s might look like. With its low nose, pop-up headlights, steeply raked windshield, and long fastback design, the Probe I looked like something out of a science fiction film.

It was highly aerodynamic, boasting a drag coefficient of 0.25, a figure that still holds up against modern vehicles like the Toyota Prius and Tesla Model 3. Inside, the car was equally advanced, featuring touch-sensitive controls, digital gauges, and an access card in place of a traditional key. It was built on an extended Fox-body Ford Mustang chassis, equipped with a 2.3-liter turbocharged engine and automatic transmission, and claimed to achieve 39 miles per gallon at a steady speed of 56 mph—a remarkable figure for the era.

Legacy and Future of the Probe I

Though the Probe I was never intended for production, it set the stage for future Ford vehicles. The design cues from the Probe I were carried forward into the 1982 Probe III, which influenced the design of the European-market Ford Sierra and the 1986 Ford Taurus. F o rd even considered using the Probe as the basis for a Mustang replacement in the early 1980s, modifying the Probe I to showcase what such a vehicle might look like. While the Mustang remained, the Probe name lived on, ultimately becoming a production model in 1989, sharing styling elements with the original concept.

Hope for Restoration

Despite the recent fire, there is hope for the Probe I’s future. Scott Grundfor Co., which owns an impressive collection of Ford concept cars, including the 1984 Probe IV and 1985 Probe V, plans to return the car to its shop. Although the vehicle has been heavily damaged, its steel body remains intact, and there is a possibility that it could be restored. As Grundfor noted, the car might stay as it is, serving as a poignant reminder of its storied past, or it could one day be revived and unveiled once more.

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