The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is renowned for showcasing an array of unique vehicles, including one-of-a-kind prototypes, special editions, and futuristic concept cars. Tragically, the automotive world has recently lost one such rare gem—the Ford Probe Ghia Concept from the late 1970s. The vehicle was destroyed in a fire while being transported, an incident that was first brought to light through a viral TikTok video showing the blaze.
While many viewers attempted to identify the vehicle in the video, it was soon confirmed to be the Ford Probe Ghia Concept, which had just left Pebble Beach. Scott Grundfor Company, which had been documenting the car’s appearance at Pebble Beach, confirmed the loss with poignant images of the repercussion. Their statement expressed deep sorrow: “We are profoundly saddened and heartbroken by the loss of our 1979 Ford Ghia Probe I Prototype.
It was involved in an accident on the highway late Sunday after its appearance at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.” Fortunately, the driver of the truck carrying the car emerged unscathed. The post also noted that the driver’s quick actions prevented the fire from spreading to nearby wooded areas.
The cause of the fire and the specifics of how it started remain unclear, but the company’s post emphasized the driver’s role in containing the blaze. I have reached out to Scott Grundfor Company for further details and will provide an update if additional information becomes available.
The loss of the Probe Ghia is particularly poignant given its historical importance. The Ford Probe Ghia Concept, introduced at the 1979 Frankfurt Auto Show, was part of a series of Probe prototypes developed in collaboration with Ghia during the mid-to-late 1970s. The Probe 1 featured innovative aerodynamic designs aimed at enhancing fuel efficiency and was built on the same Fox platform as the Mustang, equipped with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Ford continued to develop Probe concepts into the early 1980s, culminating in the production version of the Probe that debuted in 1988.