Stop me if you've heard this one before: A four-cylinder Japanese front-wheel-drive pony car made during a burgeoning tuner culture, equipped with an trick four-wheel steering system. Now think less obscure and more turbo-y than a Prelude. That's right, it's the 1989 Mazda MX-6 GT for $2,550 in San Jose, CA. Words and tip from DT commenter & contributor slowcarSLOW-MPGlol. 
The 1988-1992 MX-6 was identical to the Ford Probe in most ways, with one big exception: Four-wheel steering. America got it as an option for GT models in 1989 only, making this one somewhat of a rarity - if it even has the option. The seller doesn't say (imagine that!) whether it has 4WS or not, or if it has it and doesn't work. Plus, the pictures aren't clear enough to see if the 4WS badge is there on the left side of the trunklid. Same goes for this ad for a cheapo $825 example.
Surprisingly, Mazda pitted the MX-6 against the Toyota Celica, whose driven wheels did the old switcheroo in 1985. So if Mazda still made the MX-6 today, what would it compete against? The Altima coupe? The Accord coupe? A skier?
Do you gamble on a 25-year-old turbocharged coupe with electronically adjustable suspension and an experimental four-wheel steering system only in production for one year? If you do, let us now how that works out for you. If it lacks the 4WS system, you still have a competent pony car that you can whip all day with 145 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque. If the rare option is present and in working condition, you could keep this rust-free car for Mecum 2029, because it will surely be the only one that works by that point.
See a better 1980s coupe with trick suspension? Email us at tips@dailyturismo.com
Big thanks to slowcarSLOW-MPGlol to sending in this tip complete with a functioning story to surround the images!
Based on the pics, I don't see that this one had the 4WS option....usually they had a rear decklid badge with the designation right beside the MX-6 badge.
ReplyDeleteOf course, based on the pictures I could also assume that the picture taker had a phobia of car interiors, and was either drunk or had a nasty case of vertigo, so go figure.
and yes, "picture taker" is a high-tech, sophisticated synonym for "photographer". HTH
DeleteI didn't know these were 4-WS. I do know that they had the same engine as the 89 Probe Turbo, but in a more high-quality package.
ReplyDelete