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MotorWeek finds nice things to say about the 1993 Ford Probe

This latest in MotorWeek's series of Retro Reviews continues its recent trend of remembering the massive glut of sports coupes that hit the market in the '90s. While vehicles like the Mitsubishi 3000GT, Mazda RX-7, and Ford Mustang all enjoy solid reputations down to this day, the 1993 Ford Probe, well... doesn't. As you'll soon see, though, the show's opinion suggests the coupe's second generation isn't really all that bad. Turns out they just weren't particularly sporty. Ford and Mazda developed the Probe together, and the Japanese company supplied both the base 115-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder and the 164-hp 2.5-liter V6 in the GT trim. The original's pseudo-angular look gave way to a much smoother shape for the second generation. Of course, pop-up headlights remained, which were a design hallmark for many of this era's sports coupes. After driving it, MotorWeek proclaims the Probe is "a winner" and considers the handling a "delight." That's not a big surprise, considering that in those days, a car had to be really bad not to get a decent review from Television's Original Automotive Magazine. However, the show hints at some of the reasons the coupe isn't so well remembered today. Even the GT reportedly suffers from soft springs and lots of understeer, which sounds like exactly the opposite anyone hoping to drive the coupe enthusiastically would want. To sum it all up, we're sure you're just as happy as we are that Ford went back on its initial plan to shelve the Mustang in favor of the front-drive Probe. Related Video:

2016 Ford Focus RS shows up in Geneva, still bound for America [w/video]

Representing the super-hot hatchback movement at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, we have the 2015 Ford Focus RS, the third-generation to wear the performance-focused designation. Bound for America for the first time, it's fair to say we're darn excited for the Focus RS and its 2.3-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder. With at least 315 horsepower under the hood and the long-awaited inclusion of an all-wheel-drive system, there's little arguing that the RS will be seriously quick off the line. It should be darn good through the bends, too. The all-wheel-drive system packs a Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control system that sends up to 70 percent of the power to the rear axle. On top of the AWD's torque vectoring ability, the Focus RS adds a brake-based torque vectoring system, which transfers power laterally, as needed. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires should only help keep the RS glued to the tarmac. A three-pedal setup is the sole transmission option, which should delight purists. According to Ford, both the clutch and the trans itself have been bolstered to handle the 2.3-liter's power. Ford also comprehensively upgraded the looks of the Focus RS relative to the lesser Focus ST. Its enormous rear wing and the back bumper's rear diffuser complement the car's menacing face. The ST's center-exit exhaust has been ditched for a meaty set of pipes, while the car on display in Geneva shows off a different set of alloys than what we saw during the car's original debut. Check out our full gallery of live photos of this hot Ford, available up top. And be sure to check out our Short Cut of the new hot hatch by scrolling down. All-New Ford Focus RS; High-Performance Hatch with Innovative All-Wheel Drive Set for U.S. Debut - Third-generation Ford Focus RS will be available in major markets around the world and for the first time in the United States; Focus RS follows the reveal last month of the new Ford GT supercar – a new era of Ford performance that will deliver 12 new vehicles by 2020 - All-new Ford Performance All-Wheel Drive with Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control paired with a powerful 2.3-liter EcoBoost® four-cylinder engine will provide impressive performance - Aggressive, functional design inside and out makes Focus RS the most powerful production Focus ever, with highly capable performance on both road and track - Professional rally driver and star of Gymkhana films Ken Block teamed with Ford as a consultant on development of Focus RS Cologne, Germany, Feb.

Ford S-Max Concept proves minivans aren't always minivans [w/video]

Ford's latest don't-call-it-a-minivan is called the S-Max Concept, and it's a looker. As you can see, the conceptual overgrown hatch makes good use of Ford's latest design language, especially at the very front of the S-Max, which bears a striking resemblance to production models that include the Focus, C-Max and Fusion.
Powering the S-Max Concept is a 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine, and while Ford doesn't actually list power figures for the concept, previous estimates put the mill at 133 kW of power (about 178 horsepower) and 240 Nm of torque (about 177 pound-feet). Inside, there's room for seven passengers and at least some of their luggage.
As you'd expect, the S-Max is loaded up with all of Ford's latest infotainment technology, including Sync and MyFordTouch. More interestingly, there are also onboard heart and blood glucose monitors that we doubt will be seeing the light of production anytime soon. On that topic, don't expect to see any S-Max-shaped vehicles hitting the US market from Ford, either. Scroll down below for the press release, but not before checking out the high-res image gallery above.