Finally, a Focussed RS

Before we get started, I would like to take a moment of silence for the 2009 Ford Focus RS; how tragic it is that we in the North American market may never know your beautiful face.

Annoyingly somewhere out in the Atlantic some chap in a place called England is enjoying one of the most serious Ford Hatchbacks ever made,with real race pedigree and some seriously flared wheel arches, while we in North America are out in the rain, at least for the next couple of years.

The 2009 Ford Focus RS is the latest installment in a long line of seriously fast Ford hatches, which up until the last two incarnations was quite respectable, but the first Ford Focus RS and younger brother the Focus ST just couldn't quite deliver. They were held back by some serious torque steer issues and disappointing power plants, but Ford is back with a vengeance with the RS.

Just looking at it, you can tell it is serious, its all grilles, intakes and big wheels, the huge wheel flares make it look like its trying to burst out of its own skin, which is understandable when you consider the beast that lives under the hood. It's a five cylinder monster that puts out over 300bhp, in a front wheel drive hatchback! It's a recipe for disaster that includes you, your windshield and a tree, and trust me it isn't as delicious as it sounds.

It's widely acknowledge that the most power that a front wheel drive system can handle is around 250bhp, which makes sense considering the fact that the front wheels have to deal with both putting the power on the tarmac and making sure you don't hit something made of concrete.

Ford has thrown this theory out the window and done it anyway, taming all those wild horses with a trick differential and unique front suspension set up, both of which work in ways that only Jesus could understand, if he was some kind of mechanical engineer, but he wasn't, so it remains a mystery.

This huge power has been married to some big wheels, big suspension, good looks and a big trunk, going for groceries just got a lot more interesting. The interior sports serious racing buckets in the front, styling that matches the exterior and seating for four, looking for something to solve that mid-life crisis?

You'll have to wait a few years, but until then you can be content with this.

Don't worry, its natural to feel a little sick.