Ford Australia brought a sizzle to the start of spring ‘Downunder’ with the launch of the red hot Focus RS.

Only 315 examples of the highly-acclaimed Focus RS are heading our way and performance car fans will need to shell-out $59,990 to secure one.

The Focus RS is the ‘donor’ car for Ford’s World Rally Championship efforts and with 224kW/440Nm, the turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder Focus RS returns to the very top shelf of the ‘hot-hatch’ market segment where it competes with cars like Renault’s upcoming Megane and the Volkswagen Golf R.

Critics say the Focus RS loses-out to the Subaru Impreza WRX STI because it drives through the front wheels, but Ford has equipped the new pocket rocket with a special RevoKnuckle front suspension and Quaife Automatic Torque Biasing limited slip differential. The technology has one purpose – overcoming the savage torque steer which plagued the previous Focus RS. 

Externally, the Focus RS looks brilliant – a massive rear wing, huge 19-inch alloy wheels and lots of air ducts define this beast a genuine high performance European hatchback.

Inside are Recaro sports seats.

At Car Showroom we’re huge fans of Renault’s RenaultSport Clio RS and we can’t wait to put the Ford Focus RS through its paces.