Ford has taken the opportunity of using the current Goodwood Festival of Speed as a platform from which to tell the world that the forthcoming Focus RS will have even more power than we first thought.
When we broke the news of this car earlier this year, we told you it would be powered by a bespoke version of the four-cylinder 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine that we've already seen in the new Mustang, with drive for the RS sent to all four wheels. However, we (and many others) were predicting 320- to 330hp, but Ford's gone a bit higher than that. Because the RS Mk3 will kick out 350hp, which is brilliant enough as it is but it also raises the intriguing prospect of an RS 500 model with something like 400hp... oh yes.
The Focus RS promises to be a proper driving tool. It features Ford Performance All-Wheel Drive with Dynamic Torque Vectoring, selectable drive modes - including a 'Drift Mode' allowing for controlled oversteer - and Launch Control. The 10 per cent extra power liberated from the Mustang's 2.3 comes courtesy of a low-inertia twin-scroll turbocharger, a bigger intercooler, a freer-flowing air intake and a large-bore high-performance exhaust system.
Not only will the RS have 350hp, it'll rev out to 6,800rpm and has 440Nm available from 2,000- to 4,500rpm, with 470Nm available for 15 seconds on overboost.
"We promised enthusiasts a serious driving machine and, with 350hp under the hood, that is exactly what we will deliver," said Dave Pericak, global director, Ford Performance. "The stunning pace and innovative technology of the all-new Focus RS place it head-to-head with performance models from luxury and exotic marques, and it's ready for the challenge."
The third Focus RS is one of 12 new performance vehicles Ford will unleash between now and 2020, and will be available for delivery to European customers from early 2016.
Anything else?
Show-goers at the Goodwood Festival of Speed will get a demonstration of the Focus RS's bonkers performance, as superstar US driver Ken Block will muscle a prototype car up the Hill Climb. However, if you can't make it there in person, enjoy this little teaser video of it in action instead.