[fsandys]

The grapevine went a bit quiet on this one for a while, but the RS never went away. Though Ford insisted that the Focus RS project had been canned - it said it couldn't profitably make a 300bhp, 4WD car for sale at an acceptable price - the engineers and hot-hatch enthusiasts within the company have continued to push to bring this car to production, even working in their own time to further develop prototypes. This prototype - caught out testing near one of Ford's engineering facilities in Germany - may look like the ST already on offer, but check out the larger air intakes and slightly wider wheel arches and bumpers. Our photographer also said that 'the sound of the 300bhp engine was unmistakable, just like the car's fast acceleration with four-wheel-drive and the rally-like sound of that dump valve while shifting gears.' There you have it... Production may not be far off, as the development work has been underway for a number of years now. An announcement would tie in nicely with the 2007 World Rally Championships season, the Ford Racing team fresh from its manufacturers' championship title this year. Come on Ford, it's the Focus we've all been waiting for.