Spied: 2009 Ford Focus RS

Take a look at the best picture yet of Ford’s Focus RS! Just a few months after bosses gave the new hot hatch the green light (Issue 992), we caught this striking prototype testing in Germany.While the car wears a previous-generation Focus ST bodykit, there’s a big giveaway that it’s no ordinary model – check out the giant scoop on the bonnet, which feeds the modified 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo engine with cool air. Twin bonnet air vents, harking back to the Escort RS Cosworth, will replace the scoop on the production car. Blistered wheelarches, a rear wing and a low front splitter will also feature. With a larger turbocharger, remapped electronics and a bigger intercooler, the 2.5-litre Focus ST-derived unit will produce around 280bhp, enabling the RS to sprint from 0-60mph in 5.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 155mph.It’s likely that Ford will equip the newcomer with a clever electronic differential, giving the front-wheel-drive layout excellent traction. A six-speed manual box will be fitted, but Ford’s new twin-clutch VW DSG-style Powershift transmission could appear, too. The RS will go on sale next year, priced around £25,000. A concept will be revealed at the British Motor Show in London in July