Those of you who like high-performance Fords that are smaller than a Falcon XR series, or one of the modified FPV variants, will soon be able to buy a red-hot Focus RS. This is a European hot-hatch that will compete with the Japanese Subaru WRX STi and the Mitsubishi Evo X.

The Ford Focus RS was introduced in Europe in 2009 to lot of critical acclaim. Australian buyers of hot cars have been asking the local importer to ring in the machine since the moment it was announced.

Powered by a turbocharged Duratec RS 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine putting out 300 horsepower, 224 kW it has peak torque of a stunning 440 Nm. The latter starts from only 2300 rpm and continues well into the mid reaches of the rev band.

All this torque will be tamed by what Ford's high-performance engineers call a Quaife Automatic Torque Biasing Helical Limited Slip Differential.

The RS has sports suspension and a high-performance braking system to complement the big power from the engine. Its 19-inch alloy wheels are fitted with Continental tyres designed specifically for this model.

Almost every panel on the three-door body has been revised or extensively modified from that of the standard Focus. A front bumper splitter and a twin-blade rear spoiler work with the rear bumper venturi to help keep the hot Ford anchored to the surface.

The Focus RS will be offered in three strong colours; Ultimate Green, Performance Blue and Frozen White.

Inside, the Focus RS has Recaro sports seats in partial leather trim, dual zone climate control air conditioning, automatic wipers and auto-dimming rear mirror. Interior aural excitement complements that from the outside of the car, using an eight-speaker Sony audio system with six-disc CD player and USB input facility for iPod/MP3 player. Bluetooth hands-free is also installed. Ford's Key-Free System incorporates keyless entry and start via a start/stop button.

With a recommended price of $59,990 (plus on-road costs) the Focus RS offers full-on sportscar performance for a fraction of the price of a hot BMW, Mercedes, Porsche or the like.

Focus RS will go on sale in Australia during October or November this year. It's likely it will be a feature model for the Sydney Motor Show which opens on October 14th, but Ford Australia won't comment on that as the release date at this stage.

Only 315 Ford Focus RS have been allocated to Australia so those who are interested should get in touch with their local Ford dealer as soon as possible.