The evenings are growing cool and misty and that suits the Mountie just fine. All turbocharged cars benefit from a denser air-charge as the seasonal temperature drops but, with the Focus, there seems to be a closer than usual correlation between the chill and thrill factors. The palpably weightier slugs of in-gear acceleration seem to be backed by a snarlier soundtrack, too.

Wringing every last morsel of mumbo from the Mountune (sad, I know, but I’ve become obsessed) means an exclusive diet of super-unleaded, which isn’t funny given the thing’s thirst for the stuff. But I just love the way this car goes. And it’s getting better all the time.