Despite recent rumours, Ford says the 217bhp, £20,000 RS Focus will still be launched, but not until late 2002. However, its production run will be short-lived as the all-new Focus goes on sale late in 2003 and a 4wd RS Cosworth derivative toting 280bhp will be available soon after the launch of the new car.

The delays in ramping up RS Focus production could be its undoing. With the ST170 out in March, the RS Focus is in danger of repeating that other recent Ford misjudgment - the Ford Racing Puma. Many potential customers will most likely wait for the new-look 4wd Cossie.

The next-generation Focus platform, tagged 'P1' within Ford, will also spawn the V50, a 3-series rivalling estate-bodied Volvo. The Volvo will have unique engines including a hot five-cylinder turbo with around 300bhp. This range-topping M3 rival will share the 4wd system of the RS Cosworth Focus, thus spreading the engineering cost of the new drivetrain.

Ford will stick with a four-cylinder turbocharged unit for the hottest Focus, which is being developed as a joint project between Cosworth and Mazda. The Japanese company has extensive knowledge of the latest forced-induction techniques and Ford is keen to ensure that the Cosworth Focus matches the best from Subaru and Mitsubishi.