Considering its high-performance nature, Ford Focus RS running costs are admirably low. Its CO2 output of 175g/km will keep car tax bills manageable, though most can probably forget running one as a company car because benefit-in-kind tax will still be relatively high.

Fuel economy is a claimed 36.7mpg on the combined fuel economy cycle, but this is likely to be far lower in the real world if you drive the RS as it was meant to be driven. We suspect 25mpg isn’t entirely unrealistic.

Tyres are going to be a factor here. The 19-inch Michelins are very expensive to replace, so think carefully before selecting Drift mode too often. If you’ve gone for the optional forged alloy with Cup 2 tyres, it’s worse still because they’re stickier, but will run out of tread sooner.

But you could play this off against the fact that service and maintenance costs will be quite low, but ensure your closest Ford garage is geared-up for it. One of the firm’s swish new Ford Stores would be a handy local resource.

With just the one model on sale at launch, Ford Focus RS CO2 emissions are pegged at 175g/km.

There shouldn’t much to worry about here. Ford has a long history of building performance cars like this, and with the Focus one of the UK’s top-selling cars, any parts shared with other models have been tried and tested at quite some length.

The engine and gearbox feel solid enough, and the extent to which Ford has tested this car beggars belief: it’s been run at top speed for 5,000km, and then subjected to a further 2,500km of track testing before being signed off.