(Tue 30 Mar 10)

Production of the Ford Focus RS will come to a halt in September this year, and to mark the occasion Ford has developed a limited-edition version called the RS500.

The 500 designation has been used twice in the past for European Fords. As motorsport enthusiasts will know, the Sierra RS500 of the 1980s was created to be the basis for cars competing in international racing and rallying, while the much more recent Focus ST500 was little more than a styling exercise.

But they were both given their names for the same reason, which was that only 500 were ever meant to be built, and the same applies to the latest Focus. Of those 500, just 101 are scheduled for the UK, so it's safe to say that this car will very quickly become a collector's item.

Like the standard RS, and indeed the ST, it uses the Volvo-designed 2.5-litre turbo petrol engine, but maximum power has been raised to 345bhp, which is the highest output of any RS-badged production Ford. As a result, the 500 has a 0-62mph time of 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 165mph. Remarkably, the suspension, brakes and tyres of the regular RS are being retained, which could be interesting.

As well as the extra power, there's quite a lot more standard equipment, including dual-zone automatic climate control air-conditioning, a heated windscreen, rear parking sensors, a tyre pressure warning system, automatic headlights and wipers, a dimming interior mirror, keyless start, a Sony 6-CD audio system with Bluetooth, voice control and a USB port and part-leather Recaro seats.

The only options are a touchscreen DVD navigation and audio system and Recaros fully upholstered in red leather.

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