2016 Ford Focus RS arrives with 316-hp, AWD and a ticket to America

Hot hatches are a staple of European car culture, something Americans typically don't get. It's why Ford hasn't offered its brilliant Focus RS on these shores for many years, despite true enthusiasts clamoring for it. A niche product it is, and yet Ford has finally confirmed that we will soon see the new RS in U.S. dealerships, and today, that car has been revealed: Boasting "well in excess" of 316 hp and 320 lb.-ft. of torque, that bountiful amount of power is routed to each and every wheel.

Yes, the new RS has gone back to its all-wheel-drive roots.

That was the main debate when guessing the specifics of the new RS: FWD or AWD? The fact Ford has chosen the latter shows how serious the company is about producing the hottest hatch of them all. And it's not just any AWD system, the RS features torque vectoring, allowing 70 percent of torque to the rear axle, 100 percent of which can be applied to either wheel.