Ford Focus RS pricing announced

Ford Australia has announced local pricing for the forthcoming Focus RS and it's good news for enthusiasts, with the 257kW/440Nm all-wheel drive hatch starting at just $50,990.

This puts it in the same ballpark as front-drive rivals like the Renault Sport Megane RS275 Premium ($52,990) and Volkswagen Golf GTI Performance ($46,490), as well as all-paw rivals like the Volkswagen Golf R ($52,740) and Subaru WRX STI ($49,490).

The new Focus RS is also significantly cheaper than the previous front-drive model, which arrived locally in limited numbers wearing a $59,990 price tag.

The sharp pricing means the Blue Oval's new hot hatch provides some serious bang for your buck, as its 4.7sec 0-100km/h claim is significantly faster than all its competitors bar the DSG-equipped Golf R.

The only options will be prestige paint at $450 and $2500 for the Performance Wheel Pack, which replaces the regular 19-inch alloy wheels with lightweight forged units wrapped in 235/35 R19 Michelin Sport Cup 2 rubber, the same tyres you'll find on the Porsche 911 GT3.

Four colours are available: white, Nitrous (blue), Shadow Black and Magnetic (grey) with white the only non-prestige hue.

Otherwise, the Focus RS comes very well equipped, with bi-xenon headlights, Recaro sports seats, a nine-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control and 8.0-inch colour infotainment screen.

The release of local pricing means that Ford's drawn-out information drip tease is finally at an end and we have all the pieces of the puzzle.

Now all that's left is to drive it and see if the experience behind the wheel lives up to the tantalising on-paper specification. You'll know as soon as we do.