Ford ups the hot hatch ante

Automotive brands are nothing nowadays if they don’t have two levels of performance within a given model’s range. Look at BMW: it has M Performance cars and then full ‘M’ vehicles, often within the same line-up.

Audi has long differentiated its subtle-but-quick S models from its overt-and-super-quick RS flagships. Even Mercedes-AMG is getting in on the act, offering ‘43’- or ‘53’-badged cars beneath the ‘63’ tier of its most potent machines.

Things become ...