IF I HADN'T been there to see it unveiled with my own eyes, I might still believe that Ford's Focus RS is the stuff of myth.
It really has been a long time coming, a will-they-or-won't-they make it car that's been rumoured, discussed, debated and dissected in the press, enthusiasts' clubs and blogs the world over. But it's finally here, debuting officially at the British International Motor Show, in ExCel, London.
Sitting almost apologetically on a stand dominated by meagre CO2 output Fiestas, the only thing green about the new RS is its paint. The retina-straining hue is a modern interpretation of the Le Mans green of its RS1600 Escort ancestor.
A completely re-engineered car, the RS is more than merely a warmed-over ST. Wider wheel arches cover a widened track, the RS is an overtly-styled mega-hatch.
Jost Capito, head of Team RS, said that while the heavier, more expensive four-wheel-drive option was considered, the team opted for a front suspension system dubbed RevoKnuckle which, when combined with the Quaife limited-slip differential, allows you to use all the 300bhp and 440Nm of torque that the turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine delivers.
Capito is confident the RevoKnuckle is the measure of its four-wheel-drive competition; a bold claim we won't believe until we drive it. When that will be, nobody's sure yet, everything from price to performance figures remain a mustery. Plenty for everyone to keep talking about, then . . .