first rumblings regarding the next-generation Ford Focus RS – which may come to market using an hybridized version of the company’s 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine. According to “very senior sources” inside Ford, the RS Team is currently studying the possibility of building such a car that would use an electric motor to power the rear axle, giving the car an all-wheel drive setup. Along with delivering AWD traction and added power, the system would be able to operate on pure electric power for short periods time, giving it excellent in-town fuel economy.

What sort of power Ford engineers are looking for isn’t yet known, but with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine easily capable of 250-hp, an electric motor could easily bump that up over the 300-hp mark. That would be a necessity as the current RS model makes 305-hp.

That said, we greatly welcome the automaker's latest Fiesta R2 rally tuning kit, bringing a host of rally-spec mods to the general public.

n addition to things like a five-speed sequential gearbox, Reiger adjustable dampers, Eibach springs, ventilated disc brakes with four-piston calipers and a steel roll cage, Ford has found a way to coax more power out of the Fiesta's 1.6-liter inline-four. By adding a raft of new parts (pistons, camshafts, injectors, air filter, etc.), the Fiesta R2 is capable of producing 168 horsepower and 134 pound-feet of torque – gains of 48 and 22 over the stock car, respectively.

The R2 package was designed by M-Sport, a company that has been Ford's WRC partner since 1997, and New Hampshire-based team O'Neil Motorsports is the official reseller and authorized installer for this kit. Additionally, Ford Racing will offer a Stage 1 kit that includes performance upgrades, dampers, a limited-slip differential and roll cage for those who don't want the full hardcore experience.

So, you buy a rally-spec Fiesta... then what? Enthusiasts who add the R2 package to their Fiestas will be eligible to compete in the new Fiesta Sport Trophy Championship division of RallyCar's Rally America National Championship 2WD class. Only cars assembled by Team O'Neil can qualify for this series, with the class winner going on to Great Britain to compete in the Fiesta Sport Trophy International Shootout. Win the worldwide competition, and you'll land yourself a one-year residential placement at M-Sport, where you'll work with the BP Ford World Rally team.