The hottest Focus will be front drive, not AWD, says Joe Bakaj, until recently Ford of Europe's engineering boss. The platform has AWD capability, as proved by the Vertrek concept crossover that will replace the Kuga and Escape. Ford engineers say they know what sort of car a new Focus RS would be. They also say it would make a profit. (The previous Europe-only Focus RS sold out.) But if top management thinks the development cash would get a better return used in another way, there's no certainty the Focus RS will get the investment. Meanwhile, the electronic stability system's torque vectoring function on the new Focus is claimed to make a reasonably effective substitute for a limited-slip diff, allowing the chassis designers the freedom to use a stiff front anti-roll bar (without limited-slip, a stiff bar reduces traction by unweighting the inner wheel). We're skeptical of any scheme that relies on brakes to help acceleration.