It has not been confirmed yet, but a new Ford Focus RS is reportedly deep into development and will be launched next year as a 2016 model. The new model is said to be one of the fastest front-wheel-drive car ever made, powered by an engine which it share with the new Ford Mustang.

Before you get too excited we have to point out that this engine is not the 5.0 V8 and not even the V6. Nope, it’s the brand-new 2.3 liter EcoBoost unit which powers the entry-level Ford Mustang in Europe.

That engine might be small for a muscle car, but it is just the thing for a hot hatch. It makes 305 horsepower in the Mustang, but for the 2016 Ford Focus RS it will be tuned to 350 horsepower, which is just nuts. Mind you, it’s not the first time Ford will make a 350-hp Focus RS, but the last time they did it was a limited RS500 edition.

Despite the colossal power it packs, 2016 Ford Focus RS will remain front-wheel-drive. Ford has apparently dismissed the idea of a four-wheel-drive Focus RS for fear of complexity and the issue of weight. Instead they are working on a trick electronic differential which works with a sophisticated front suspension system to contain the fury of what’s under the bonnet.

Via AutoExpress (check out the source page for a cool rendering of 2016 Ford Focus RS)