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Ford Focus fans are certain to enjoy pleasant dreams at night now that the company has released a new RS model that plans to lay claim to the title of "The ultimate performance Ford".

The RS500 will make its global debut at the 2010 Leipzig Motor Show in Germany on April 9. The model name refers to the limited production run of 500 individually-numbered vehicles that will be offered to customers around the world.

Ford Europe vice president for product development Joe Bakaj said: "From its stunning looks to its intoxicating performance, we have no doubt that the RS500 will be appreciated and quickly snapped up by performance car enthusiasts.

"This vehicle joins a long line of iconic RS Fords and is a worthy recipient of the RS500 name, which became synonymous with success on the road and track with the legendary Sierra RS500 Cosworth that dominated saloon car racing during the late 1980s."

The centre console of each RS500 will display a metal plaque that is hand-engraved with a unique identification number. A small number of pre-production vehicles produced for internal Ford use ? such as product development or press demonstrations ? will have their own unique numbering scheme to ensure the exclusivity of the customer cars.

More power across the range

The car features a 2.5-litre, five-cylinder engine that pushes out 15 percent more power than the standard RS and is finished in a unique matt black 'foil' paint with matching alloys. It?s a powerful visual statement that cannot be ignored.

The engine is designed to deliver more top-end and mid-range power without compromising base strength and responsiveness at lower revs. Peak power rises by 33kW to 257kW at 6000rpm, while torque has been increased from 440Nm to 460Nm, delivered across a broad speed range from 2500 to 4500rpm.

The changes to the engine include a larger air-to-air intercooler, a larger air filter box, larger-diameter exhaust downpipe, an uprated fuel pump and new engine-management software to optimise performance.

Preliminary performance figures indicate a 0-100km/h time of 5.6 seconds, with a top speed of 263km/h.