Hot hatch

The Ford Performance Drift Stick is an electronic handbrake for the Focus RS that is designed to do one thing – induce drift. The automaker claims that the unit is "intended for track use only," but it seems destined to appeal to all manner of Ken Block wannabes.

Once seen as the purveyor of disappointment at bargain basement prices, Hyundai is consistently delivering cars with the looks, gear and drive to rival the Europeans. The warmed-over i30 SR Turbo is the current king of the hill in Hyundai hatchback land. Is it a worthy flagship?

Renault Sport has a brilliant record when it comes to front-wheel drive performance cars. The latest Megane R.S. has all the hallmarks of a good modern hot hatch, including a powerful turbocharged engine and manual gearbox, and mixes them with high-tech goodies like rear-wheel steering.

FWD hatches have historically owned the game, but there are plenty of paths to fun in a small package. With power from a turbo-six and rear-drive, the BMW M140i is unique among its peers. Does doing things differently pay dividends? We spent a week in the Performance Edition to find out.

Traditionally, Kia hasn't been one of the brands we most look forward to visiting at major auto shows. But it's been quickly changing that, and now it announces that its Frankfurt Motor Show booth will host one of the nicest pieces of eye candy we've seen teased thus far.

Most motoring journalists like to think of themselves as racing drivers in disguise. Truth is, many are high on confidence and low on talent. Rather than trying to learn on the fly, Ford suggested we spend some time driving a Focus RS, learning how to extract the best from a car on the track.

With clever four-wheel drive and a manic engine, the Focus RS is already one of the craziest hatches on the road. Unfortunately, production is coming to an end – and Ford wants to send it out on a high. Along with a new paint finish, the RS has been fitted with a limited-slip front differential.

The closest thing to the Mk1 GTI in the current Volkswagen range is the up! VW has tried to evoke the spirit of that original car with the new up! GTI Concept, to be launched at the annual GTI Meet in Worthersee.​​

Everyone wants to get their hands on the Honda Civic Type R, but its turbo engine doen't come cheap. It won't be causing the Type R any trouble on the drag strip, but the Civic Si promises three-quarters the fun at a fraction the cost.

It's been around for almost four years, but the current Ford Fiesta ST remains one of our favourite hot hatches. The new ST offers a fresh look and more tech, while the existing turbo four has been replaced with a turbocharged three-cylinder engine.

Europeans might know it as the i30 but ​Hyundai likes to do things differently in the US, launching the warmed-over Elantra GT Sport with a 200 hp (149 kW) engine and purist-pleasing six-speed manual gearbox. The Golf GTI won't be losing any sleep, but the warm hatch bodes well for the i30N.

Among the flood of faster World Rally cars being launched, the Ford Fiesta RS WRC stands out as one of the wildest. Prepared by British firm M-Sport, the RS is based on the brand new Fiesta, and takes full advantage of the extra aerodynamic freedom written into the 2017 FIA WRC regulations.