It is a $14,995 upgrade on top of the regular Focus ST, Ford's strongest contender in the hot-hatch market in 10 years -- since the Focus SVT was a hidden gem, spoken of in revered tones as something brave enough to break Volkswagen's tyranny. Again, Ford wants to break Volkswagen -- as well as Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Ducati, and late-model Corvette Z06es, or anything else that costs $38,000.

Shelby claims that with revised spring rates, new suspension geometry, and stiffer motor mounts, its engineers were able to quash torque steer by 50 percent. On the regular Focus, said Luft, you floor the throttle and the car goes into the trees. "You really should drive a regular Focus ST," he said. "You owe it to yourself."

Well, my good man, you can quell the torque steer by 50 percent, but if you bump up horsepower to near-300 levels, it'll still be there. And how it is there! Ease up on the throttle and the steering momentarily loses its feel and falls subdued into our hands, aimlessly tugging like a Labrador who just wants you to throw the ball already. Accelerating out of a turn the front wheels tug and squirm, losing all semblance of steering feel as the wheel jitters like a nervous lover...oh, and you had better hope that corner is a smooth one. Not quite Viggenesque in its uncontrolability, it still manifests itself to make our later canyon sessions with the ST less fun than it could be