While Ford hasn't officially confirmed the arrival of a range-topping Fiesta performance model, it's starting to look very likely that such a production model will debut in 2017.

The Ford Fiesta ST is one of our favourite hot hatchesthanks to a combination of an eager engine, wonderful handling and outstanding value for money. It's so good in fact, that it reached the semi-finalist stage in the first annual Cars.co.za Consumer Awards.The RS badge is currently reserved for the ultimate versions of performance-oriented Ford passenger vehicles. Think of the Ford Focus RS which is due to make landfall in South Africa in 2016 with its all-wheel drive setup and 2.3-litre EcoBoost turbo motor. There hasn'tbeen a Fiesta RS for some time (the Mk3 RS Turbo was never sold here) but the RS moniker has recently been used on the brand's WRC contenders.We've previously reported on the possibility of a Fiesta RS arriving in 2017, and since then the the rumours have grown only stronger.The year 2017 will alsomark 40 years of Ford Fiesta and it would be a perfect time to launch the ultimate incarnation of this vehicle.

So, the guessing game begins now as to what will power the Ford Fiesta RS and what it will look like. Expect a mini-Focus RS, witha monstrous and gaping front bumper, wide body kit, a big rally-style wing, big exhausts and we'd be very surprised if it wasn't available in trademark Ford Performance Blue. In terms of the hardware, performance-orientedbrakes, wider track and a significantly reworked suspension will be the order of the day. Ford has numerous engine options for the Fiesta RS ranging from a reworked version of the current 1.6-litre four-pot turbo to a slightly detuned version of the 2.0-litre four-pot turbo that currently does duty in the Focus ST. Why do we say detuned? Well you just can't have the smaller and potentially cheaper model outperforming the more premium Focus ST can you? In terms of numbers, we think175kW should be about right.

We're going to predict that it'll be front-wheel drive only as there's no all-wheel drive system available from Ford's parts bin for something as small as a Fiesta and it doesn't make financial sense to develop one from the ground up just for this high-end, limited-volume vehicle. Nevertheless, don't discount the possibility as such a rumour also persists.

While it's probably not going to look as extreme as this 2011 Ford Fiesta RS WRC Concept, expect a muscular fire-breathing pocket rocket to come our way in 2017/18.

Need a reminder of just how good the little Ford Fiesta ST is? Watch this video: