Hot hatch top trumps: Honda Civic Type R versus Ford Focus RS

It’s a battle as inevitable as death and CO2 taxes. And one that – for the time being, anyway – can take place only on paper.

Yes, we’re talking about the mouth-watering matchup between two of the most keenly anticipated hot hatches of recent years. One from Japan and another from America. Sort of.

In the red (and sometimes white) corner, we have the Honda Civic Type R, which has just enjoyed its international launch. And in the blue corner? None other than the Ford Focus RS, which we can expect to roar into showrooms around the world in 2016.

Read more on Motorburn.