THE Mazda3. That will be the popular, super-sensible, five-seater family hatchback then. Er, not this one, it won't.

This one has three little chrome letters, MPS, on the side, which puts this Mazda in a class apart.

A turbocharged, 2.3-litre petrol engine, capable of unleashing 260 horsepower, lies at the heart of all the changes that surround this 155mph car, which is capable of scuttling from 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds. That raw power requires a whole heap of technology to ensure that this is the fastest, best handling, best braking model in the Mazda3 range.

So you get ABS, EBD, EBA, DSC, TCS and, perversely, even LSD* to keep you on the straight and narrow. Now, as we are not preparing this car to take part in next season's British Touring Car Championship, but dealing with the reality of real-world driving - crawling along the A40 in rush-hour with a dash of open-road cruising on the A34 if you are lucky - then your focus quickly switches away from crazy performance potential to the refined interior.

And pretty sophisticated it is too, with everything from automatic lights and wipers, to climate control automatic air conditioning and xenon headlights. Each Mazda3 MPS is mechanically identical, with MPS-branded sports seats with black leather side bolsters and centre sections in black sports cloth. To ensure exclusivity, only 1,000 are being brought into the UK this year. The steering wheel, which is height- and reach-adjustable, is trimmed with leather, as is the gearknob and handbrake lever. The wheel also carries audio controls for the Bose Premium audio system, complete with six-CD autochanger and seven speakers.

The MPS is difficult to miss on the road as each one sits on whopping, 18-inch diameter, seven-inch wide, ten-spoke aluminium alloys. Mazda has also developed a sports styling pack, which includes a larger rear spoiler, two-spoke, sports door mirrors and lowered suspension for the UK market, at a price of £500. Mazda can certainly not be accused of trying to undersell the car, which it maintains is a 'super hatch'. Nudging £20,000, it needs to look and act the part. It does.

  • If you were wondering: ABS, Anti-Lock Braking System, EBD and EBA, Electronic Brake-Force Distribution with Emergency Brake Assist, DSC, Dynamic Stability Control, TCS, Traction Control System and LSD, Limited Slip front Differential.

Auto facts Mazda3 MPS

  • Price: £19,495
  • Ins group: 17
  • Fuel consumption (Combined): 29.1mpg
  • Top speed: 155mph
  • Length: 443.5cm/174.6in
  • Width: 176.5cm/69.5in
  • Luggage capacity: 10.2 cu ft
  • Fuel tank capacity: 12.1 gallons/55 litres
  • CO2 emissions: 231g/km
  • Warranty: 3 years/60,000 miles