A 0-62MPH sprint of 9.3 seconds and a combined fuel economy of 51.4 mpg? It does not compute, as Mr Spock used to say on the Starship Enterprise.
But you don't have to employ rocket science to realise just how this once impossible combination of factors has been achieved - the modern diesel engine.
This one time agricultural plodder of a power unit has gone into Warp Factor Three with technology that has staggered the motoring world.
It is seen in one of its best scenarios in the new Ford Focus 2.0 TDCi which employs the latest generation Duratorq common-rail direct injection diesel system allied to a turbocharger.
My Titanium edition test car which achieves the above figures is one of the new series of Focus models which have been imbued with a new lease of life for 2005 in the face of some tough competition.
A best seller in Britain Ford has focused on improvements in response to customer demand. The 2005 Ford Focus is basically more of the same, but with everything working just that little bit better.
Although the changes to the Focus are hardly radical, Ford is hoping that they will underpin the sound logic of this model.
The new Focus is similar to the previous model but subtly different, with the main emphasis on ride and handling, better quality materials inside and enhanced packaging.
Although not marketed as a performance model, the Focus 2.0 TDCi is a real powerhouse with 125mph on tap and mid-range acceleration and handling that were once the stuff of dreams.
And it is in this driver-orientated environment that I am convinced that Ford will increase its lead with the Focus. I was never a big fan of the original but the new model is a different animal.
With the Vauxhall Astra's adaptive handling, and the latest VW Golf's traditional road-going virtues, there is a ding-dong battle going on out there to hook the enthusiastic driver.
As one Ford executive said to me, "Things can only get better." I'm starting to think he was right.
But performance is not the be all and end all because if the ride is lacking a manufacturer has big problems. This is one area where Ford has concentrated hard. Without sacrificing one iota in terms of capability, it has come up with a refined ride quality that has to be the envy of the market.
Also the latest model has a five-star EuroNCAP crash test rating, making the Focus among the safest in its class.
Prices start at £10,895 and my test car, towards the top of the tree tipped the scales at £17,075. Not so steep as you might think because the Titanium model comes with a raft of equipment items that would be extra on some competitors. These include cruise control, alloys, air conditioning and even a cooled glove box.
FAST FACTS
Ford Focus Titanium 2.0 TDCi, 3dr
Price: £17,075
Mechanical: 136bhp, 1,997cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving front wheeels via 6spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 126mph
0-62mph: 9.3 secs
Combined mpg: 51.4
Insurance group: 10
CO2 emissions: 145g/km
BiK rating: 19%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 3yrs paint; 12yrs anti-rust