IN THIS FEATURE Blending into the background Mmmm... supercharger Physics take over Grey never looked so bland

The interior of the three-door-only Compressor does little to raise the heart rate either - grey plastic never looked so bland. The red stitching on the steering wheel and gearstick, together with the white dials and aluminium-drilled pedals, look very much an afterthought.

The seats are big and squashy, their oversized side bolsters giving little support and the grey and red cloth covering only further depressing the overall ambience of the interior.

Only 250 Compressors exist - don't all rush at once

All in all, there's very little to recommend the Corolla Compressor. Its driving dynamics fall short of most other offerings in the class: when you factor in the price of £19,995 things become even more bleak. You could pick up any other hot hatch for that kind of money: a top-spec Focus ST ST3 retails for £19,495 and a Golf GTI starts at £19,995 - even the Works edition of the supercharged Mini Cooper S costs £19,095.

Unless, however, you're really after something different that very few people will own - but maybe there's a reason for that.

Exclusivity has its price, but the Corolla Compressor is a price not worth paying.