First off, I'll never be able to afford it, so even if I love the idea, I wouldn't really be a potential customer.
That said, IMHO, any V-8, RWD conversion for this car had better at least maintain the present handling characteristics. No stagecoach technology on my "Euro Touring Sedan," TYVM.
As for the V-8, I would much rather see a "modern" interpretation, such as a Lincoln or Jag block, than the old 302, venerable and developed as it is. I like the old soldier in many applications, but it is somehow at odds with the aesthetic of this car.
In my view, the A1 Rally Sport conversion on the Focus was much more elegant, pushing over 500 hp through the rear wheels, from a 2.0L Cossie powerplant. A similar treatment of this car with, say, a Cossie Sierra V-6, would represent an ideal, but still unaffordable, package.
http://www.a1rallysport.co.uk/html/focustechnical.html 
