I do not get this issue with '£20k for a Civic'. You are not really paying for a badge, you are paying for the technology and everything you get. Compare the spec and performance of the FD with others in it's class.
It is allready spec'd better, with greater performance and components than our FN2, and is more focused appealing to a more hardcore driver. Those willing to pay that bit extra for a more involving drive, perhaps at the cost of a little comfort?
You pay a premium for that level of tune. You have to ignore how much it costs in Japan, that is an issue of market forces as much as anything, and compare what you get for the money, and look at what else you can get for the same or more.
I would happily compare the performance of the FD with say an Evo 260 or an STI Impreza, at least on paper, and those cars are priced a little more than the asking price for the FD. As for the Hatch competition without comparing back to back of course I would imagine it would blow the Focus ST's Megane's and Golfs off the road. Though of course you are paying a little more that some of those.
You also would get one thing no Golf or Focus driver would ever enjoy and that is exclusivity. Sitting in your FD the chances of seeing another on the road is pretty slim.
Id have one but at the moment am enjoying mine and am pretty certain I'd like something RWD again...probablyh