Possibly with Valentine's Day and the release of 50 Shades of Grey in mind, Honda is only going to show us a teasing glimpse of the new Civic Type-R, it's most powerful hot hatch yet.
These heavily cropped photos are all we're going to get ahead of the car's official reveal on March 3rd at the Geneva motor show. Honda has shown off prototype and development versions of the car, but still not the full, undisguised real-deal.
What we do now know is that it's going to be properly fast. Honda is claiming a 280kmh maximum speed from the Type-R's 2.0-litre turbo engine. No official word on the power output yet, but Honda has consistently said that it will be more than 280hp and will top the 300hp mark.
The aerodynamic package keeping all that stuck to the floor is going to be hugely aggressive and will include a full-flat under tray (race-car-style) leading to a rear diffuser which Honda claims actually sucks the car to the ground. There will also be a massive rear wing, big, squared-off air vents and a large front-splitter.
In keeping with the power and speed, the brakes are similarly over-specified; 350mm drilled and vented discs fitted with four-piston callipers developed by Brembo. That should be enough to ensure that the Type-R stops as if it's just run up the back of a large hippo.
It’s the colour that is the crucial thing though. No shouty red or menacing black for the Type-R. Instead, the hottest Civic ever will be displayed in Honda’s traditional Championship White, the colour of its first racing cars and the col And this one should be racy enough to warrant a ban in Buncranna....
