Honda's New 300bhp Civic Type-R Will Be A Heroic Hot Hatch

Following on from the teasing design sketch last month, Honda's Civic Type-R concept has been unveiled at the Geneva motor show.

Under the bonnet, you'll find Honda's new 2.0-litre turbocharged VTEC engine which, so says Honda, produces 'at least' 280PS (276bhp); a figure of as much as 300bhp and 300lb/ft of torque is rumoured, however. And yes, all that power goes through the front wheels. But don't write it off as an unruly torque-steering beast; cars like the Seat Leon Cupra 280 prove that high-power front-wheel drive cars can work with the right diff, so much so that the Cupra recently lapped the Nurburgring faster than a Porsche Cayman S. Expect similar levels of LSD trickery in the production Civic Type-R.

The aggressive exterior is a good match for the firepower under the bonnet. The car is covered in vents and intakes, while its 20-inch wheels are housed in delectably flared wheel arches. The huge spoiler with integrated rear lights is something we like too, but that's likely to be toned down on the production version, which will hit showrooms next year.