New Civic Type R turbo hits the track

A development prototype of the new turbocharged Honda Civic Type R has been put through its paces at the Tochigi test track.
A development prototype of the new turbocharged Honda Civic Type R has been put through its paces at the Tochigi test track.
A development prototype of the new turbocharged Honda Civic Type R has been put through its paces at the Tochigi test track.
A development prototype of the new turbocharged Honda Civic Type R has been put through its paces at the Tochigi test track.
A development prototype of the new turbocharged Honda Civic Type R has been put through its paces at the Tochigi test track.
A development prototype of the new turbocharged Honda Civic Type R has been put through its paces at the Tochigi test track.
A development prototype of the new turbocharged Honda Civic Type R has been put through its paces at the Tochigi test track.
A development prototype of the new turbocharged Honda Civic Type R has been put through its paces at the Tochigi test track.
A development prototype of the new turbocharged Honda Civic Type R has been put through its paces at the Tochigi test track.
A development prototype of the new turbocharged Honda Civic Type R has been put through its paces at the Tochigi test track.

Published Nov 19, 2013

Honda's engineers have been hard at work fine-tuning Honda's all-new turbocharged Civic Type R hatchback.

Fresh from testing at the Nürburgring in Germany, a development prototype has been put through its paces at Honda's in-house test track in Tochigi, Japan as part of an extensive testing process that aims to ensure that the new hot hatch hits the sweet spot with its target audience when it goes on sale in 2015.

The accompanying images of the camouflaged prototype hint at a muscular styling package with widened arches and a rear spoiler that will benefit owners who own an iron but not a board.

The most exciting development is under the bonnet, where the previous high-revving normally aspirated lump makes way for a brand new turbocharged V-Tec that thumps out more that 206kW.

Honda promises it'll be something of a corner-hugger too. After thrashing it around the Nürburgring, Honda's WTCC driver Gabriele Tarquini said the characteristics of the car were fantastic.

"I was really impressed by the power and the torque of the engine but also by the set-up they achieved. The car is very pointed on the front and very fast to change direction. This car is very close to my racing car and you can feel very well the DNA of Type R."