Honda Yuasa Racing has announced it will be running a Civic Type R (CTR) in this season's British Touring Car Championship, shortly after an unbranded car was seen testing at the UK's Brands Hatch circuit.
The news follows on from the first sight of the 310hp road-going CTR, although the Yuasa version will be a little more potent - it should pack around 355hp and 400Nm in race trim.
Honda Yuasa will officially unveil the BTCC CTR on March 24, with the car designed and built from the ground up in the Team Dynamics workshop in Pershore, Worcestershire. Yuasa sourced the base cars direct from the Honda factory in Swindon, where all Type Rs will be made.
The 2015 BTCC Honda Civic has more downforce, less drag and more effective airflow management than last year's Tourer, which only won four races as 2012 champion Gordon Shedden finished third in the championship while three-time title winner Matt Neal came in eighth; a poor finish by his own high standards.
Anything else?
The driver line-up of Shedden and Neal continues for the sixth successive season, with Neal saying: "This is a car that not just us, but the entire automotive industry has been waiting for. We are as excited as anybody to start running the Civic Type R, which is a massive step forward from last year's Tourer - from the engine to the handling and aerodynamics."
Shedden added: "The Civic Type R is an iconic car. We are champing at the bit to get this distinctive, aggressive looking car out on the track. It's going to stand out and cause a real stir on the track. Especially when we clean up in the championship!"