GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Honda Civic Type-R concept

Honda's game-changing Civic Type-R concept is a car the company says will be the benchmark for the production front-drive hot hatch when that arrives in 2015.

The wraps came off the show car in Geneva overnight. Honda is keeping technical details a secret for now, instead shining the spotlight on the updated design, although the company has revealed the concept is powered by a new turbo-petrol 2.0-litre engine pushing out 206kW of power and roughly 400Nm of torque.

Displaying an aggressive new front cowl festooned with LED driving lights, aerodynamic flourishes, blistered wheel arches and large rear wing with integrated LED brake lights, the new model's "extreme" look will make its way into the production car says Masaru Hasegawa, senior product designer on the Honda Type R concept project.

"The overall image of being quite extreme will definitely stay," said Hasegawa.

"At this point a lot of the exterior components are designed from the feedback of testing in Europe," said Hasegawa, although he did concede some of the wilder elements could be slightly toned down for the production car.

The Honda Civic Type-R features bonnet vents to aid engine cooling, and a large rear diffuser works in tandem with the stylised rear wing to increase downforce over the rear axle of the car.

However it's not clear if the swoopy rear wing will make the journey to the production car.

"It's very distinctive and it has a strong character, but we'll see [if we keep the bold rear wing]," stated Hasegawa. "We also need to consider the base model, which we will do an update on as well."

Although the interior of the Civic Type-R is still a closely guarded secret, the UK-based Honda designer explained that the cabin will be suitably sporty.

"The interior is going to have a similar image to the exterior, it's quite exciting, quite extreme," he noted, but added that it will retain some practicality via a five-seat layout.

Due to arrive in 2015, the production version of the Honda Civic Type-R will have its work cut out for it.

While we know the Civic Type-R is fast, because we've driven it in Japan, it remains to be seen if it will be fast enough to break the eight minute mark in one lap at the Nurburgring – which has been Honda's claim since announcing the turbocharged hot hatch.

The new benchmark, recently set by Spanish car maker SEAT in its 206kW (280hp) Leon Cupra 280, is a lap time of time of 7:58.4, beating previous king of the 'Ring, the Renault Megane RS265.

Honda Motor Europe's head of PR and corporate affairs, John Kingston, maintains the Honda Civic Type-R's aim is still to become the fastest front-drive vehicle around the Nurburgring, despite the new sub-eight minute record.

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