Waiting is the hardest thing, isn't it? Honda has been keeping us on tenterhooks for some time now, waiting for the new Civic Type R, and while we've seen the development mules and disguised versions, these heavily cropped shots are all we're going to get to look at before the full unveiling on March 3rd at the Geneva Motor Show.
What we can see from this is that the car is going to have a seriously aggressive aero package. The wide front bumper, with integrated splitter, reaches out beyond the widened track into big, squared-off wheel arches with dramatic air vents. Underneath is a full flat bottom leading to a big rear diffuser that Honda claims works for "effectively 'sucking' the car onto the road." Atop is a rear wing that Honda says is 'bespoke' and we suspect is actually 'sodding huge.'
And it'll need to be. While Honda won't confirm the full power of the engine just yet, it has already said that it will have more than 280hp and the rumours are that it'll be well into the 300hp range, making the Civic Type R a front-drive rival to the new Ford Focus RS. Honda has revealed the top speed though - 280km/h, which should be sufficient to terrify any local Porsche drivers should you find yourself on an Autobahn.
Keeping all that in check are massive 350mm drilled and vented disc brakes with four-pot Brembo callipers. Reassuring.
Best bit? The colour - Honda will launch the Civic Type R in traditional Championship White, the firm's classic racing colour. Something tells us this is one that's going to make old man Soichiro proud...