The new Honda Civic Type R may have largely the same ingredients as before, but the chefs have baked a different-looking cake.
Honda has released two photos of the camouflaged Type R ahead of its testing regime at the Nurburgring, and its full unveiling in 2022.
Thanks to the low angle of the shot it’s hard to see, but the Type R does have some modifications to its bonnet to improve engine cooling.
Compared to other 11th-generation Civic models, the Type R will have a much more aggressive front bumper design with intakes to the side and a chin spoiler.
The upper and lower honeycomb grilles are fully functional and feed plenty of cold air towards to the radiator and the rest of the engine bay.
At the rear, there’s a can’t-miss-it spoiler with a distinct race-car feel thanks to its exposed metal arms and high mounting point on the tailgate.
The configuration of the three central exhausts has been changed, with the central tip now larger than the two flanking it.
As with the current car, the new Type R features wider front and rear wheel arches. This time around, though, the puffed-up fenders are much more neatly integrated into the overall design.
The car rides on Michelin Pilot Sport tyres, and stopping ability comes courtesy of a Brembo braking package with branded bright red calipers.
We expect the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine to reside under the bonnet, although Honda may have made some adjustments to its power and torque curves.
The current car churns out 228kW and 400Nm, which is all channelled to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission.
MORE: Everything Honda Civic