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More conventional engines offered from the start will be a petrol-fuelled 1.4-litre with 82bhp and a 1.8-litre with 138bhp, plus a 2.2-litre, 138bhp diesel. More 'on it' thinking is allied to these - each gets a separate starter button set on the far left-hand side of the dashboard plus a six-speed manual gearbox, while a six-speed, paddle-shift semi-auto with a robotised clutch will be available as an option on petrol versions.

That leaves the hotter Type-R, still a year off and destined to be launched to coincide with the arrival of the three-door Civic.

The question that has to be asked first is, visually, how can Honda possibly make the new Civic appear to have even more sporting intent than it does already?

That's a difficult one, admits the car's chief designer, Toshiyuki Okumoto. "Just expect a bit more of what you see here. The aim was always to make this the boldest car in its class - I'm proud of that fact," he says. "It's wide and low, it has a good stance, a compact-looking cabin. These elements give it a sporting feel."

In the States, the Civic has already found itself at the centre of the post-Fast And Furious 'rice rocket' tuner frenzy, usurping V8 muscle as the street racers' wheels of choice. That's a reputation that Honda, quietly, seems happy to build on.

So how does Okumoto-san feel about the tuning outfits messing with his creation? He reveals, "I can't wait to see what they'll do with it."

Read Honda Civic Car Review

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Honda Civic Type R - January 9, 2004
Honda Civic facelift - December 1, 2003
Honda Civic Type-S - June 3, 2003