Yes, this is a 165mph Honda Civic Type R pickup

You’re not seeing things. This really is a Honda Civic Type R pickup truck.

It’s called the ‘Project P’, and it’s the work of some presumably very bored fellows from the Product Engineering department at Honda’s factory in Swindon. They took a pre-production Type R, surplus to requirements since the car’s market launch 12 months ago, then removed basically everything aft of the B-pillar. The rear-doors, seats and so-on and of course, half the roof. The rear-wing survives, and we’re promised is in fact “movable to allow direct and unfettered access to the rear of the truck”.

The powertrain, suspension and gearbox are all unchanged from the standard Civic Type R. Which means that under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with 316bhp and 295lb ft, in the middle is a six-speed manual transmission (one of the best available in a mainstream production car) and underneath is some clever suspension with Comfort, Sport and +R modes. Honda estimates the Project P will hit 62mph from a standstill in less than six seconds and run-on to 165mph or so.

There are no plans to put the Project P into production – obviously – but we’re told Honda may take it to the ‘Ring and mount an assault on the lap record for the “fastest front wheel drive pickup truck”. Because that’s apparently a thing.