The new Honda Civic Type R has morphed into a mad touring car

Top Gear has concluded that the brand-new, 316bhp Honda Civic Type R “could be the best hot hatch on sale” today. Disagree with us at your peril.

JAS Motorsport – an Italian racing team with ties to Honda – now wants to turn the finest hot hatch money can buy (today) into an all-conquering touring car. Behold: the Civic Type R TCR.

You’ll spot it’s just a render, but that’s because it hasn’t been finished yet. It’s based on the 2017 Civic that we rather like, but features a new aero pack to improve downforce, new multilink rear suspension and anti-roll bar system, a revised ECU and a rollcage.

Should customers plan on racing it for more than a few hours, there will also be an ‘endurance’ spec, with more lights, better driver cooling (very important over, say, a 24hr race) and anti-lock brakes.

“The new car shows significant development in several key areas,” explains JAS’s Mads Fischer, “such as aero, suspension and electronics.

“Our first Civic Type R TCR car has won five championships already and is in contention for another eight this year in Europe and Asia, and our aim is to ensure the new car continues to raise the bar for TCR competition globally,” he added.

Ah yes, history: JAS-developed Honda Civics helped Honda claim the WTCC in 2013, and partner teams to win the ETCC, TCR Germany, Middle East, Italy, and Benelux series. In fact, Honda’s association with JAS goes back to 1998.

This new JAS-tuned Type R TCR will be ready for customers in December, with the first 25 completed cars ready for next season (that’s 2018).

Just mind the front on your way in...