Not only can we reveal...

Not only can we reveal these sensational pictures of the model that takes centre stage at this week"s Geneva Motor Show, but we"ve also got all the facts about what will make this one of the company"s biggest thrillers ever.

As you can see, the show-stopper is very yellow, but it"s far from mellow. In fact, it"s one of the most aggressive cars we"ve ever photographed - VW"s Golf GTI looks tame by comparison. This is the first time Honda has revealed its three-door Civic, and the proportions are per-fect for adapting into hot hatch form.

At the front, the most striking feature is the darkened headlamps and grille, which wrap uninterrupted around the nose. Low side skirts and inflated wheelarches add muscle, but it"s at the rear that the Type R looks most extreme. Unlike standard cars, the flagship"s lamp clusters are dark, and designers have added a boot spoiler. The twin triangular exhausts are finished in black and the wheels in dark grey.

So will the newcomer have the go to match its show? Absolutely. As with every other model to wear the Type R badge, the new Civic will beg to be revved. The engine is taken from the outgoing high-performance flagship, and tweaked for added excitement.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder benefits from Honda"s unburstable i-VTEC technology. Producing 197bhp, it effectively has two modes of operation. At low revs, it"s responsive, and makes the car easy to drive smoothly - ideal for slow-moving traffic. However, when the road opens up or you get on to a track, and approach the 8,000rpm red line, the unit takes on a harder edge, delivering real shove-in-the-back performance.

Even though hot hatch rivals now produce well in excess of 200bhp, the Civic won"t be much slower. It"s still expected to cover 0-60mph in around six-and-a-half seconds, and is sure to have a top speed of more than 150mph. To compensate for the relatively modest output, Honda"s chassis engineers have been working to make the Type R an enthusiast"s dream. The firm has shunned what it calls the "bolting on of a turbocharger to give silly power figures" in favour of a pure driving experience.

Only the front wheels are driven, but surprisingly Honda hasn"t included any form of traction or stability control. Only one gearbox will be available, too: the previous Type R"s six-speed manual.

While this car is badged as a concept, the production version will look virtually identical. Due on sale early next year, the flagship will cost around чЈ18,000. Less extreme three-door variants will debut at July"s British Motor Show.