167mph new Honda Civic Type-R - pictures

The new Honda Civic Type-R hot hatchback will boast a 167mph top speed, Honda has revealed.

The 2015 Civic Type-R uses a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine with Honda’s clever VTEC technology to deliver more performance than the Civic’s front-wheel-drive rivals.

Honda has confirmed that after showing a concept version for some time, the production car will be displayed at the Geneva Motor Show. Our image above shows what the car will look like in Honda Type-R’s trademark Championship White paintwork.

The car promises a number of eye-catching exterior features – the front bumper and front wheelarches are shown in these official pictures. But these tweaks aren’t just for show.

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Honda says the front bumper and front wings have been shaped to cut through the air as efficiently as possible. A flat panel running underneath the car to improve its aerodynamics, combined with the rear bumper design, effectively suck the car onto the road.

There’s also a large rear spoiler, which will be slightly different from that fitted to the concept that’s shown in our pictures.

A number of vents and grilles serve a cooling function, helping to keep the engine and brakes at their best working temperature.

The 2015 Honda Civic Type-R uses powerful Brembo brakes, which have been developed specifically for the car. Its 19-inch alloy wheels aren’t available elsewhere in the Honda Civic range, either.

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Inside, Honda’s official pictures show that the instrumentation will glow red and the dashboard will feature a +R button. Pressing this will increase response from the accelerator, make the steering heavier and increase the volume of the exhaust.

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Although there's no official confirmation, prices are expected to start at around £30,000 – a similar amount to the Ford Focus RS, but around £10,000 less than the Mercedes A45 AMG. Honda says around 100 buyers have already paid deposits of £3,000 to secure their place on the waiting list.

The new Honda Civic Type-R comes in the midst of a number of high-performance hot hatch launches. The recently announced Ford Focus RS will produce 318bhp and uses four-wheel drive to achieve a 0-62mph time of less than five seconds.

And on Monday, the fastest-ever production SEAT Leon was revealed. The SEAT Leon Cupra Sub8 Performance Pack has undergone a programme of weight reduction in order to boost performance.