Following its launch to much fanfare at the Geneva Motor Show, the new Honda Civic Type R is now gearing up for a more serious gig, which is competing in the 2015 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season. The Type R will be fielded by Honda Yuasa Racing team.

Honda is showing that with the new generation Type R they are not messing around and they do indeed mean business. The road-going Honda Civic Type R is scheduled to hit the showrooms in July, but they want a motorsport career already in place before it goes on sale. That will increase the car’s street cred among the hot hatch crowd who really do care about these things.

Although more serious and performance-minded, the Honda Civic Type R BTCC racer is closely related to the street-legal version you will soon be able to buy. That is the beauty of BTCC race cars. The car packs 350bhp with 400Nm of torque and benefits form lighter weight, increased down force, less drag and a more effective air flow management, all of which are telltale signs of a formidable track weapon.

“The Civic Type R is an iconic car,” commented 2012 BTCC Champion Shedden. “We are champing at the bit to get this distinctive, aggressive looking car out on the track.  It’s going to stand out and cause a real stir on the track.  Especially when we clean up in the championship!”