UK-Built Honda Civic Type R Debuts in Japan with 2-Liter Turbo Engine

Now the tables have turned, and the Japanese are going to get a European model that's superior to most of its competitors. We are talking about the all-new Type R, codenamed FK2 and known throughout the hot hatch community as Satan's Spawn or the fastest car around the Nurburgring.

On the occasion of the Tokyo Motor Show 2015, the Civic Type R made its local debut. The output of the 2-liter turbo engine stays the same at 310 PS and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft), which means it's going to dominate the Golf R (rated at 280 PS in Japan).

Orders will begin being taken on December 7, and the initial batch of 750 cars is likely to be sold quite quickly. That said, while the Civic Type R is kind of cheap in Britain, by the time it reaches Japan, the price will get bumped up to 4.28 million yen ($35,522). To put that into perspective, that's about the same as an entry-level Lexus R 200t with 2WD.

Subaru also revealed a new performance model today, the WRX STI S207. It's equipped with a 328 PS 2-liter turbo and can cost as much as 6.37 million yen ($52,800) when fitted with the NBR Challenge Pack. So in that regard, this Civic is a cheap car.

Try as they might to fool us with detailed photos, this Type R still doesn't have anything new or specific to the Japanese market. The body kit is the same and the 19-inch wheels covered in ContiSportContact 6 tires cover up Brembo brakes calipers and gigantic 350-inch rotors.

Unlike the Focus ST or Golf GTI, this hot hatch comes standard with bucket seats and a computer that measures G forces and other track-related nonsense.