2017 Honda Civic Type R and Civic Si Transform in Their First Ad

For some reason, this new Civic ad brings a touch of nostalgia because it reminds us of Honda's old "Impossible Dream" from 2005 and 2010, possibly the best car commercials of the 21st century.

Like a scene from that Transformers movie they shot in China, a Ridgeline pickup racer dematerializes into the Red Bull Global Rallycross racing Civic. This then catches some major air and becomes the Verizon IndyCar Series single-seater.

The 30-second ad culminates with the all-new 2018 Civic Type R, the star of Honda's affordable performance lineup.

"Racing at Heart" leads a new Honda brand marketing campaign, with the racing-focused spot. It debuts during the NBA Conference Finals, and will be showcased during the ABC broadcast of the 2017 Indianapolis 500 on May 28, as well as during '500' qualifying on May 20-21, while also featuring additional broadcast, print, digital and social amplifications.

"Racing is a core part of Honda DNA and for over 60 years the new technologies and challenging spirit we gain on the track translates into the high level of performance in the vehicles we make for our customers," said Susie Rossick, Assistant Vice President, Honda Marketing. "This new Racing at Heart campaign helps celebrate the arrival of the Civic Type R and Si at Honda dealerships nationwide in the coming weeks."

Of course, the focus here is the U.S. car lineup and this month's Indy 500. But there are other ways in which Honda exhibits racing spirit, like F1 and superbikes. There's an NSX racing in the Super GT in Japan, next to the GT-R or the Lexus LC 500. The British Touring Car Championship lineup was also pretty cool. But you'll get a better sense of what Honda has done over the years in the old ad we've featured.