Honda’s all-new, 10th-generation Civic is now on sale, but so far all we’ve got is the pedestrian Civic Sedan. There’s still a new Civic Coupe due out in the winter, and sometime next year we’ll see the return of a Civic Hatchback on these shores. Then it will be time for the performance-oriented Si and Type R models, the latter of which has been spotted testing in prototype form and is previewed here by a realistic computer-generated rendering.

The rendering comes to us from CivicX and composed using spy shots of prototypes. It helps highlight some of the finer details of the car such as the front fender vents, dual lip spoilers, front bumper air curtains, side skirts and rear spoiler. Another design trait of the new Type R will be a trio of exhaust tips mounted at the center of the rear bumper.

 

The Type R will serve as the flagship of the 10-generation Civic family and be based on the Civic Hatchback, though it’s possible other bodystyles, such as the coupe, will also be used. We’re hearing that the Type R might not land in showrooms until 2017, which would see it arrive as a 2018 model.

It will be worth the wait, though, as the car will match the mechanical setup of the current Type R offered exclusively overseas. This means a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with direct fuel injection, turbocharging and VTEC variable valve timing delivering 305 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission and a ‘Dual Axis Strut’ suspension system. Key rivals will be the Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] Focus RS, Subaru WRX STI and Volkswagen Golf R.