It’s easily the most expensive Civic yet, costs a wallet-withering £38,599 and in one sense is an absolute bargain.

Why? Because each of these tuned 240bhp Type Rs costs about £190,000 to build, netting creator Mugen a £150,000 loss for every example sold. Which makes it easier to understand why there will only be 20.

There is method to this fiscal madness, however, the establishment of Honda engine tuner Mugen in the minds of UK petrolheads being the aim. We Brits buy more Type R Civics than any other country, including Japan, presenting this tuning specialist with a tempting commercial opportunity. Mugen means “unlimited” – supposedly of power, rather than price – and though it’s owned by the Honda family, with a history stretching back to 1973, it operates separately from Honda.

Unusually, the process of making these 20 special Civics occurs entirely in the UK, Honda shipping British-built Type Rs from its Swindon plant to Mugen’s premises in Northampton. The priciest element is the total strip-down and high-precision rebuild of the engine into what’s virtually a full-race, hand-built £19,000 motor.

A new air intake, redesigned pistons and camshafts, the deletion of the balancer shaft, a revised electronic control module and a fiendishly complicated, twin-tailpipe exhaust in stainless steel are part of the package, though it’s mostly labour that runs up the bill.

The result is a 39bhp power boost to 240bhp, a 10 per cent torque uplift and a rev limit stretched to a yelling 8,600rpm. A limited-slip differential, 32 per cent lighter alloy wheels, UK-tuned suspension, upgraded brakes and a bodykit are also provided.

Despite that high price there are options, too, including stickier Yokohama rubber and the replacement of the rear seat by a composite bulkhead, cutting another 86kg over the 20kg already pared from the standard car.

Horsepower watchers may instantly conclude that 240bhp for £38,599 compares poorly with the 300bhp, £26,995 Ford Focus RS, but Honda claims that the Civic will circumnavigate the Nürburgring 2.7 seconds per lap quicker.

We enjoyed a flashing sample of this prowess at a tight little test circuit in Japan, which the Mugen tore around with electrifying verve. It feels intoxicatingly close to a full-on, no-holds-barred racer, the thrill heightened by the super-sharp responses of throttle, wheel and brakes.

Yet this is an easy car to drive, and one that deploys its substantial power with tidy aplomb. The Mugen engine delivers its greatest work close to that lofty red line, and with a staccato crescendo that has us yearning to stretch it in every gear around a test track that was almost as smooth as the Honda’s Championship White paint.

Just one sudden crest severely tested its mid-bend stability – but it was not found wanting. The Civic resists tyre-trashing understeer through all but the tightest turns, and has heart-calmingly effective brakes, too.

What we don’t know is how it will cope with Britain’s B-road bumps. Its behaviour over those will determine whether this ultra-pricey hatch is worth considering despite that eye-widening price.

For some Type R fans, the prospect of owning so rare a car – and the curious bargain that it represents – will prove irresistible. And after that, expect more tuned cars and components from Mugen – including hot hybrids.

By Richard Bremner

Tokyo might not seem like the natural place for small British sportscar maker Lotus to reveal a new model but it’s done exactly that. Alongside the Japanese debut of the Evora, Lotus rolled out its Exige Stealth: a matte-painted machine that’d look perfect in Darth Vader’s garage.

What’s all the fuss about?

A special edition Lotus is always going to cause a stir and this Stealth one in Tokyo did exactly that. The flat paint gives this limited-run machine a look that lives up to its name, the contrasting gloss black stripes and carbon fibre trim making it about the most aggressive looking Exige we’ve ever seen. The most touched too, nobody passing it able to resist the temptation to feel the soft finish of the paintwork. Only 35 will be built and five are earmarked for Japanese customers.

Any new technology?

Not really, except that fancy paint – which unlike others is a proper matte finish rather than a matte lacquer over regular paint. It’s about 10kg lighter than the regular 260bhp Exige Cup car it’s based on. Sold as the Stealth in Japan only, it’ll be called Scuda elsewhere in the world – which is Italian for ‘dark’, apparently. {via}

The 2010 Camaro is a 2-door, 4-passenger sports car, available in 5 trims, ranging from the LS Coupe to the 2SS Coupe.

Upon introduction, the LS Coupe is equipped with a standard 3.6-liter, V6, 304-horsepower engine that achieves 17-mpg in the city and 29-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional. The 2SS Coupe is equipped with a standard 6.2-liter, V8, 426-horsepower engine that achieves 16-mpg in the city and 24-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard.

Upon introduction, the GS is equipped with a standard 2.4-liter, I4, 162-horsepower engine that achieves 20-mpg in the city and 28-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional. The GT is equipped with a standard 3.8-liter, V6, 265-horsepower engine that achieves 16-mpg in the city and 26-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional.

The first classic Mini was presented to the public on 26 August 1959. Exactly fifty years on and nearly a decade into the life of new MINI, images of stunning new MINI Coupe Concept are today released.

The MINI Coupe Concept is design to be the most dynamic and agile MINI ever built. Strictly a two-seater, powered by a 1.6-litre twin-scroll turbocharged engine, the low roof line, compact dimensions, perfect axle load distribution and lightweight construction are all trademarks of a genuine sports car.

A number of design icons feature on the MINI Coupe Concept. Large round headlights inclusive of black internal reflectors, hexagonal radiator grille and low front spoiler mark the newcomer out as a true MINI.

The MINI Coupe Concept takes traditional values of the MINI brand and combines them with the most advanced technologies to offer an exciting vision of the how family may continue to grow.

Porsche AG is sending the new 911 GT3 RS to the starting line: Delivering even more engine power, offering lower weight, and featuring shorter transmission ratios as well as body and suspensions elements upgraded to an even higher standard.

The new 911 GT3 RS sets the foundation for homologating the racing version of the 911 GT3 and therefore offers everything it takes for ongoing success on the race track, continuing the series of absolutely uncompromising, sporting 911s homologated for the road.

The heart of the new 911 GT3 RS, the power unit, is based on engine already featured in the 911 GT3. Like the latter, the RS power unit now displaces 3.8 instead of 3.6 litres, delivering even more power and revving up even faster and more dynamically.

The new 911 GT3 RS comes exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox optimized for short gearshift travel, low weight and high efficiency. To further improve its sporting behavior, the new 911 GT3 RS comes with a purpose-built and specially set up PASM suspension, a wider front and rear track and corresponding bodywork.

The 2010 911 GT3 RS will be priced at $132,800 and goes on sale in the U.S. in early spring of 2010.

The 2009 Mazda RX-8 receives praise for its great handling dynamics and roomy backseat, but loses points for having insufficient power and a fuel-thirsty, high-maintenance rotary engine.

Five years after its introduction, the ‘09 RX-8 receives a light refresh that enhances its aggressive exterior design, and adds a driver-focused R3 trim to the mix.

The 2009 Mazda RX-8 is offered in four trims: Sport, Touring, Grand Touring, and R3.

Some Pros and Cons about Mazda RX-8:

• Handles extremely well
• Rear doors make accessing the backseat easy
• Large backseat fits two adults

• Rotary engine needs constant attention
• Sluggish performance in low rpms
• Disappointing fuel economy

What the Auto Press Says:

“If you’re looking for an inexpensive sports car, but need room for child seats or extra passengers, the RX-8 is worth a look. Additionally, the R3 model has turned the RX-8 into a true driver’s car with a chassis that is up there with the greats like the Mitsubishi EVO. Still, we can’t help thinking that the RX-8 needs something and that something is power.” — Automobile Magazine

“With a unique and sporty design, the 2009 Mazda RX-8 R3 will turn heads, but it doesn’t quite live up to its looks, and Mazda left out some key tech elements.” — CNET

“Minor grievances aside, the RX-8 is a wonderful automobile, more of a civilized sports coupe than a sports sedan. Prospective owners should be sensitive to the complexities of ownership, as this Mazda tries to be a different type of sports car.” — Road and Track