While all of the hype these past few days has been surrounding the new Civic Tourer wagon, there's another Civic that will remain off limits for the US. Yes, we're referring to the Civic Type R, that wonderful hot hatch Honda thinks Americans will hate. A recent report claimed the Japanese automaker was busy at work prepping the latest gen Type R, but don't expect to see it hit the roads until at least 2014 or even 2015.

With the Ford Focus RS and the Opel Astra OPC in its crosshairs, sources are indicating the new Type R will produce as much as 300 horsepower, nearly the same as a V6 Mustang. Power will come from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four. So why is Honda in no immediate rush to get this thing launched? It wants it to take down the Renault Megan 265 Trophy as the Nurburgring lap record holder for front-wheel-drive cars. That record is 8 minutes, 7.97 seconds. These spy images clearly indicate the new Type R, based on the also Euro-only Civic five-door hatch, will have a lowered chassis, larger alloys, beefier brakes, a body kit, quad exhausts and, of course, a large rear wing.