“They R here!” proclaims Honda, referring to the first Civic Type R production cars that rolled off the line at the firm’s manufacturing plant in Swindon, UK.

Appropriately, the first three models to cross the line before heading to Honda dealerships across Europe are finished in red, white and blue respectively, as a nod to the UK flag.

The new Honda Civic Type R, which has been confirmed for North America, has a 2.0-liter VTEC TURBO engine that red-lines at 7,000 rpm delivering 306hp (310PS) for a claimed 0-100km/h (62mph) in 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 269km/h (167mph).

Commenting on the start of regular production of the Civic Type R, Soichiro Takizawa, Managing Director at Honda of the UK Manufacturing (HUM), said:

“The new Civic Type R is an imperative model for Honda, representing our racing spirit and demonstrating our commitment to innovation and passion. We are extremely proud to be the only manufacturer of the Civic Type R in the world. Our high standards have earned us this privilege and this is testament to the continued commitment of our Associates.”

The same UK plant will see a further investment of £200 million bringing the total to £2.2 billion since 1985, to become the global production hub for the Civic five door model.

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