HONDA is hoping that a raft of dynamic improvements will boost interest in the sporty, five-door version of its Civic hatchback.
The five-door Civic Type S is a less powerful relation of the raunchy three-door Type R hot hatch, both in performance terms and also dynamically.
They use the same two-litre engine, but whilst the Type R generates virtually 200bhp of power, the Type S manages less than 160bhp.
This translates into a 0-60 miles per hour acceleration time of 6.8 seconds and a 140 miles per hour top speed for the R, and a more leisurely 8.5 seconds and 130 miles per hour for the S.
Now Honda is planning to give the Type S some of the sparkle from the Type R, without actually altering its power or performance. The idea is to enhance its dynamic prowess, so that it feels quicker, even if it is not.
There is a closer-ratio gearbox to create a more frenetic feeling to the acceleration, the introduction of an electronic process called Vehicle Stability Assist for better handling, plus traction control.
A so-called drive-by-wire throttle system means that the accelerator is controlled electronically too, and cruise control is added for the first time.
Visually, the only difference is the larger diameter of the alloy wheels and wider tyres, and the price tag which rises by £500. Honda says that this represents good value, because the changes are worth more than that.
However, with no alteration in performance, it may be ambitious to expect punters to pay a new high of £15,500 for a lower-performance model whose enhanced appeal is said to be aimed primarily at driving enthusiasts.