Why the Honda Civic Type R is cool - Reason no. 2: it has heritage

Where BMW has the 'M' badge, and Ford has been synonymous with 'RS', Honda has 'Type R'.

From the NSX Type R supercar that Ayrton Senna helped to develop, through the 'never mind the comfort, feel the pace' Integra Type R of 1995, and including the previous-shape Civic Type R 'fastest bread van on earth', the Type R badge has stood for 'harder than you are, and faster, too'.

The new Civic continues the tradition of the Red H cars. While the headline power and pulling power figures might look a touch limp next to the vast outputs of rivals', the Civic can put every single one of its 198bhp to good use far more often than others can use even a portion of their stampeding herds.

• To read an in-depth test on the Type R, click here.