This is the car Honda aficionados have been waiting for – the high-revving Civic Type-R finished in the Championship White paint job of Honda’s hottest models.

Under the skin it’s a bit special too, thanks to a grip-enhancing limited slip differential which helps catapult the Type-R out of bends harder.

On a damp and cold day we took to the roads around Silverstone expecting the 198bhp screamer powering the ‘Championship White’ to spin the front wheels out of every slippery junction and slow bend.

Instead we found it picking the car up and taking it off down the road like a startled cat.

Time to thank the Japanese Honda engineers, who have carefully tested and administered the new limited slip differential to the front axle of the Type-R.

It happily shuffles power from the 2-litre V-TEC engine to the front wheel which has the most grip, acting like a traction control which balances power instead of sapping it.

The motor hasn’t changed - so 0-62mph in 6.6 seconds and a top speed of 146mph remain the same – but cornering speeds are higher.

It’s enough to give the ‘Championship White’ a three second lap time advantage at the Tskuba Circuit just outside Tokyo, Japan: a racing track made famous by the Gran Turismo racing simulator for the Playstation.

Suspension settings have also been left alone. The Civic Type-R was already a hardcore hot hatch, with a much firmer ride than the Volkswagen Golf GTi and Ford Focus ST.

While the GTi and ST are as happy as Larry to cruise on the motorway the ‘Championship White’ never really settles down.

It might have a six-speed gearbox but the ratios are short to keep the engine spinning at the top of its ballistic 7,950rpm rev range, so it’s always audible.

On the right road when you wring out the engine and change up through the wonderful gearbox the exhausts bark with the vigour of a superbike.

During these bursts of acceleration the feeling of excitement and connection with the car you experience are immense.

But, in traffic-clogged Britain these opportunities are few and far between.

Reliability should be excellent thanks to Honda's impressive reputation for building cars which don't break down.

Owners report few problems on the user review site Drive The Debate, scoring the Honda Civic 4.5/5.

The Honda S2000 (with its very similar engine) has been ranked as Britain's most reliable sports car for the past few years. 

The standard Honda Civic Type-R represents good value with its £18k list price, but the £1,100 extra cost for the Championship White edition is a fairly big price hike.

We wouldn’t be surprised if its extra kit and kudos help it to hold onto its elevated value, and for those who want the ultimate Civic Type-R we can confirm it’s a real head-turner.