SPIED: SA-bound Civic Type R

The 2015 Honda Civic Type R has been spotted undergoing winter testing near the Arctic Circle.

It remains disguised though sports the huge wing revealed on the concept car at the 2014 Beijing auto Show in April.

The new Type R was spotted alongside an assortment of hot hatches including the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG, Renault Megane RS and Volkswagen Golf R.

HOTTEST TYPE R YET

The Civic Type R retains much of the concept with an assertive aggressive body kit, modified bumpers, aero side skirts, extended front fenders and the aforementioned prominent rear wing.

The hot hatch spotted by Wheels24's spyguys shows a rear diffuser, quad exhausts and huge alloy rims.

IMAGE GALLERY: 2015 Honda Civic Type R

The new Type R, Honda says, will mark the debut of the brand's new '+R' button that claims to "sharpen engine and steering response, deliver more-assertive torque-mapping and, with the new four-point adaptive damper system, improve handling".

Unlike its predecessors, this Type R will be powered by a new turbocharged two-litre i-VTEC engine derived from Honda's "earth dreams" technology that can make more than 206kW and will drive through a six-speed manual . 

Honda has been coy on the official numbers but speculation suggests the final output could be around 240kW.