Replacing a legend is never easy – but Honda has done just that with the amazing Civic Type R. With competition from the likes of Ford, Vauxhall and Renault, the firm couldn’t have picked a tougher time to introduce its second-generation model. The fact that it has done so with a machine that betters the original in every department is a tribute to the Japanese company’s engineering vision.

So what made it a winner? Well, despite being down on power compared to its big-hitting rivals – its 2.0-litre VTEC-assisted engine produces 198bhp – it’s the way in which the Civic deploys it that impresses.