Would you pay £40,000 for a Honda Civic? Fair enough, but wait until we've explained properly and you might change your mind.

After feverish lobbying by Honda anoraks, the Japanese maker has caved in and commissioned tuning arm Mugen to bang together just 20 very special Type Rs at a cost of £38,599 each. For that, the stock Type R's 2.0-litre VTEC engine is wrung out to produce an extra 40bhp and the body bestowed with a host of aerodynamic refinements, including an appropriately large rear wing, a new grille, and composite front and rear skirts.

The VTEC has been thoroughly scrutinised and fettled to hike power from 197bhp to 237bhp, including new camshafts and pistons, a modified intake system, a Mugen airbox and a bespoke stainless steel exhaust system. The ECU is remapped accordingly, and the throttle response sharpened up.

The limited slip differential of the Championship White Edition Type R remains, but the Mugen gets new springs and dampers, along with custom four-piston racing callipers housed inside lightweight alloys. Every car will be painted white and will bear a badge on the centre console that denotes which of the 20 it is.

Still too soft for you? A track pack will be offered too, which replaces the standard front seats with Recaro items and the rear bench with a blanking panel. A set of gauges showing the temperature and pressure of the oil and water are included, as is stickier rubber for the wheels that's more suited to track work, but still road legal.

But if you're still indignant about the sticker price, Honda argues that the Mugen represents an 'unparalleled purchasing experience' because every buyer will get involved in the building process of their car, including the chance to have the ECU mapped to their preference and the car built to their 'exact specification'.

Mark Nichol - 22 Oct 2009