» WTCC: And Honda follows suit…

Barely 24 hours after RML took the covers off the 2014-spec Chevrolet Cruze it has designed for next year’s FIA World Touring Car Championship, Honda has done likewise – although, for the moment, its version is a virtual one…

Pictured above is the new Honda Civic built by the Japanese carmaker to the series’ new ‘TC1’ Super 2000 regulations.

While the car retains the same overall shape to its 2013, the new design features much more prominent aerodynamic aids to increase downforce, with the most notable being the enlarged rear wing, exaggerated wheel arches and front splitter. The car’s base weight will be dramatically reduced and its 1.6-litre turbo engine will deliver vastly increased horsepower.

All of this will translate to the new-generation cars being some three to five seconds a lap faster than their 2013 ‘T2’ predecessors.

Honda will field two factory-backed cars run by the JAS team for Gabriele Tarquini and Tiago Monteiro, along with two privateer cars for Norbert Michelisz and Mehdi Bennani, who will race for Zengő Motorsport and Proteam Racing respectively.

The new Hondas will have their maiden test outing in January ahead of the 2014 season’s first race in April.

Honda will be one of four manufacturers competing for overall honours in next year’s WTCC title fight, alongside Citroën Racing, LADA and the aforementioned RML-designed Chevrolets. Our the four carmakers, only LADA is still to unveil next year’s design.