Something of a boy racer himself, ANDY TATE gets out and about on Swindon's streets to try out the Honda Civic Type R and becomes king of the urban jungle

HONDA claims its new Civic Type R is fast and flashy. Honda's right.

The Swindon-made hot hatch is the ultimate example of boy racer technology.

With a top speed of 146mph and its striking some would say menacing appearance, the Type R is the king of the urban jungle.

In February an updated version was released on to Swindon's streets.

A lighter engine flywheel does not sound like a big deal. But the weight saving this has achieved has allowed Honda's advanced i-VTEC engine to spin up a bit quicker, shaving two tenths of a second from the car's 0-62mph sprint.

The 2004 Type R can get there in just 6.6 seconds.

Other new features are door mirror-mounted indicators, a front spoiler and grille, revised bumpers, and three light blue projector style headlamps.

Inside, there are now red seat inserts and chrome cabin highlights, white instrument faces and plenty of red stitching: the black and red scheme underlines the car's sporty appearance.

Although changes have been made, much remains the same. The Type R continues with the 200PS 2.0 litre DOHC i-VTEC engine allied with six-speed transmission, and combined cycle fuel consumption remains at 31.7mpg.

It is a formula that has already sold more than 10,000 cars across the country.

Driving around Swindon in the Type R, it is easy to understand why it appeals to so many younger men.

From its graffiti-style logo to its red-stitched Momo steering wheel, this car is all about the streets.

The interior is racy without being tacky and there is plenty of room for comfort, at least at the front.

With four drinks holders and an impressive sound system, the car is designed to cruise.

Type R is for Rebel, and the temptation to lower the window and share some repetitive beats with the good people of Old Town was hard to resist.

But as Honda would be keen to point out, the Type R is about more than aesthetics, and its style is matched by performance.

It's a powerful vehicle, agile enough to make the accelerating and slowing down that dog much of urban driving a tolerable exercise.

The one disappointment with the Type R may paradoxically be one of its selling points.

In aiming to make the driving experience as real and as racy as possible, comfort suffers.

To put it bluntly, it can be a bumpy ride, particularly for passengers in the back.

And while many drivers will welcome the car's ability to grip the road, others will not be so impressed by its sensitivity to the slightest of obstacles.

Even driving over a drain cover shook the rear view mirror. But this is unlikely to deter Type R enthusiasts, who would rather keep it real and keep it racy.

Once again, Swindon and Japan have combined to produce a car to strike fear into the elderly and Fiesta drivers alike.

The Honda Civic Type R starts from £16,013 on the road. For a test drive or more information contact Fish Brothers Honda in Bridgemead on 01793 535455.

Andy Tate