First look: Civic Si gets four doors

IT raised a few eyebrows at this month's Chicago motor show and also at Honda Australia headquarters in Melbourne.

Officially the Civic Si - a four-door based on the two-door Civic Si coupe concept that wowed Chicago 12 months ago - is a concept for the US but it will appear in production form there later this year.

However, a Honda spokesman said there was no reason it could not be an Australian show car at some stage.

The 147kW i-VTEC four-cylinder is mated to a six-speed close-ratio manual and limited-slip differential for improved traction and cornering ability. According to Honda it will rev to 8000rpm.

The four-door also has a lowered sports suspension, bodykit, seven-spoke 18-inch alloys, 225/40ZR18 tyres, carbon-fibre look bonnet and four-piston Brembo brakes.

Officially there’s no word on when, or if, such a car could join the local line-up. But Honda Australia has not ruled out offering the go-fast bits "if they pass local regulations".