2012 Honda Civic snapped uncovered

The ninth-generation 2012 Honda Civic was caught uncovered on the back of a car carrier trailer in Suzuka Japan.

NoticiasAutomotivas.com.br reports that the vehicles on the trailer, which include Fit and Insight models, are headed to the U.S. as indicated by the left-hand drive and amber turn signals. Furthermore, the Civic looks practically the same as the recently revealed Civic sedan concept at the North American International Auto Show this past January with the exception of mesh grilles, smoked headlamps and softer lines.

Under the hood, power is expected to be provided by the same 1.8-liter petrol unit. Other engines include a natural gas variant and a hybrid. The latter is slated to adopt the newest Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system which will be powered by a lithium-ion battery - a first for a Honda.  Honda's Eco Assist is expected to be applied to the entire model range - good for a 10 percent savings in fuel economy.

Latest rumors place the 2.4-liter unit found in the Acura TSX into the sporty Civic Si model. Power output is speculated to be between 200 and 210 hp while torque gets a healthy increase to 170 lb-ft (230 Nm) thanks to the extra displacement.

The 2012 Civic will go on sale this summer. See source link below for more photos.