Honda has released the first images with the 2012 Civic Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) which is scheduled to have its first public test at the Brands Hatch today January 21st.

The car belongs to the Honda Racing Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship team, and it will be pushed to its limits by both Gordon 'Flash' Shedden and triple-BTCC champion Matt Neal before the new season kicks of on April 1st 2012.  

Matt Neal "This is the first opportunity we have had to get behind the wheel to really see what the car has got. The team are really pleased with the results from the test at MIRA last week and I can't wait to finally start putting the car through its paces."

"It will be interesting to see how the car performs, but I'm optimistic that we'll walk away from today confident we have a championship winningcar."

Gordon Shedden has also voiced his first impressions by saying that "The feedback on the new Civic NGTC car so far is incredibly promising and '’ve been itching to get into the car since the end of the 2011 season".

Before the new season starts the 2012 Honda Civic NGTC will undergo a second testing stage a Donington Park circuit on February 23rd.