BAD luck, kids. Honda Australia has categorically stomped all over any plans to bring the next three-door Civic Si – revealed in prototype form at the Los Angeles motor show last week – to Australia.

“It’s a North American vehicle only,” said a Honda Oz spokesperson. “We’re focusing on our five core model strategy locally.”

It’s a crying shame, too. The low, sleek and masculine Si carries its own identity that sits perfectly between the cooking model Honda Civics and the bonkers Type R that lands here next year, and it promises to be quite the little performer, too.

Honda Civic Si rear

This powertrain configuration will keep it nicely beneath the expected 230-odd kW of the inbound Type R, while allowing for Golf GTI-baiting fun.

Honda Civic manual gearbox

Inside, the treatment “closely previews” what the real car will look like, with sports seats and the like. The Si will launch in the US in late 2017, and in Australia absolutely never.

Honda civic si interior
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