Give Honda props for turning journalists loose on a 1.5-mile road course in the new 2006 Honda Civic Si for 15-minute lapping sessions. We never quite got to 100 mph on the 1,045-foot front straight, but the Si’s digital speedo did flash a high of 98 mph on one pass before gearing down for turn one.

On the twists and turns at the Autobahn Country Club near Joliet, Ill., the stock Civic Si’s body dove, squatted, and leaned more than a track-ready set of wheels, taxing the Michelin summer tires to some degree, but these character traits detracted not at all from the fun and aren’t discernable on real roads in the real world. And to the car’s credit, we drove it as hard as we could and experienced only a hint of brake fade on the final two laps – and then only when braking hard from near triple-digit speeds. We even checked the Michelins’ front sidewalls after the flogging, and the shoulders of the tread still looked great.

Heel-and-toe shifting is easy, the shift lever falls readily to hand, and there aren’t any uncomfortable spots on the center console or the door panels where the driver’s legs brace for turns. The Civic Si’s thickly bolstered seats hold you still at the limit of adhesion, and sightlines are good even if the A-pillars are a tad thick for track work. And, the car will even rotate a bit if you trail brake into a tight corner.

Overall, the Civic Si isn’t quite as tossable as a rear-drive sport coupe, but you’d never guess it’s a front-driver if you didn’t know any better. It sounds terrific, and only lacks the pushed-back-in-the-seat feeling of a turbocharged engine for maximum grins.