A 300-hp turbocharged four cylinder might find it’s way into the next Civic Type-R.
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Enthusiasts have been calling for turbocharged Hondas for over a decade and finally the Japanese automaker has decided to listen. But there is a catch.
Honda CEO Takanobu Ito just revealed plans for a Civic Type R which will have a sole purpose: being the fastest front-wheel drive car around the Nürburgring.
Honda CEO Takanobu Ito gave a glimpse into the Japanese automaker’s future, announcing that a new Civic Type R is being developed for the European markets and is set to bow in 2015.
While just speculation at this point, it would seem that Honda is prepping a Civic Type-R for the European marketplace.
Yes it’s true. After initially stating that a sportier version of the new Civic didn’t fit in with Honda‘s vanilla marketing strategy, inside sources reveal that in fact, such a car is under development.
Following criticism that Honda has abandoned its enthusiast followers in favor of pure mass-market appeal; company president Takanobu Ito’s plan to help the brand regain some of the sporting credentials it has lost this past decade, is a glimmer of hope to those who fondly recall the days of NSXs and anything Type R.
Exactly what features this new ‘hot’ Civic will incorporate remains to be seen, though expect suspension and styling tweaks, standard six-speed manual gearbox and a uniquely tuned four-cylinder engine As to when it will be launched, possibly a couple of years from now, though given that the previous Civic Type R didn’t make it North American shores, expect this one to follow the same course, being based on the sportier Euro market model and primarily tailored for an audience across the pond. Pity.
[Source: Autocar]
Back in 2010, Mugen introduced its first version of the current generation Honda Civic Type-R with just a limited production of 20 units. And perhaps because they still have four of them left over, Mugen Euro decided to go back to the drawing board, finding new ways to entice owners to scoop up this version of the Civic Type-R.
This time, performance is increased to 256-hp and 177 lb-ft of torque, a 30-percent increase over factory. The “2.2″ in the name pretty much hints on what was done by Mugen, increasing the cylinder bore and stroke to 2,156-cc, essentially a 2.2-liter engine.
Despite the K20′s death in Japan, tuners all around the world still love it for its naturally aspirated performance potential. Mugen is hoping its 2.2 variant will breathe new life to their Civic Type-R model, possibly outfitting the remaining four units from 2010 with the new power plant. And even though nothing is confirmed, Mugen is considering allowing current 2010 model owners to bring their vehicles in for an upgrade. No plans of the 2.2 version have been finalized yet, which includes how many Mugen plans on selling to the public.
Here’s hoping Mugen gets a hold of the new 2012 Civic Si.
GALLERY: Mugen Honda Civic Type-R 2.2
Some people just have all the luck. Jim Morgan from Manchester, England is the lucky winner of Honda‘s Mugen Civic Type-R Concept giveaway. This is the concept that got the limited edition Type R Mugen production car underway – of which just 20 were made for a retail price of around $100,000.
So what’s the price tag on the Concept? Priceless, especially now that Morgan is the only one in the world with it.
The giveaway was part of Honda’s participation in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) and Morgan also got the opportunity to meet Honda’s BTCC drivers and a tour through Mugen’s facilities in Northampton. Morgan was the sole winner picked out of over 24,000 entries.
Now let’s hope he’ll actually keep and cherish this work of art. We hope we don’t see it on eBay anytime soon.
[Source: Topspeed]
Honda‘s highly acclaimed Civic Type R will end its European sales run later this year after emissions regulations become too strict for the car’s 2.0L engine.
12,000 Civic Type Rs have been sold since 2007, but Honda chose to remove the model from the European market rather than modify it to meet Euro V regulations. Despite being built in Europe, the car will remain in production at Honda’s Swindon, England facility for export markets like South Africa and Australia.
A new Civic Type R is due for the 2012 model year, but Honda is set to honor current Type-R owners with a special outing at the Silverstone race track’s British Touring Car Championship event at the end of August.
[Source: Autocar]
In a bizarre story out of England, a Honda Civic Mugen R took out two Jaguars at a static exhibit at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, injuring a Jaguar XKR and the oldest surviving Jaguar E-Type in existence.
The circumstances behind the accident are a little suspect. Some reports state that the driver was revving the engine of the running car, while the official statement from Goodwood officials read as follows.
“At 12:40 today, an incident occurred within the exhibition hall at the Goodwood Moving Motor Show when a driver of a slow moving car blacked out, lost control of his vehicle and injured four people,” said a Goodwood spokesperson.
“None of the four people involved have sustained any major injuries and have not been hospitalised. They have been treated on-site as a precaution.”
Either way, we’re left scratching our heads. If the vehicle was being hooned, then the revving story doesn’t hold water, since the clutch would have to be released for the car to go anywhere. The “blacking out” story is a little too vague as well and sounds like something is being suppressed.
It has been over a decade since North America was introduced to Honda’s infamous Integra Type-R. At the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, Honda is showing off two versions of its tuned Civic Type-R; one in hatchback form and another in sedan form. The white paint scheme with red badging that has become synonymous with the Type-R was prevalent in addition to Sports Modulo products on the sedan. For those that have been kept in the dark, Modulo is the new custom brand name of Honda Access Corporation, manufacturer of Honda aftermarket products.
As for the hatchback, it was designed and built specifically for the European market, but after receiving such rave reviews (especially from the buff books in the U.K. like TopGear, EVO and CAR) Honda has decided to offer the three-door in its home market. Powered by a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder it makes 198-hp at 7500 rpm and 142 ft-lbs of torque at 5600 rpm. With a curb weight of just under 2,800 lbs, a firm suspension and Honda’s typical driving dynamics, the Civic Type-R is sure to prove popular.
GALLERY: Honda Civic Type-R Euro
