Honda to Spawn More Civic Type R Variants?
Honda is hoping to widen the appeal of the Civic Type R by introducing more model variants of the new hot hatch.
The Civic Type R is defined by its radical styling, 306-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and heavily reworked suspension. Honda wants expand on the package, however, with Civic chief engineer Hideki Matsumoto saying the automaker wants to maintain steady sales of the Type R by rolling out different models.
SEE ALSO: Why the 2017 Honda Civic Type R Doesn’t Have All-Wheel Drive
It’s not yet clear what Honda might have planned for the Type R platform, but all-wheel drive may be in the cards. Just about every serious competitor to the front-wheel-drive Type R is all-wheel drive, so it could be a priority for Honda engineers. A more hardcore version with even more power could also be inbound, along with a softer and more comfortable version that Matsumoto said would be “focused more on the grand touring aspect” of driving.
Honda didn’t pursue multiple Type R models from the get-go as it wanted to bring it to North America in the same inexpensive, front-wheel-drive format that helped make it successful in Japan and Europe. As a result, it will stay in its back-to-basics form and with a $34,775 price tag for the time being. If you want a faster or more comfortable version, though, you may eventually get your wish.
[Source: Automotive News]
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Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.
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Drop an A badge on it already
Come on Honda, where's the trunk? The legendary sedans of the tuner/engine swap era had practical storage. Drive them to the grocery store or to the track. This hideous Crosstour rear end must die, even worse is putting a wing on it. Honda needs to be criticized for degrading one of the worlds most durable and affordable forms of transportation into a cheaper, less durable (turbos) toy. Give it up Honda, put the next Civic Type R body on top of a Tesla 3 and save yourselves. I'm not buying a new civic, especially a Type R, sorry.