A racy 197bhp Type-R version of Honda's award-winning Civic will head-up a new three-door range which hits UK showrooms in September.

The Civic, which clinched the What Car? Small Hatch of the Year award from key rivals such as the Ford Focus, is already on sale as a five-door.

The three-door models, which will appear for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show on February 27, use a shorter version of the five-door's platform and sacrifice some interior space for sportier looks.

That sporty flavour is taken furthest on the Type-R which features a chin spoiler, side sill extensions, a rear under-spoiler and large roof spoiler.

The range-topping Civic also features 17in alloys and its ride height is 150mm lower than the standard three-door cars.

Inside, the Type-R gets white instrument faces, titanium-effect trim and sports seats with exposed red stitching.

With nearly 200bhp available from a new 2.0-litre VTEC engine, the Type-R promises scintillating performance, with a 6.8sec 0-60mph time and 145mph maximum likely.

The new Type-R is expected to cost around £20,000, while the standard three-door models will probably cost around £1000 less than five-door cars with like-for-like specifications.


------------------
Gabriel
CL Type S

 

Awwww, that's a shame. I'd pick one up in a instant to use as a race car.

BTW, this particular Civic has the new-gen closewise engines that (so does the S2K and RSX) that didn't make it into the non-Type R 7th-gen Civics on the roads today.

------------------
051/LP/SR/LD/HH

 

Coool. like an ICE man on Steriods!!!

However, I am confused . So, in small compact sport car from Honda/Acura we have the RS-X RS-X Type R and this Civic Type-R (Si replacement, I guess) all with 200-225 HP on lightweight frame). That is some cool technolgy, Who is gonna look at Ford's Focus SVT, or nissan Setra-R or anything else in this category?

However, the choice between those 3 Acura Honda Offering is confusing as they do provide comprable package.



------------------
Black, Eboney, 3.2 CL Type-S.
- Acura NAV.
- 3M clear bra (full front bumper, and side mirros)
- Wheels locks.
- Mooonroof visor
- Splash guards,
- Winter mats,
- Trunk liner,
- Acura Spoiler.
- Valentine V1 Radar Locator.
- PIAA 19169 road lamps.

 

Somehow I suspect that despite all of Honda's talk to the contrary this car will be in the U.S. before long.It will make a nice replacement for my current Civic when I finally wear it out.jens

------------------
1992 mazda Miata lowered with Eibach springs KYB AGX adjustable struts Sparco racing buckets 4 point safety harnesses Momo steering wheel lo profile headlite system with PIAA superwhite bulbs Custom audio system Custom gauges Jackson racing supercharger with header and Greddy cat back exhaust and a ton of other stuff 2000 Honda Civic on APEX coilovers Full Alpine Audio system factory fogs with Piaa bulbs Catz ZETA headlamp system tinted custom taillites and on and on

 

Except for the ridiculous looking shifter that thing looks neat! Of course we don't get it in the USA. Never do.

 

That is the dumbest looking thing I've seen in a long time, I hope it explodes....

 

The civic type R is never going to come to the US (even though people are doing swaps). It has been avaiable in japan since the 6th gen civic so that is nothing new. And the US will eventually get the Type R integra again, and I think the Civic Si is due out either next production year or the following year. (i forget which) But the problem that honda has now is that they got rid of the double wishbone suspension. So they probably won't handle as good as previous years.

 

Honda has taken the idea of "rice rocket" to a new level with that Ford Focus/Dodge Caravan hybrid!!! Couldn't pay me aenough money to even be seen 20 feet from that p.o.s.

 

P.O.S.?? YOu gotta be kidding me!?!? That little "rice rocket" will give us a serious run for our money in a drag race, probably come close to outhandling us (even with it's new suspension), costs over $10K less and has cheap insurance. Cars like this are a dream come true for the less financially fortunate. I'd take one in a heartbeat and even consider getting rid of the CL-S just to save money.



------------------
2001 Acura 3.2CL Type S
Comptech Springs
Comptech Sway Bars
Comptech Headers
PIAA 19169

 

The "R" type version of this car may not fly in the U.S. but I find it hard to believe that Honda would leave this market segment for all it's competitors to enjoy.As it stands hatchbacks are making a comeback just as Honda decided they could not sell enough of them to make it worth the effort.Honda is in a unique position here in the states.they have through virtually no effort of their own become the hot commodity in the youth auto market.Other car makers are killing themselves trying to get the attention of the often very fickle youth market and Honda get's it without really trying.Hondas have become in essence the '55 Chevrolet of the new millennium.Many of the people Chevy made believers out of, back then with the small block Chevy later became buyers of new Chevrolet and later other GM products.Now Honda has the same situation,the youth of America has made Honda the hot ticket.And as with Chevrolet back then it will most likely be with Honda today unless they blow the opportunity.If the kids hotrod a used Civic today they may very well buy a new Accord or better yet an Acura later on in life when their priorities change from speed to family transportation.Just my ten cents worth of whatever.Jens

------------------
1992 mazda Miata lowered with Eibach springs KYB AGX adjustable struts Sparco racing buckets 4 point safety harnesses Momo steering wheel lo profile headlite system with PIAA superwhite bulbs Custom audio system Custom gauges Jackson racing supercharger with header and Greddy cat back exhaust and a ton of other stuff 2000 Honda Civic on APEX coilovers Full Alpine Audio system factory fogs with Piaa bulbs Catz ZETA headlamp system tinted custom taillites and on and on

 

Jens,

yeah but honda has already screwed up. Sport compact car magazine did an article on the new civic. They said that honda has made it really really difficult to soup up the 7th gen civic. Honda has the cat part of the header. So that has increased the cost of all after market headers. Plus has cut down on the performance of them. Also with that different suspension, changing out the struts will be alot more expensive. So it sounds like honda has already screwed up its youth market. Kids are gonna have to keep buying the used 5-6gen civic to really do any perf mods to them. I really don't think that honda cares that much about the youth market they are more worried about fuel effiency. They have more adults buying the cars for commuting than they do riceboys.

 

As I said Honda has garnered the affection of the youth market without actually trying to get it.Honda has never really acknowledged the fact that it is considered"the bomb"amongst young people but then again neither did Chevrolet untill much later.Admittedly the new Civic will prove to be a chore to modify we have also only seen a single variation of the car.As is shown in Europe a hotted up version is slated for release this fall.So really it is only a question of time before the tricks of the European version are applied to our car.As far as the suspension goes... c'mon BMW has been turning out incredible performance with struts for decades.Sure struts lack glamour but if it can work for BMW rest assured the aftermarket will make it work for Honda.Time will tell if the Civic will remain in the hot import spotlight but somehow I seem to remember people telling me five years ago no person no way would ever run a front wheel drive in under ten seconds down the quarter mile.I should have bet money on it,there are at last count I think several dozen kids out there proving the author of that comment wrong!Jens

------------------
1992 mazda Miata lowered with Eibach springs KYB AGX adjustable struts Sparco racing buckets 4 point safety harnesses Momo steering wheel lo profile headlite system with PIAA superwhite bulbs Custom audio system Custom gauges Jackson racing supercharger with header and Greddy cat back exhaust and a ton of other stuff 2000 Honda Civic on APEX coilovers Full Alpine Audio system factory fogs with Piaa bulbs Catz ZETA headlamp system tinted custom taillites and on and on