Honda: Euro-Spec Civic news **Mugen Version Info and Pics (page 7)**
Besides, I though the current Si's K20Z3 was closer to 220hp than the advertised 197hp.
03-01-2007 | 10:13 PM
#246
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,339
Likes: 8
From: 905
First Drive: 2007 Honda Civic Type R
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...hotopanel..1.*
At the limit in Honda's British-built sport compact
By Alistair Weaver, Contributor Email
Date posted: 02-28-2007
It might only have 198 horsepower, but the 2007 Honda Civic Type R is smack in the middle of the hot European sport compact market that has enjoyed a revolution in recent years.
We say only 198 hp because the latest models from Ford and GM boast 222 hp and 237 hp, respectively. Forced induction is now the order of the day as European "hot hatchback" buyers find themselves drag-racing Porsches. But Honda's marketing mouths say the normally aspirated Civic Type R ducks the power struggle in pursuit of a purer driving experience.
Typical Honda. It's hoping European enthusiasts will eschew brute force in favor of fun and finesse. The strategy worked in the past with cars like the NSX and previous hot Civics, but this time around it sounds dangerously like an excuse.
The Type R philosophy
The Type R name was initially applied to Honda's motorcycles to denote a performance derivative. The first car to carry the nameplate was the wonderful NSX-R, a stripped-out version of Honda's NSX supercar. More affordable Type Rs followed, including the Integra Type R that was introduced to the U.S. in 2001.
Although no Civic Type R ever has been sold in the United States (including this latest example), the Civic Type R in Europe is an alternative to age-old favorites, such as the VW Golf GTI.
Each Type R model was bound by a common philosophy — to deliver a raw, edgy, race-derived driving experience. A high-revving, normally aspirated engine was a prerequisite, as was a quick-fire gearbox. The original Civic Type R delivered all of these things, but its harsh ride and poor refinement made long journeys a chore. The new model therefore seeks to offer a greater breadth of ability, without compromising the Type R philosophy.
Self-consciously radical
In Europe, Honda is determined to establish a more youthful image. While the old Civic was conservative, the new model is self-consciously radical. The aggressive wedge shape is defined by a narrow snout and a high waistline that culminates in an extravagant rear spoiler. There's also some unusual detailing, such as the triangular exhaust pipes and the red Honda badge that denotes a Type R model.
The cabin is no less radical. At first glance, it all seems a little overpowering. A 3D rev counter takes center stage in a binnacle framed by the three-spoke steering wheel. The speedometer has a pod of its own on top of, and set back from, the rev counter. The primary controls for the stereo and ventilation are mounted centrally but additional switches — including the one to turn off the standard stability control — are scattered randomly about the fascia.
You sit high — a little too high — on the sport seats and grasp a tiny three-spoke wheel. No passenger could be left in any doubt that this is the Type R, as there's "R" branding on the seats, the carpets and steering wheel. The pedal set and shift knob are carved from aluminum, and there's a bright-red starter buttonn, a gearchange indicator light beside the speedo and a plaque displaying the production number. Some might find it too garish, but at least it's different.
Si under the hood
The Type R's 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is essentially the same engine used in the American-market Honda Civic Si where it is rated at 197 hp at 7,800 rpm and 139 lb-ft at 6,100 rpm.
It's an impressive power plant, revving happily to 8,000 rpm with the provocative, high-pitched engine note we've come to expect of a Honda i-VTEC. The system switches to the high lift cam at 5,400 rpm so the engine offers an effective power band of 2,600 rpm. The cam change has also been refined so the power delivery is now more linear.
But for all its high-tech trickery, it still struggles in the face of the turbocharged opposition. More significant than the power deficit is the Honda's chronic lack of torque. Whereas the 2.5-liter, turbocharged engine in the Ford Focus ST offers 236 lb-ft of torque from 1,600-4,000 rpm, the Honda musters just 142 lb-ft at 5,600 rpm. The 197-hp VW Golf GTI offers 207 lb-ft at 1,800 rpm.
That means the Civic needs to be thrashed to deliver its best. Six closely stashed ratios help its cause and the gearshift is both quick and positive, but the Honda's competition is less labor-intensive to drive quickly. The last Honda Civic Si we tested, a sedan, hit 60 mph in 7.1 seconds and reached the quarter-mile mark in 15.3 seconds at a little over 93 mph. Honda says the front-wheel-drive Civic Type R, which unlike the Si does not use the company's helical limited-slip differential or any other LSD, can hit 60 mph in 6.6 seconds.
Torsion beam in back
Whereas most of its rivals now boast sophisticated multilink rear suspension systems, Honda has opted for a torsion beam in the interests of packaging and, no doubt, cost savings. A more familiar MacPherson strut arrangement is employed at the front.
It only takes a few yards to discover that the ride quality is still on the solid side of firm. While the Ford or VW smother surface imperfections with well-judged damping, the Honda feels like a refugee from the racetrack. Die-hard enthusiasts will appreciate its raw-edged character, but a firm ride is not necessarily a prerequisite of exquisite handling — just ask Lotus.
The Civic turns in nicely and there's no shortage of grip from the 225/40R18 Bridgestone Potenzas. This car can carry big speed, but it lacks sophistication. The balance and poise of the VW or, to a lesser extent, the Ford, is missing here. You need to bully the Honda, but the experience is strangely unrewarding. On a track, this car would no doubt feel terrific, but on the road it often feels like it's trying too hard.
The steering undoubtedly improves on the old models, but it's still not perfect. The weighting is good but a Golf's helm is more talkative. The brakes are also nicely weighted and the pedals well placed.
High price, low torque
Honda's U.K. pricing for the Type R is curious. The company regards itself as a quality rival to VW and even Audi. It seems strange, therefore, that at £17,600 ($34,278), the Type R should be pitched below the Ford Focus ST ($35,047) and the VW Golf GTI ($40,082). This is surely a tacit acknowledgement that the Honda doesn't have the firepower to command a premium.
The Type R is by no means a bad car. It's distinctively styled and when you're in the mood and on the right road, it can be great fun. On these occasions, its slightly rawer character will give it an edge over its most obvious European rivals.
But for all Honda's talk of increased civility and all-round appeal, the Type R lacks the performance or the depth of quality of its European rivals. The game has moved on since the Integra wowed us in the 1990s and Honda needs to play catch-up. The Civic needs torque, not talk.
By Alistair Weaver, Contributor Email
Date posted: 02-28-2007
It might only have 198 horsepower, but the 2007 Honda Civic Type R is smack in the middle of the hot European sport compact market that has enjoyed a revolution in recent years.
We say only 198 hp because the latest models from Ford and GM boast 222 hp and 237 hp, respectively. Forced induction is now the order of the day as European "hot hatchback" buyers find themselves drag-racing Porsches. But Honda's marketing mouths say the normally aspirated Civic Type R ducks the power struggle in pursuit of a purer driving experience.
Typical Honda. It's hoping European enthusiasts will eschew brute force in favor of fun and finesse. The strategy worked in the past with cars like the NSX and previous hot Civics, but this time around it sounds dangerously like an excuse.
The Type R philosophy
The Type R name was initially applied to Honda's motorcycles to denote a performance derivative. The first car to carry the nameplate was the wonderful NSX-R, a stripped-out version of Honda's NSX supercar. More affordable Type Rs followed, including the Integra Type R that was introduced to the U.S. in 2001.
Although no Civic Type R ever has been sold in the United States (including this latest example), the Civic Type R in Europe is an alternative to age-old favorites, such as the VW Golf GTI.
Each Type R model was bound by a common philosophy — to deliver a raw, edgy, race-derived driving experience. A high-revving, normally aspirated engine was a prerequisite, as was a quick-fire gearbox. The original Civic Type R delivered all of these things, but its harsh ride and poor refinement made long journeys a chore. The new model therefore seeks to offer a greater breadth of ability, without compromising the Type R philosophy.
Self-consciously radical
In Europe, Honda is determined to establish a more youthful image. While the old Civic was conservative, the new model is self-consciously radical. The aggressive wedge shape is defined by a narrow snout and a high waistline that culminates in an extravagant rear spoiler. There's also some unusual detailing, such as the triangular exhaust pipes and the red Honda badge that denotes a Type R model.
The cabin is no less radical. At first glance, it all seems a little overpowering. A 3D rev counter takes center stage in a binnacle framed by the three-spoke steering wheel. The speedometer has a pod of its own on top of, and set back from, the rev counter. The primary controls for the stereo and ventilation are mounted centrally but additional switches — including the one to turn off the standard stability control — are scattered randomly about the fascia.
You sit high — a little too high — on the sport seats and grasp a tiny three-spoke wheel. No passenger could be left in any doubt that this is the Type R, as there's "R" branding on the seats, the carpets and steering wheel. The pedal set and shift knob are carved from aluminum, and there's a bright-red starter buttonn, a gearchange indicator light beside the speedo and a plaque displaying the production number. Some might find it too garish, but at least it's different.
Si under the hood
The Type R's 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is essentially the same engine used in the American-market Honda Civic Si where it is rated at 197 hp at 7,800 rpm and 139 lb-ft at 6,100 rpm.
It's an impressive power plant, revving happily to 8,000 rpm with the provocative, high-pitched engine note we've come to expect of a Honda i-VTEC. The system switches to the high lift cam at 5,400 rpm so the engine offers an effective power band of 2,600 rpm. The cam change has also been refined so the power delivery is now more linear.
But for all its high-tech trickery, it still struggles in the face of the turbocharged opposition. More significant than the power deficit is the Honda's chronic lack of torque. Whereas the 2.5-liter, turbocharged engine in the Ford Focus ST offers 236 lb-ft of torque from 1,600-4,000 rpm, the Honda musters just 142 lb-ft at 5,600 rpm. The 197-hp VW Golf GTI offers 207 lb-ft at 1,800 rpm.
That means the Civic needs to be thrashed to deliver its best. Six closely stashed ratios help its cause and the gearshift is both quick and positive, but the Honda's competition is less labor-intensive to drive quickly. The last Honda Civic Si we tested, a sedan, hit 60 mph in 7.1 seconds and reached the quarter-mile mark in 15.3 seconds at a little over 93 mph. Honda says the front-wheel-drive Civic Type R, which unlike the Si does not use the company's helical limited-slip differential or any other LSD, can hit 60 mph in 6.6 seconds.
Torsion beam in back
Whereas most of its rivals now boast sophisticated multilink rear suspension systems, Honda has opted for a torsion beam in the interests of packaging and, no doubt, cost savings. A more familiar MacPherson strut arrangement is employed at the front.
It only takes a few yards to discover that the ride quality is still on the solid side of firm. While the Ford or VW smother surface imperfections with well-judged damping, the Honda feels like a refugee from the racetrack. Die-hard enthusiasts will appreciate its raw-edged character, but a firm ride is not necessarily a prerequisite of exquisite handling — just ask Lotus.
The Civic turns in nicely and there's no shortage of grip from the 225/40R18 Bridgestone Potenzas. This car can carry big speed, but it lacks sophistication. The balance and poise of the VW or, to a lesser extent, the Ford, is missing here. You need to bully the Honda, but the experience is strangely unrewarding. On a track, this car would no doubt feel terrific, but on the road it often feels like it's trying too hard.
The steering undoubtedly improves on the old models, but it's still not perfect. The weighting is good but a Golf's helm is more talkative. The brakes are also nicely weighted and the pedals well placed.
High price, low torque
Honda's U.K. pricing for the Type R is curious. The company regards itself as a quality rival to VW and even Audi. It seems strange, therefore, that at £17,600 ($34,278), the Type R should be pitched below the Ford Focus ST ($35,047) and the VW Golf GTI ($40,082). This is surely a tacit acknowledgement that the Honda doesn't have the firepower to command a premium.
The Type R is by no means a bad car. It's distinctively styled and when you're in the mood and on the right road, it can be great fun. On these occasions, its slightly rawer character will give it an edge over its most obvious European rivals.
But for all Honda's talk of increased civility and all-round appeal, the Type R lacks the performance or the depth of quality of its European rivals. The game has moved on since the Integra wowed us in the 1990s and Honda needs to play catch-up. The Civic needs torque, not talk.
03-01-2007 | 10:13 PM
#247
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,339
Likes: 8
From: 905
Torsion beam in back
Whereas most of its rivals now boast sophisticated multilink rear suspension systems, Honda has opted for a torsion beam in the interests of packaging and, no doubt, cost savings. A more familiar MacPherson strut arrangement is employed at the front.
Whereas most of its rivals now boast sophisticated multilink rear suspension systems, Honda has opted for a torsion beam in the interests of packaging and, no doubt, cost savings. A more familiar MacPherson strut arrangement is employed at the front.
03-02-2007 | 12:51 PM
#248
The sizzle in the Steak
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 71,436
Likes: 1,877
From: Southern California
But for all Honda's talk of increased civility and all-round appeal, the Type R lacks the performance or the depth of quality of its European rivals. The game has moved on since the Integra wowed us in the 1990s and Honda needs to play catch-up. The Civic needs torque, not talk.
Why, Honda, Why?????
03-02-2007 | 01:20 PM
#249
Pro
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 656
Likes: 21
I think there's confusion over the UK and JDM Civic Type-R models; the UK model is a hatch, has the 200 hp engine, and rides on a stretched Fit platform (thus the simpler suspension setup). The JDM one is a sedan like ours, and has the 220 hp engine (presumably out of the old Integra-R).
Top Gear also just rated the UK Type-R as their top hot hatch, so ... *shrug* ...
http://www.topgear.com/content/timet...tch_debate/30/
Top Gear also just rated the UK Type-R as their top hot hatch, so ... *shrug* ...
http://www.topgear.com/content/timet...tch_debate/30/
03-02-2007 | 08:43 PM
#250
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,426
Likes: 0
From: philly
Honda would never bring a Type R in 2 years based off of the millions of $'s to federalize the car. Wow 220hp for a typeR would get killed by the mazdaspeed 3 that we have now for 22k, yet it would be priced 5k above, what would ever be the point- losing? Yes.
Yhe Type R of Today is nothing it used to be, Mazdaspeed pretty much pisses on anything Honda can come up with 5yrs in the future for the sport compact market.
Yhe Type R of Today is nothing it used to be, Mazdaspeed pretty much pisses on anything Honda can come up with 5yrs in the future for the sport compact market.
Last edited by heyitsme; 03-02-2007 at 08:47 PM.
03-03-2007 | 02:31 PM
#252
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
From: Florida
Originally Posted by heyitsme
Yhe Type R of Today is nothing it used to be, Mazdaspeed pretty much pisses on anything Honda can come up with 5yrs in the future for the sport compact market.
Mazda? What? Mazda?
Honda is competing with the big guy(Toyota and Nissan) .
You need to compare Mazda with Mitsubishi ,Kia,or similar to that.
03-03-2007 | 06:28 PM
#253
Originally Posted by heyitsme
Honda would never bring a Type R in 2 years based off of the millions of $'s to federalize the car. Wow 220hp for a typeR would get killed by the mazdaspeed 3 that we have now for 22k, yet it would be priced 5k above, what would ever be the point- losing? Yes.
Yhe Type R of Today is nothing it used to be, Mazdaspeed pretty much pisses on anything Honda can come up with 5yrs in the future for the sport compact market.
Yhe Type R of Today is nothing it used to be, Mazdaspeed pretty much pisses on anything Honda can come up with 5yrs in the future for the sport compact market.
03-03-2007 | 08:04 PM
#254
Fahrvergnügen'd
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,494
Likes: 1,569
From: Maryland
Originally Posted by CGTSX2004
Unfortunately, the Mazdaspeed 6 is horrid to drive due to its terrible clutch feel and the Mazdaspeed 3 is tearing its motor out of its engine mounts. I seriously doubt you would see the same issues with the Type R. Mazda certainly has worked hard to get where it is, but it still has a way to go in terms of refinement and reliability.
03-29-2007 | 10:27 PM
#258
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,339
Likes: 8
From: 905
other than the ridiculous wing, it looks good. ya, those seats look amazing.
i'm just wondering about the packaging under the hood.
what's the process of changing spark plugs? the plastic underneath the wipers is relatively easy to remove?
i'm just wondering about the packaging under the hood.
what's the process of changing spark plugs? the plastic underneath the wipers is relatively easy to remove?
04-19-2007 | 12:14 AM
#262
Pro
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 656
Likes: 21
JDM commercials for the Hondaphile ...
http://www.honda.co.jp/HDTV/message/...ullscreen.html (60s)
http://www.honda.co.jp/HDTV/message/...ullscreen.html (30s)
http://www.honda.co.jp/HDTV/message/...ullscreen.html (60s)
http://www.honda.co.jp/HDTV/message/...ullscreen.html (30s)
05-01-2007 | 10:39 AM
#269
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,339
Likes: 8
From: 905
First Drive: 2007 Honda Civic Type R
At Suzuka Circuit with the ultimate Civic Type R
At Suzuka Circuit with the ultimate Civic Type R
By Peter Lyon, Contributor, Japan
Date posted: 04-29-2007
The brilliant white paint and strong red accents of the 2007 Honda Civic Type R are far more than just an eye-catching graphic. These are the national racing colors of Japan taken from the Hinomaru, the "sun disc" of the national flag, and they signify the intense pride Honda takes in its motorsport history.
If Honda can be said to have a car that currently expresses its racing heritage, the 2007 Honda Civic Type R is it.
Although a Civic Type R coupe has been recently introduced in Britain, this 222-horsepower Type R is entirely different, conceived and built by the Honda engineers who do their ride-and-handling work at Suzuka Circuit, the former site of the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Japan.
The Honda Way of Motorsport
The first Civic Type R appeared in 1995, and succeeding iterations arrived in 1997 and 2001. In Japan, a Type R badge is the cultural equivalent of a Shelby logo on a Mustang, a visual cue that you drive a specially tuned car that's keenly desirable.
Honda's subsidiary in Britain recently developed a Civic Type R for the European market, largely to counter the Civic's stodgy reputation there. The 198-hp coupe with its GranTurismo-style video-game styling has attracted a lot of attention. In comparison, the Japanese-built Civic Type R is based on a family-friendly sedan, and the car looks a little clumsy, as if its speed parts had been applied as an afterthought.
Yet the Japan-spec Type R is simply in a different league than its European counterpart. It weighs exactly 2,800 pounds just like the Brit-spec R, yet just about every major piece of hardware has been tweaked, including the engine, the body structure, the suspension and the brakes.
This is the quickest front-wheel-drive Type R ever built.
Suzuka Circuit, the Type R's Spiritual Home
To ensure that we fully understood the Type R's elevated position in a domestic lineup riddled with ho-hum family-oriented minivans, Honda invited us to drive the car at Suzuka Circuit. This Honda-owned facility is near many of the company's largest assembly plants and has hosted the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Japan until this year.
Suzuka is Honda's spiritual home, 3.6 miles of asphalt where the engineers come to gauge the goodness of their most ambitious cars and motorcycles. For Honda, this is hallowed ground, where back in 1990 company founder Sochiro Hondo himself invited Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna to drive the NSX, the first midengine supercar from Japan.
Suzuka's magical figure-8 layout features long straightaways, high-speed bends, tricky double-apex corners and a notorious series of high-speed esses. Once Honda disconnects the Civic Type R's government-mandated governor, which limits the top speed of every car in this country to 115 mph, we're free to push the car to its limit.
Inheriting 222 Horses
Soon enough we're screaming along the long, slightly uphill back straightaway toward the famous flat-out bend known as 130R and we're too nervous to look down to see exactly how fast we're going.
While the Euro-spec Civic Type R employs basically the same DOHC 2.0-liter inline-4 as the 197-hp power plant of the U.S.-spec Civic Si, this Japan-spec engine is different. It starts as the 2.0-liter four-cylinder of the Accord Euro R that's sold in the Japanese market. With a larger throttle body, an intake manifold that features 5mm larger ports that have been polished just like an NSX manifold, and a taller compression ratio of 11.7:1, the K20A spins out 222 hp at 8,000 rpm, some 111 hp per liter.
This engine effortlessly revs to its 8,400-rpm redline, roaring in that high-pitched way that announces Honda's step-type i-VTEC variable valve timing. Up against the turbocharged 2.5-liter engine of the Ford Focus ST with its 236 lb-ft of torque, the Type R's 159 lb-ft of torque at 6,100 rpm seems a little inadequate. But as long as you're willing to stand on the gas and keep the engine hovering around 5,800 rpm where i-VTEC can do you some good, you'll have plenty of pulling power on tap.
In addition, the closely spaced ratios of the six-speed transmission help make sure you're always in the right gear. Third gear is effectively 4 percent shorter, and a 4th and 5th gear stack up shorter as well. The helical-type limited-slip differential (absent from the European Type R) effectively sends more torque to the outside front wheel in a corner, so the car carves the asphalt as it leaves an apex behind.
Mitsuru Kariya, chief engineer for the Civic Type, says, "Drivers will feel the difference working through the gears. They're accurate, pinpoint and the car tells you exactly what's happening. This car shines on a track."
We agree with him. Very few cars give you such a thrill for so little money as the Type R. When this car's unique tachometer starts to light up as you pass through various "REV" stages from 5,800 rpm to 8,000 rpm, you know you're in something quite special.
Handling the Power
Improved chassis rigidity also sets apart the Japanese-spec Type R from its British counterpart. The sedan features 50 percent greater rigidity than the coupe thanks to reinforced front and rear bulkheads, thicker crossmembers and a stouter front subframe.
The sedan's double-wishbone rear suspension also complements the front MacPherson struts. The Type R has stiffer springs (especially in the rear), yet the dampers seem to be a match for them, and there's stiffer bushings for the front antiroll bar.
As you'd expect, the Type R turns in exquisitely at the limit and there are bundles of grip through the 225/40R18 Potenza RE070s. The tires send loads of information to you through the steering wheel and the car is superbly balanced, with almost no understeer. The combination of a rigid chassis, aggressive suspension, responsive steering and sticky Potenzas enable the Type R to carry huge speed through the corners.
As you approach Suzuka's first big corner at the end of the pit straight, you wash off the excess speed instantly as the four-piston Brembo calipers clamp down on big 12.6-inch rotors. Even after six testing laps of Suzuka, these outstanding brakes won't fade. Stick your foot into this sedan through Suzuka's famous Esses and the rear end comes around just enough to follow the line set by the front tires. Get the weight forward and turn in quickly and the tail will slide, but correction is progressive and the whole process is low on stress.
Looking the Part
When you're behind the wheel of this Type R, it doesn't look quite like the game console you find in the Euro-spec car, but it's still enough to overload the senses. The three-tone interior treatment of red, black and silver really sets the mood. Of course there's a big red start-stop button, which is appearing in every performance car these days.
Since this is a sedan and not a coupe, there's enough headroom for a 6-foot-2 driver, even while wearing a helmet. A unique driver seat with a reinforced frame helps to hold you firmly in place even as you carve through 130R corner.
The exterior looks mundane from a distance, yet the bodywork features some worthwhile changes, including different front and rear bumper covers and a rear aero diffuser.
Too Cheap
At a price of about $25,000 in Japan, the Civic Type R seems pretty affordable thanks to the weak currency-exchange value of the Yen, especially compared to the $34,000 price of the Brit-made Type R. Honda has limited production of the Type R to 400 per month, and predictably it's selling every one.
Just when you think the world of high performance might be passing Honda by, the 2007 Civic Type R shows us that this company has a real motorsport tradition and knows what to do with it. Now, if they'd just find a place for this car in the States.
Date posted: 04-29-2007
The brilliant white paint and strong red accents of the 2007 Honda Civic Type R are far more than just an eye-catching graphic. These are the national racing colors of Japan taken from the Hinomaru, the "sun disc" of the national flag, and they signify the intense pride Honda takes in its motorsport history.
If Honda can be said to have a car that currently expresses its racing heritage, the 2007 Honda Civic Type R is it.
Although a Civic Type R coupe has been recently introduced in Britain, this 222-horsepower Type R is entirely different, conceived and built by the Honda engineers who do their ride-and-handling work at Suzuka Circuit, the former site of the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Japan.
The Honda Way of Motorsport
The first Civic Type R appeared in 1995, and succeeding iterations arrived in 1997 and 2001. In Japan, a Type R badge is the cultural equivalent of a Shelby logo on a Mustang, a visual cue that you drive a specially tuned car that's keenly desirable.
Honda's subsidiary in Britain recently developed a Civic Type R for the European market, largely to counter the Civic's stodgy reputation there. The 198-hp coupe with its GranTurismo-style video-game styling has attracted a lot of attention. In comparison, the Japanese-built Civic Type R is based on a family-friendly sedan, and the car looks a little clumsy, as if its speed parts had been applied as an afterthought.
Yet the Japan-spec Type R is simply in a different league than its European counterpart. It weighs exactly 2,800 pounds just like the Brit-spec R, yet just about every major piece of hardware has been tweaked, including the engine, the body structure, the suspension and the brakes.
This is the quickest front-wheel-drive Type R ever built.
Suzuka Circuit, the Type R's Spiritual Home
To ensure that we fully understood the Type R's elevated position in a domestic lineup riddled with ho-hum family-oriented minivans, Honda invited us to drive the car at Suzuka Circuit. This Honda-owned facility is near many of the company's largest assembly plants and has hosted the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Japan until this year.
Suzuka is Honda's spiritual home, 3.6 miles of asphalt where the engineers come to gauge the goodness of their most ambitious cars and motorcycles. For Honda, this is hallowed ground, where back in 1990 company founder Sochiro Hondo himself invited Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna to drive the NSX, the first midengine supercar from Japan.
Suzuka's magical figure-8 layout features long straightaways, high-speed bends, tricky double-apex corners and a notorious series of high-speed esses. Once Honda disconnects the Civic Type R's government-mandated governor, which limits the top speed of every car in this country to 115 mph, we're free to push the car to its limit.
Inheriting 222 Horses
Soon enough we're screaming along the long, slightly uphill back straightaway toward the famous flat-out bend known as 130R and we're too nervous to look down to see exactly how fast we're going.
While the Euro-spec Civic Type R employs basically the same DOHC 2.0-liter inline-4 as the 197-hp power plant of the U.S.-spec Civic Si, this Japan-spec engine is different. It starts as the 2.0-liter four-cylinder of the Accord Euro R that's sold in the Japanese market. With a larger throttle body, an intake manifold that features 5mm larger ports that have been polished just like an NSX manifold, and a taller compression ratio of 11.7:1, the K20A spins out 222 hp at 8,000 rpm, some 111 hp per liter.
This engine effortlessly revs to its 8,400-rpm redline, roaring in that high-pitched way that announces Honda's step-type i-VTEC variable valve timing. Up against the turbocharged 2.5-liter engine of the Ford Focus ST with its 236 lb-ft of torque, the Type R's 159 lb-ft of torque at 6,100 rpm seems a little inadequate. But as long as you're willing to stand on the gas and keep the engine hovering around 5,800 rpm where i-VTEC can do you some good, you'll have plenty of pulling power on tap.
In addition, the closely spaced ratios of the six-speed transmission help make sure you're always in the right gear. Third gear is effectively 4 percent shorter, and a 4th and 5th gear stack up shorter as well. The helical-type limited-slip differential (absent from the European Type R) effectively sends more torque to the outside front wheel in a corner, so the car carves the asphalt as it leaves an apex behind.
Mitsuru Kariya, chief engineer for the Civic Type, says, "Drivers will feel the difference working through the gears. They're accurate, pinpoint and the car tells you exactly what's happening. This car shines on a track."
We agree with him. Very few cars give you such a thrill for so little money as the Type R. When this car's unique tachometer starts to light up as you pass through various "REV" stages from 5,800 rpm to 8,000 rpm, you know you're in something quite special.
Handling the Power
Improved chassis rigidity also sets apart the Japanese-spec Type R from its British counterpart. The sedan features 50 percent greater rigidity than the coupe thanks to reinforced front and rear bulkheads, thicker crossmembers and a stouter front subframe.
The sedan's double-wishbone rear suspension also complements the front MacPherson struts. The Type R has stiffer springs (especially in the rear), yet the dampers seem to be a match for them, and there's stiffer bushings for the front antiroll bar.
As you'd expect, the Type R turns in exquisitely at the limit and there are bundles of grip through the 225/40R18 Potenza RE070s. The tires send loads of information to you through the steering wheel and the car is superbly balanced, with almost no understeer. The combination of a rigid chassis, aggressive suspension, responsive steering and sticky Potenzas enable the Type R to carry huge speed through the corners.
As you approach Suzuka's first big corner at the end of the pit straight, you wash off the excess speed instantly as the four-piston Brembo calipers clamp down on big 12.6-inch rotors. Even after six testing laps of Suzuka, these outstanding brakes won't fade. Stick your foot into this sedan through Suzuka's famous Esses and the rear end comes around just enough to follow the line set by the front tires. Get the weight forward and turn in quickly and the tail will slide, but correction is progressive and the whole process is low on stress.
Looking the Part
When you're behind the wheel of this Type R, it doesn't look quite like the game console you find in the Euro-spec car, but it's still enough to overload the senses. The three-tone interior treatment of red, black and silver really sets the mood. Of course there's a big red start-stop button, which is appearing in every performance car these days.
Since this is a sedan and not a coupe, there's enough headroom for a 6-foot-2 driver, even while wearing a helmet. A unique driver seat with a reinforced frame helps to hold you firmly in place even as you carve through 130R corner.
The exterior looks mundane from a distance, yet the bodywork features some worthwhile changes, including different front and rear bumper covers and a rear aero diffuser.
Too Cheap
At a price of about $25,000 in Japan, the Civic Type R seems pretty affordable thanks to the weak currency-exchange value of the Yen, especially compared to the $34,000 price of the Brit-made Type R. Honda has limited production of the Type R to 400 per month, and predictably it's selling every one.
Just when you think the world of high performance might be passing Honda by, the 2007 Civic Type R shows us that this company has a real motorsport tradition and knows what to do with it. Now, if they'd just find a place for this car in the States.
05-01-2007 | 10:47 AM
#270
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06-21-2009 | 02:59 AM
#272
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First look at Mugen’s Euro-spec Honda Civic Type-R
From Motor Authority...
http://www.motorauthority.com/first-...ic-type-r.html
Honda is currently prepping an even higher performance version of its European Civic Type-R that’s set for release in the UK in the third quarter, with other markets to follow shortly after. The latest version has been inspired by last year’s Civic Mugen RR concept vehicle and has been developed by in-house Honda tuner and performance accessories division Mugen.
The new engine is based on the regular 2.0L Type-R unit but thanks to a number of subtle performance mods, output of the high-revving naturally aspirated engine rise to 237hp (177kW) and 160lb-ft (217Nm) of torque. Other modifications include uprated shocks and springs and Mugen’s new 'I-TCMS' tire monitoring system. Brembo has also been called in to supply huge 12.6in slotted discs up front and 11.1in units in the rear.
The main aim of the game, however, is weight reduction and in the case of the latest Mugen Civic Type-R engineers have removed the rear seats and added lighter carbon-fiber accessories. New lightweight 18in alloys and a pair of Recaro bucket seats also make the cut.
Production will be extremely limited, with only a few dozen cars planned. If you aren’t able to get your hands on one, the new Ford Focus RS and Renault Megane R26.R should offer similar performance and hot-hatch thrills.
The new engine is based on the regular 2.0L Type-R unit but thanks to a number of subtle performance mods, output of the high-revving naturally aspirated engine rise to 237hp (177kW) and 160lb-ft (217Nm) of torque. Other modifications include uprated shocks and springs and Mugen’s new 'I-TCMS' tire monitoring system. Brembo has also been called in to supply huge 12.6in slotted discs up front and 11.1in units in the rear.
The main aim of the game, however, is weight reduction and in the case of the latest Mugen Civic Type-R engineers have removed the rear seats and added lighter carbon-fiber accessories. New lightweight 18in alloys and a pair of Recaro bucket seats also make the cut.
Production will be extremely limited, with only a few dozen cars planned. If you aren’t able to get your hands on one, the new Ford Focus RS and Renault Megane R26.R should offer similar performance and hot-hatch thrills.
06-21-2009 | 12:49 PM
#277
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Honda is currently prepping an even higher performance version of its European Civic Type-R that’s set for release in the UK in the third quarter, with other markets to follow shortly after, excluding North America.
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