Most Powerful Ever Honda Civic Type R is Here
When it comes to the name Civic, it is not difficult to imagine a fun, responsive, & efficient vehicle with well-defined driving dynamics. The model recently touched the milestone of 50 years in production and almost reached 30 million in total sales since its launch in 1972. Civic is Honda’s most awarded global model since its inception & the longest-running nameplate. Civic has evolved in various body styles & engine configurations since its first generation, which includes a 3-door hatchback, 5-door hatchback, a 5-door wagon, a 4-door conventional sedan, and a 2-door coupe, although their availability was market-based. Besides different body styles, Honda enthusiasts were also offered Civic in performance versions based on the regular model, meaning Honda Civic Type R.
Honda Civic Type R
If you follow Honda, you might have heard about the “TYPE R” badge. As per Honda, “R” is short for racing, and it appeared first in 1992 on one of the iconic Honda NSX Sportscar variants. Later it appeared on Honda Integra, also marketed under the Acura brand in North America. Type R emblem also emerged on the 6th generation Accord. But the “R” is associated more with Civic than any other Honda model, and we can say it has become exclusive to Civic.
Generations At Glance
The 1st generation model was based on the 6th gen EK9 Civic, a 3-door hatchback. The 7th generation Civic provided bases of the 2nd generation Type-R, again a 3-door hatchback/ EP3. The 3rd generation Type-R Civic was based on the 8th gen Civic and was offered in a 4-door sedan/FD2 [ Japan only ], while the global model was a 3-door hatchback/FN2.
The 4th gen Type-R came along with the 9th generation Civic; this time, it was a 5-door hatchback/FK2. The most recent and the current 5th gen Type-R is based on the 10th-generation Civic with chassis code FK8. “CTR,” short for Civic Type-R, evolved with every generation, but the main DNA, which is known for lightweight, power, handling & driving dynamics, remained intact and kept on improving.
Official Launch
With the launch of the 11th generation Civic, speculations about the next generation of CTR were obvious, and camouflaged prototype vehicles were seen in Europe and Japan. After numerous teasers, today, Honda global officially revealed the next generation of CTR and became part of 30 years celebration of Type -R badge and 50-year Civic nameplate. Like previous generations, the 6th generation of Civic Type R with chassis code FL5 is based on the Civic hatchback body style and, this time, the 11 generation Civic hatchback. By the way, this time, automotive enthusiasts are much more anxious for a new model because of the recently revealed Toyota GR Corolla. Let’s go over it.
Honda Civic Type R
Honda global launched the new generation simultaneously in Japan as well as North America via the release of an online video and some press release photos. Most of the technical details are still not available and will be shared at a later stage and possibly by the fall of 2022. As per Honda, the new Civic Type R is the most powerful model in the 30-year history of Type-R & is engineered to deliver a thrilling driving experience both on the road and track. CTR is based on the 11th generation Civic hatchback, but it has its own exclusivity both on the interior and exterior.
Exterior
The previous generation CTR was criticized for its boyish racer look and number of fake exhaust vents, but the new model is toned down as far as exterior styling and with more functional aesthetics. The new CTR is wider, lower, and slightly longer comparing the previous generation, which gives it a more muscular and sporty stance. Aerodynamics are also improved with improved downforce and improvement in coefficient of drag.
On the front, compared to the standard hatchback, the CTR gets a more sporty & an aggressive bumper with a honeycombed grille with a Type-R badge whereas you will also notice a new air extractor placement on the bonnet to release hot air from the engine bay . LED headlights remain identical to what we have seen on the Civic sedan or standard hatchback. Like the previous generation, the side sill behind the front wheels to release hot air for better cooling of brakes. CTR also gets wider & bulkier front and & rear fenders comparing regular hatchback, which adds to the overall stance. CTR follows similar styling on the rear as seen on the standard hatchback as far as LED taillights, but there is a slightly different bumper with vertical vents having reflectors, lower diffuser valance with triple exhaust pipe similar to the previous generation.
And as this is Civic’s performance model, how can you miss a spoiler and a Type-R badge. The new gen has 265/30/R19 wheels which are smaller than previous gen 245/30/R20 size, but now these are wider and retain Michelin Pilot Sport 4S performance. Official pictures show 4-piston Brembo brakes with red calipers. The sunroof, available on the regular hatchback, is not available on the CTR and is most likely to keep the curb weight lower.
Interior
Like the exterior, the interior of the new CTR is from the regular Civic hatchback and obviously similar to the interior of a sedan. But yet again, there are exclusive Type-R touches. Like in typical Type -R fashion, red suede seats will be standard, while you will find red stitching across the interior like door panels, central armrest & steering wheel.
The headliner remains black, while there will be red carpet mats for the first time in the US, although those were available in other markets in previous generations. You will find a polished metal gear knob like the previous generation, while anodized aluminum metal plating can be seen on the central console and leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Again to cut down on unnecessary weight, there will be manual seat adjustment, and there will be no heated seats, although these features are available on certain variant of standard hatchback.
There will be a metal plate on passenger side air vents that will reflect the Civic Type-R’s specific unit number. This plate used to be on the central console of the previous generation. There is a fully digital 10.2-inch customizable instrument cluster with Type-R specific interface.
The driver can switch to regular dial-type digital gauges or a horizontal bar-type layout in an R+ driving mode. There will be a 9-inch LCD infotainment screen that can be integrated with your cell phone again, similar to the regular Civic hatch or sedan. But there are additional features specific to Type-R like Honda LogR, a data-logger useful for the track. This can record lap times and also share other engine-specific data as well as other mechanical and suspension details.
Mechanicals
This was the area enthusiast were most anxious about, but unfortunately, Honda didn’t share any performance numbers. Honda did share that the new model will be powered by a 2.0L turbocharged K20C1 engine, a carry-over from the previous generation but with improvements. Transmission is also a 6-speed manual only with a rev-matching system, similar to the previous generation but with updates. Although Honda didn’t release any power figures, they did say that it is the most powerful model in Type-R history.
The previous generation using the same engine and transmission was making 316hp & 400Nm of torque for European, Japanese, and other right-hand drive markets, while the North American model was making 306hp with a similar 400Nm of torque. So, we can assume that the new generation might be making over 316hp, and some rumors suggest around 320HP. Again, we will know the exact numbers later this year. Type-R remains FWD/ Front Wheel Drive only & Honda promises an enhanced suspension & steering performance. As per Honda, the new model has a more rigid chassis and is lightweight compared to the previous generation.
We can expect the new model to improve, and Honda also verified that the new Type-R set a new production front-wheel drive car record at Suzuka Circuit in Japan, which is home to Formula 1 Japan Grand Prix 2022. The new model is also Nurburgring-tuned and tested.
Remember that the previous generation also set a front wheel record at Nürburgring at 7min 43.8 seconds completing the lap. However, it was broken by Renault Megane R.S. Trophy-R [ 7 minutes 40.1 seconds ]. Renault’s record was taken away by Lynk & Co 03 Cyan by completing the lap at 7 minutes 20.14 seconds, although this model was a one-off and not a series production. We are not sure if Honda will attempt for a new record at Nürburgring.
Price and Launch
Exterior colors will be Rallye Red, Racing Blue Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl, Sonic Grey & Championship White. There is no pricing yet, but it is expected to start at around $40,000 in the US.
Lastly, the new CTR will be available later this year as the model year 2023, with production in USA and Japan for domestic and global exports. The previous generation was produced exclusively at the Honda Swindon plant in the UK, but Honda has shut down that factory and moved production of various Honda models to other regions, including Type-R.