The Honda Civic Type R has an honored place in the hearts of many. So, when Honda announces a new Civic, millions of driving enthusiasts start to get excited about a new Civic Type R.
Honda introduced an all-new Civic just a few months ago. So, you know what’s coming.
The History
First, a little background. The Civic is one of the world’s best-loved compact sedans. Since 1972, it’s offered a combination of rock-solid reliability, affordable prices, and reasonably fun-to-drive handling. It’s been one of America’s best-selling cars for decades.
It also attracted the attention of performance-minded buyers from its earliest days. Buyers could turn the affordable little car into something track-worthy on a limited budget. By 1997, Honda caught on and started offering a hotter Civic on the showroom floor. Civic Type R’s have typically used weight reduction, stiffer suspension, boosted brakes, and other mechanical tweaks.
Type R models are typically the most expensive Civics. The 2021 model starts at $37,895. A replacement is likely to mean a slight price bump.
The Future
Honda’s latest Civic sedan debuted just this summer. It’s been a critical success, with a sportier feel and more restrained good looks than the previous Civic. So far, it’s appeared in sedan and hatchback form. But we haven’t seen its quickest variation yet.
Now, the Japanese company has published the first publicity photos of a new Type R, wrapped in camouflage (no one ever said the automotive world made sense). The company released no details, simply saying that the car was ready for testing on Germany’s demanding Nürburgring racetrack and would be introduced in full next year.
But we can tell a lot from the photos. The next Type R is based on the hatchback body style, but with a larger grille and new air intakes up front. We don’t know what sits under the hood. But it would make sense for Honda to use a version of the turbocharged 4-cylinder engine in the 2021 Type R. It currently makes 306 horsepower there.
The Type R features big fender flares up front, with rear vents – a trick automotive engineers usually use to get cooling airflow to a big set of brakes. A rear diffuser sits below three exhausts, the center one larger than the other two.
A large (for a Civic) wing sits on a lattice of struts above the rear hatch, looking like a miniaturized version of the wings on track versions of exotic cars.
It all rides on thin Michelin Pilot Sport summer tires on wheels that look larger than those found on the standard Civic.
The Competition
As a race-bred version of an affordable compact car, the Type R has almost no competition. Subaru will soon bring out an all-new WRX, but its rally genes mean it’s meant for dirt, not asphalt tracks. A new Hyundai Elantra N may move into the Type R’s neighborhood but is likely less powerful. The all-wheel-drive VW Golf R also makes a return next year.
