This is the new Honda Civic Type R, finally revealed at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show.
Based on the latest tenth-generation Civic, the new
Type R packs a 2.0-liter turbo four tuned to deliver 316 horsepower and 295
lb-ft of torque. That's hardly a big increase over the outgoing model, which
boasted the same torque figure with ten fewer horses.
Fortunately the new Civic Type R promises to improve
in other areas, including a 38% increase in torsional rigidity. The suspension
is also retuned “to minimize torque steer and maximize sporty handling,” with a
MacPherson strut setup at the front and independent multi-link system at the
back.
Power is delivered through a six-speed
manual with rev-matching function for perfect blip-shifts. There's also a new
driving-mode system that tailors the adaptive dampers, steering rack, shift
feel, and throttle response to the occasion – with a new Comfort setting that
ought to smooth out rougher surfaces when Sport or +R settings aren't called
for.
The new model encompasses a new aero kit that looks no less extreme, but
perhaps a bit better resolved with the base model's jet-fighter styling. Honda
promises “best-in-class balance between lift and drag” for better stability all
around.
The new Honda Civic Type R will be a
global product – and that includes the United States for the first time in the
model's history. Production is set to kick off this summer at Honda's UK
manufacturing site in Swindon.
