Honda Civic Type-R Ushers In The Turbo Era

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

As is standard operating procedure for Honda, the Civic Type-R has been revealed, nominally labeled a “concept”, even though the production car will look nearly identical.

This will be the first performance-minded Honda to use forced induction, with a 2.0L VTEC 4-cylinder making in excess of 278 horsepower thanks to turbocharging. Active dampers and a sport mode, dubbed “+R”, will give the new Civic the qualitative chops needed to compete with the Volkswagen Golf GTi, Ford Focus ST and other current generation hot hatches.

North American buyers will likely not get the wild looking hatch seen here, but hopefully the boosted VTEC four-banger makes its way here in the next Civic Si.



Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • ToolGuy 9 miles a day for 20 years. You didn't drive it, why should I? 😉
  • Brian Uchida Laguna Seca, corkscrew, (drying track off in rental car prior to Superbike test session), at speed - turn 9 big Willow Springs racing a motorcycle,- at greater speed (but riding shotgun) - The Carrousel at Sears Point in a 1981 PA9 Osella 2 litre FIA racer with Eddie Lawson at the wheel! (apologies for not being brief!)
  • Mister It wasn't helped any by the horrible fuel economy for what it was... something like 22mpg city, iirc.
  • Lorenzo I shop for all-season tires that have good wet and dry pavement grip and use them year-round. Nothing works on black ice, and I stopped driving in snow long ago - I'll wait until the streets and highways are plowed, when all-seasons are good enough. After all, I don't live in Canada or deep in the snow zone.
  • FormerFF I’m in Atlanta. The summers go on in April and come off in October. I have a Cayman that stays on summer tires year round and gets driven on winter days when the temperature gets above 45 F and it’s dry, which is usually at least once a week.
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