Rumor Mill: Honda Civic Type R to Get Even Wilder

The Honda Civic Type R isn’t exactly subtle.

Its boy-racer styling and big wing announce its presence and mission with authority. It’s as if Honda is saying, “Hey, you want subtlety in a hi-po Civic? Get a Si.” Note: The Si is easily identifiable because of a spoiler of its own, albeit one that’s far less ostentatious.

If the current Type R doesn’t exactly blend, what does one make of the rumors swirling across the Internets this morning?

Rumors that suggest a bump of nearly 100 horsepower, up to 400, and the addition of all-wheel-drive?

If you’re a hot hatch fan or Honda stan, you probably sat up straighter in your chair.

Alas, rumors are just that, and there’s no telling, at this point, what the truth is. The Type R is an especially confounding case, as earlier rumors suggested the car might go all-electric, and then, later, it was said that nope, the car would remain purely fueled by petrol.

This particular rumor suggests a hybrid setup, with the 2.0-liter turbo four mating to two electric motors, with the gas engine powering the front wheels and the electric motors motivating the rears. If that setup sounds familiar, it’s like the Acura NSX, only reversed.

All told, the powertrain will make “nearly” 400 horsepower, according to Motor1’s translation of BestCarWeb.jp, a Japanese automotive Web site.

No word on transmission, but a hybrid setup would seem to imply an automatic of some sort. On the other hand, the stick in the current Type R is so sublime that it makes a strong argument, and both the current Si and Type R are manual-only. Automatics may have caught up to – and in some cases, surpassed – manuals in terms of performance and fuel economy, but some cars draw buyers because they keep the manual flame burning, and these Civics fit that bill.

On the other hand, I’ve been told off-record by Honda folks that the next Accord might ditch the stick. So Honda may be following the rest of the industry in realizing that enthusiast cred, but a low take rate, isn’t worth it.

Regardless of available transmission(s), a 400-hp hot hatch with all-wheel-drive grip is nothing to sneeze at.

Again, though, rumors are just that, and there have been many swirling about the Type R. As noted above, they’re all over the place, with no one line of speculation being dominant. And Honda execs have been publicly vague.

We reached out to Honda for comment, with a spokeswoman telling us, “No comment on future product.”

The best guess for the appearance of the next-gen Type R is the 2022 model year. Given that possible timing, it could be a while before any official announcement is made. Until then, take all rumors with a grain of salt, but feel free to daydream about a 400-horsepower AWD Type R.

[Image: Honda]