Honda has released new details about its forthcoming Civic Type R ahead of next month’s Paris motor show.
The all-new hot hatch – due in European showrooms next year – is expected to be the most extreme Type R yet.
Power will come from a 2.0-litre i-VTEC engine from Honda’s ‘Earth Dreams Technology’ series. Developing over 276 bhp, it will deliver more performance than any previous Type R car. That includes all generations of the Civic, plus the performance-oriented versions of the Integra, Accord and even the NSX.
As well as complying with Euro 6 emissions regulations, the new unit benefits from a turbocharger, boosting low-end power delivery.
Suehiro Hasshi, project leader for the Civic Type R at Honda R&D, said: “Honda has had four Type R model derivatives – the Civic, Integra, Accord and NSX. The engine in this new Honda Civic Type R is unrivalled against all of them in terms of raw power, torque and engine response.”
Complementing the new engine will be a number of additional dynamic features.
For better power delivery, an additional ‘steer axis’ mechanical system has been added to the front suspension involving two supporting ‘kingpins’. Honda engineers say they minimise torque steer and will allow the driver to fully exploit the car’s “exceptional driveability”.
Furthermore, a new four-point Adaptive Damper System has been developed specifically for the Type R that automatically adjusts the front and rear suspension damping force stiffness.
The new car will also continue to follow in the footsteps of its predecessors with a six-speed manual transmission.
Hasshi explained: “The manual transmission allows the drivers to select the gear they want, for example, down from fifth to third when approaching a corner. The concept of the new Civic Type R is to be the complete driver’s car so this was the best option.”
Honda says the all-new Civic Type R has been developed and engineered for European driving tastes. To be built at the company’s plant in Swindon, UK, it will arrive in dealerships during 2015.
Source: Honda
