Today sees the worldwide reveal of the Honda Civic Type R Concept model which points to the styling direction for the exterior design of the forthcoming production version Type R that will debut in Europe during 2015.
Described by the design team as a ‘racing car for the road’ rather than a high performance version of a road car, the new Type R looks set to signal a new era for the marque – with arguably the most extreme Civic Type R yet.
The car’s exterior styling is heavily linked to performance and motorsport racing. Many of the design features offer real performance benefits, in addition to aesthetics, say the designers. The shape and angle of the stand-out rear spoiler, for example, has been designed to provide additional downforce, as a direct response to information gained through track testing at the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany. Additionally, the upper and lower front grilles have been enlarged and air outlets on the bonnet provide cooling for the engine. The front and rear fenders have been widened to accommodate 20-inch tyres and air outlets are integrated to improve airflow.
While further detail on performance is yet to be announced, Honda has confirmed that the forthcoming new Type R will be the first model in Europe to feature one of its brand new VTEC Turbo engines from the Earth Dreams Technology range. The two-litre, direct injection, four-cylinder turbo is expected to deliver output of at least 276 bhp and will be Euro 6 compliant. While turbo engines have not been seen in Honda’s production cars in Europe for some time, Honda has continued to develop turbo technology on the race track and in other regions. Honda says its return to WTCC in 2013 has been instrumental in gathering knowledge that has helped shape the new Type R, providing the development team with analysis and feedback on performance and styling collected from the track.
Honda is also using the 2014 Geneva Motor Show to showcase the powertrain layout of the next generation NSX, set to launch in 2015. Alongside this, Honda’s next generation Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) Concept, makes its European debut at the show, with the company confirming for the first time that the production version will be on sale in Europe from early 2016.
Source: Honda
