Next Civic Type R revealed
Honda’s new spoiler monster
Honda’s Civic is only available with a hybrid drive. But with the newly unveiled sports version called Type R, the Japanese carmaker saves electricity and relies entirely on fuel, spoilers and turbochargers. But one detail remains secret.
Honda’s Civic has never been boring. With the first generation, launched 50 years ago, the Japanese car manufacturer really took off in Europe for the first time. The third generation from 1983 was crowned by the mad CRX, a Thunderbolt with two doors and 125 hp. In the eighth generation, the cockpit looked as if you could use it to control a spaceship. And the athlete called Type R from the ninth generation set new standards: More spoilers no longer fit on a tailgate.
The new eleventh edition of the Civic is just rolling – in format a US hatchback sedan and only with hybrid drive. But despite electrification and CO₂ limits, there is another Type R. It doesn’t look quite as martial and polarizing as some of its predecessors. But one thing has to be: The slightly inclined XXL rear wing, which revives the 1980s. So that the power also gets to the ground, there are matt black 19-inch wheels, a huge front spoiler, large air outlets behind the front wheels and a powerful rear diffuser.
With built-in race track trainer
Inside, little differs from the normal hybrid Civic. You can now take the curve with the Alcantara steering wheel, but the real innovations are in the infotainment: A data logger collects performance data via the sensors in the vehicle and also transmits it to a smartphone app. No, you don’t need it on country roads, but if you’re driving on a race track, lap times, vehicle movements, the traction values of each tire and driving skills can be recorded and evaluated. There are driving modes from sport to racing mode +R. In an individual program, the engine, chassis and steering can also be tuned to your own taste.
The most important question comes: how much does he achieve? The two-liter four-cylinder was from the predecessor taken over, but the turbocharger and exhaust system have been revised in such a way that the new one should deliver more than the previous 320 hp (235 kW). But the horsepower is still a secret – as are the torque, acceleration values and top speed. Four-wheel drive and automatic transmission are still not available; the Civic Type R shifts manually. It starts at the beginning of 2023, but the prices have not yet been determined. Blick guesses at just under 50,000 francs.