Honda Civic Type R – Sportscar365

After years of US pilots settling for "Si" models as the ultimate expression of the sporty Civic, Honda has finally brought the Civic Type R to America .

Honda has been selling Civic Type Rs in Europe since 1997 but it's a first for us, and like the BMW M or Audi RS models, the Honda Type R is a step up from their Civic Si model standard and focuses more on ultimate performance than practical or economical. as well as.

Do not let the design and style of the Civic Type R fool you.

At first glance, with his large rear wing, his dividers and other appendages, it may look like something that was scribbled on a high school student's notebook during the study hall, but almost everything is there.

All Aero bits are designed to reduce lift, create supports, or help cool components such as brakes or the engine, and air intakes and vents are all used to direct the engine. cooling air where it is needed.

Honda provided compelling evidence for the sporting credentials of the Civic Type R when he released a video of the car that runs along the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 7 minutes 43.8 seconds, which is a record for a front-wheel drive production car.

Not content to beat everyone at the Ring, Honda also took the Civic Type R at Magny Cours and Spa-Francho r champions and also established lap records. 19659003] Powered by a 4-cylinder in-line 2-liter with a single-scroll turbo, the Civic Type R develops 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The only available gearbox is a six-speed manual transmission with a lightweight single-mass flywheel, and the front brakes feature 4-piston aluminum Brembo calipers with 13.8-inch rotors.

Maneuverability is provided by a two-axis front suspension multi-link configuration at the rear with adaptive dampers, as well as 245/30 ZR20 Continental SportContact 6 tights tires.

Torsional rigidity is 38% higher than the previous Type R (sold in Europe but not in the United States), and there is a helical limited slip differential.

As John Hindhaugh said, the Civic Type R is a car that creaks to drive. The engine is not particularly captivating like previous Honda engines at high speeds, but it offers linear power and there is no proper torque.

Maneuverability is exemplary, especially for a car with nearly two-thirds of its weight on the front axle, and there is virtually no understeer when going around bends.

The brakes are just fantastic, with incredible pedaling and stopping power, and the manual gearbox is one of the best I've ever experienced, with short throws and accurate and an incredible mechanical feel. in most modern cars that still have manual transmissions.

Honda offers three driving modes (Comfort, Sport and + R) that adjust the throttle response, dampers, steering and traction control.

I found myself leaving the car in Comfort mode to drive around the city and city and enjoy the sport mode on fun country roads.

R-type driving is firm but surprisingly compliant in Comfort mode, with maneuverability and body control increased by a few notches in Sport mode. The + R mode is better for the track. The seats are also excellent, offering excellent support for sporty driving while remaining comfortable for everything else.

I took the Civic Type R at Monticello Motor Club for some driving track, and the car was just as impressive there.

He was fast in straight lines and took turns at impressive speeds, with great balance and a minimum of roll and understeer, features that are often exacerbated when a car rides on a racetrack .

The brakes also held incredibly well during a few driving sessions.

Overall this was one of the best ready-to-use examples of a road car that is competent at a track day without no further modification or improvement. The only complaint I have had on the track is that I wish the exhaust to be a little stronger.

The competence of the Civic Type R as a road car is also what makes it a great racing car at the Pirelli World Challenge, where ] RealTime Racing competes with them in the TCR class.

"TCR cars are really incredible," says Peter Cunningham, owner of the team. "At Lime Rock, qualifying times for TCR were faster than GT4 cars (in GTS)." Certainly, the nature of the Lime Rock track helped and normally the GT4 cars are a little faster, but not much

"This gives you an indication of the performance level of these cars and they are also inexpensive compared to a GT4 car.

"We could not build one for what they sell, and the Honda has excellent chassis and reliability.We are still learning about the car, but right out of the box, the car was remarkably well developed and ready to go. "

Built by JAS Motorsport in Italy, the Honda Civic Type The TCR R race car has much more aerodynamics than the road car, but it's easy to see the relationship between the two cars and the car is much closer to the race car than other cars in the TCR class.

The Honda RealTime have had some great battles this year with the pair of Hyundai i30 N cars entered by Bryan Herta Autosport.

As of this writing, RealTime driver Ryan Eversley has seven podiums in eight races, including victories at VIR, Lime Rock and Portland. The championship battle at TCR will likely be the last race of the season at Watkins Glen on Labor Day weekend.

At $ 34,700, the Honda Civic Type R is a good deal. It undermines competitors like the Subaru WRX STi ($ 36,595) and the VW Golf R ($ 39,785) in prizes and is just as convenient with four doors and a trunk.

It's a car that you can drive everyday and that provides 28mpg on the highway, but it can also be enjoyed immensely during track days as it is delivered by the dealer. It may not have the more sober appearance of the STi or the VW, but you'll forget about it once you get behind the wheel.

For more information, go to automobiles.honda.com/civic-type-r