Honda’s latest, more refined Civic Type R is the biggest-selling 3-door hot hatch in the UK. From its launch in March ‘07 to the end of February, a total of 5,192 customers got hold of the keys to a Type R, making it Britain’s most popular performance hatchback.Over the same period, Ford sold 4,778 of the 3dr Focus ST (all variants), while the 3dr Golf GTI (incl. Edition 30) recorded a total of 1,984 sales.
And that’s not all. Here are some more Type R facts from the past 12 months:
- In response to previous Type R customers’ pleas for a more refined, high specification cabin, Honda introduced the GT grade - and a huge 90 per cent of customers opt for this more comfortable, better-equipped Civic
- Customer demand for higher-specced, more comfortable Type Rs is displayed by the sale of just one of the stripped-down, lightweight models(with no parcel shelf, stereo equipment or audio speakers)
- The current residual value for the Civic Type R GT is an amazing 52 per cent (3 years / 60,000 miles) - this compares favourably with both the Focus ST (44 per cent) and Golf GTI (47 per cent), according to CAP data
- 58 per cent of 3-door Civic sales are to conquest customers
- During 2007, the Civic Type R won Top Gear magazine’s Hot Hatch of the Year and scooped the same award in Auto Express’ New Car Honours
The natural gas-powered Civic GX, stood first in the list of American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) ’Greenest Vehicles of 2008’. The Civic GX wins this award for the fifth consecutive year making it the most eco-friendly car available to the public. Three other Honda vehicles that featured in the list were the gasoline powered Civic, Fit and Civic Hybrid, which made up one-third of the cars.
Introduced in 1998, the Civic GX, is the cleanest internal combustion vehicle certified by the EPA, and is 90% cleaner than the average gasoline-powered car on the road today. Equipped standard with a 5-speed automatic transmission, its 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder engine delivers 113 horsepower and 109 ft-lbs of torque while meeting federal Tier 2-Bin 2 and ILEV zero evaporative emission certification standards and carries the "Cleanest on Earth" title.
"Honda continues to set the standard for socially and environmentally-responsible automotive products and our commitment to alternative fuels will further expand with the zero emissions FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle coming to market this summer," stated John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda.
The entire list of eco-friendly winners for 2008:
HONDA CIVIC GX
TOYOTA PRIUS
HONDA CIVIC HYBRID
SMART FORTWO CONVERTIBLE / COUPE
TOYOTA YARIS
NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID
TOYOTA COROLLA 1.8L
MINI COOPER / CLUBMAN
FORD FOCUS
TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID
HONDA CIVIC
HONDA FIT
Mugen presented at the Tokyo Auto Salon the Type-RR Exeperimental Spec, a version that replace the entire front clip with carbon fiber pieces and a stunning aluminum bonnet.
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Honda Access Corporation, manufacturer of genuine Honda aftermarket parts and accessories, announced that it will feature two Modulo concept vehicles in its exhibition at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2008 with NAPAC, to be held from Friday, January 11, to Sunday, January 13, 2008, at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Japan.
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Honda launched a new version of the Civic in UK with enhanced exterior styling that represents excellent value for money. Called the SE+, the new model’s distinctive 16-inch alloys, body-coloured skirts and spoiler give it sporty looks, designed to appeal to the Civic’s increasingly youthful customer. It is powered by Honda’s 1.4-litre i-DSi engine and costs just £14,900 on-the-road.
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