The Honda Civic Type R is an awesome machine, and it got even cooler with the latest generation when Honda decided to bring it to U.S. shores and finally gave us a taste of the once forbidden fruit. With 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque on tap, it’s the definition of Japanese-bred hot hatch. It’s also the fastest car that’s spun its front two wheels around the Magny-Cours track. And, in a weird turn of events, Honda engineers have decided to chop one up and turn it into a proper pickup truck. Yes; a pickup truck. And, the weird part is that it’s pretty damn cool.

The Civic Type R Pickup

So, what does it take to turn a Civic Type R into a pickup truck? Well, a lot. The guys in the Project Engineering Department at Honda’s U.K. factory took a pre-production prototype and turned it into what you see here. It involved ripping out the rear seats, chopping off part of the roof, and building a custom flat loading area. The rear deck lid remains, and the guys over at Honda were even able to preserve the massive rear wing. That, on the other hand, isn’t fixed anymore, though, as it conveniently moves out of the way to facilitate easier loading. The Type R pickup even carries the same taillights and unique exhaust outlets. And, to make matters even better, it has that cool bar in the rear that actually makes it somewhat feasible for road use… somewhat.

“We have a special projects division at the factory in Swindon, and this project was a fantastic opportunity for the team to show just what their creative minds could do,” Alyn James, project lead, comments. “The passion that our engineers have for Honda is shown in our latest creation, and we are even considering taking it to the Nurburgring to see if we can take the record for the fastest front wheel drive pickup truck!”

With that quote in mind, Honda could very well take it the Nurburgring to set a record for the fastest front-wheel drive pickup, but that’s where this concept ends. The Type R pickup has no hope of ever becoming a production model, even if it could be considered road-going. Considering the fact that Honda may take it to the track really hints at its road-worthiness. Or, at the very least, its structural integrity, we’re not sure there’s quite a market out there for it. Then again, the world is going crazy over trucks and SUVs right now, so it's really not all that outlandish. For now, just know that Honda thinks it will hit the 62-mph sprint in less than six seconds on the way to a top speed of 165 mph – not bad for a front-wheel-drive hatchback turned pickup, huh?

Honda Civic Type R Performance Specifications

Engine Type

Turbocharged In-Line 4-Cylinder

Turbocharger

Single-Scroll MHI TD04 with Internal Wastegate

Boost Pressure

22.8 psi

Displacement (cc)

1,996

Horsepower (SAE net)

306 HP @ 6,500 RPM

Torque (SAE net)

295 LB-FT @ 2,500-4,500 RPM

Fuel economy (City/Highway/Combined) (mpg)

22 / 28 / 25

Curb Weight (lbs.)

3,117

0 to 60 mph

4.9 seconds

Quarter-mile

13.5 seconds at 108 mph

Top Speed

169 mph


References

Read our full review on the 2017 Honda Civic Type R.

Read our full review on the 2018 Honda Civic.

Read more Honda news.