Honda Sports Cars

Honda didn’t forget about those Type R customers that live for track days and track days only, so it came up with a more circuit-oriented, limited-run Civic Type R that can only be had in one body color.

So, if the regular Honda Civic Type R wasn’t light enough for you, then please do check out the 2021 Type R Limited Edition, which Honda dubs as “the ultimate street-legal track-focused variant” of the Civic Type R. Oh, and it’s supposed to arrive on U.S. soil later this year, so hopefully future owners won’t have to wait a lot to get it.

The current-generation Honda Civic Type R has been around since 2017. It caused a ruckus when it first arrived, but like all things hyped, the frenzy surrounding the Civic Type R died down. Expectations among fans and customers were satisfied and it wouldn’t be until Honda gave the Civic Type R a mid-cycle refresh that the hype once again started to rise to a crescendo.

Well, that time has come. Honda unveiled the updated Civic Type R at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show with a few notable upgrades on its bodywork and its mechanical components.

The Honda S2000 hasn’t been in production since 2009, but that’s not stopping Honda from celebrating the roadster’s 20th anniversary at the 2020 Tokyo Auto Salon in January. As part of the celebration, Honda is showcasing the S2000 20th Anniversary Prototype, a modern-day interpretation of the second-generation S2000 AP2, which was discontinued exactly a decade ago. Honda currently has no plans to revive the S2000, so the 20th Anniversary Prototype is most likely a special effects package that will be offered to existing owners of the S2000 AP2. The package includes a body kit, though there are reports that an upgraded suspension will also be included. Engine upgrades, however, are unlikely to be part of the package.

Honda has not been doing well in the European market and has made some big plans to boost its sales. By 2025, the Japanese giant will electrify all of its models in Europe. And, this is where the Civic Type-R comes into the picture. Based on the comments made by a senior Honda executive at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, the next-gen Honda Civic Type-R will be electrified alongside a drastic change in design direction from the sharp and angular image of recent generations. Will the Civic Type-R’s performance remain the same even then?

Hyundai has to be applauded for creating the i30N, its first ever hot hatch, which is not only good for a first effort but genuinely good even when compared to offerings from automakers with much more experience in the segment. So, since they’re aiming for the top in this segment, it’s thoroughly justified to try out the i30N against the fastest front-wheel-drive hot hatch currently on sale, the Honda Civic Type R.

If you’re still dreaming of the Honda S2000’s amazing 100-horsepower/liter figure that was an industry benchmark in the sports car class for years, there’s now a new benchmark, at least in the S2000 world. As expected, it’s highly modified but in an unusual way: it sports the drivetrain from a Tesla Model S P100D.

Discontinued back in 2009, the S2000 remained the backbone of many modified rides over the years. This white example, nicknamed "Model S2000", is one of the raddest yet. It’s employing parts from the Tesla Model S and the Chevrolet Volt to tear up the dragstrip and seamlessly tick a quarter-mile time of 10.24 without much hassle. And that’s only the beginning.

Keep on reading to learn more about this cool S2000 EV.

Even if you’re a diehard domestic lover with a heart made of American iron and spare V-8’s, ‘ya gotta give it up for the Honda Civic Type R. Over the year, the H Badge has worked hard to refine and polish this FWD hero to a gleaming finish, and the latest fifth-generation FK8 that dropped in 2017 at the Geneva Motor Show brings all the tricks and innovation together into a single high-speed package. To prove its worth, the new R’d-out Civic has been on a worldwide tour, smashing lap records as it goes, with the latest fast results coming out of a trip to Portugal.

Continue reading for the full story.

The latest Honda Civic Type R was introduced just a year ago, but the Japanese firm is already working on a facelift. A revised prototype with mild camouflage over its front and rear fascias was spotted testing on public roads, and it seems that Honda is planning to replace the hatchback with an updated version in 2019.

The Honda Civic Type R has broken another front-wheel-drive lap record to add to its growing list of records it already has under its belt. This time around, the Civic Type R went to Silverstone in the U.K. to claim a new lap record for a front-wheel-drive production car with a time of 2:31.320, beating the previous record that was held by the previous-generation Civic Type R.

It’s been some time since the new Honda Civic Type R hit the market and the Japanese hot hatch is still making headlines. On top of bringing it to the U.S. for the very first time, Honda is also using the Type R to set records for FWD cars on Europe’s most iconic race track. After setting new benchmarks on the Nurburgring and Magny-Cours GP circuits, the Type R established a new record on Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps track too.

The Honda Civic Type R continues to set benchmarks after posting a front-wheel-drive production car lap record at Spa Francorchamps. The hot hatch monster recorded a scintillating lap time of 2:53.72 at one of the world’s most famous race tracks, doing so with the help of Super GT driver and LMP2 champion Bertrand Baguette.

Okay, so you can’t just stop by your local Honda dealer and roll off the lot in a $36,000 Civic Type R without paying a penny. But, if you play Forza 7, you can get one for free and – in this case – that’s the next best thing. The free Civic Type R comes as part of the May update that addresses the locked-liveries bug and kicks off a month of honoring none other than Honda. What a better way to do so than to give everyone a free Civic Type R, right?

The best part is, you don’t even have to do anything really. Well, if you’re a Car Pass player, you don’t. Those who have Car Pass will find the car sitting in their garage as soon as they download the update. If you don’t have Car Pass, don’t worry – it’s free for you too, you just have to go to the buy cars screen and pick it out of the lineup. Again, it won’t cost you anything, so what are you waiting for? Go get your 306-horsepower track monster and see what it’s like to drive it, at least in the virtual world, anyway.

Reports are coming in, and it looks like the Honda Civic Type R will see a small price increase starting in May of 2018. As Cars Direct reports, the Civic Type R will see a baseline price increase of $600, raising the entry cost to $35,595 including destination which also saw a $5 increase across the board. This isn’t the first time the Civic Type R has seen a price increase but nearly triple that of the $215 price increase that went into effect for November 2017. For what it’s worth, the entire Civic lineup sees an increase, but models below the Type R will only increase by $100.

This news comes right on the heels of Ford’s announcement to execute damn near all of its car lineup, including the Focus RS, at least for now. If Ford doesn’t bring the next-gen Focus RS to U.S. shores, the Civic Type R will have just one true competitor, the Volkswagen Golf R – a model that comes in at $5,040 more than the Type R as of the time of this writing. Of course, you could count the Subaru WRX STI as a competitor, and we do, but – despite its similar performance – it’s not really a hatchback. It’s also more expensive, though, hitting the wallet for a minimum of $36,995 or $1,400 more if you include Subaru’s $860 destination charge.

So, while Honda has increased the pricing of the Civic Type R mid-year, with no sign of any improvement whatsoever, it’s still the cheapest performance hatchback on the market, even if you include the non-hatch WRX STI.

The Honda Civic Type R has quite a legacy to its name, though none of it happened on American soil. Thankfully, that’s changed for 2017 as Honda has finally brought the Type R Stateside. In fact, its turbocharged engine is made in Ohio before being shipped to Wiltshire, England for assembly in the car. That’s right, this Japanese hot hatch has an American heart and is born in Britain. How’s that for multi-cultural? But more than that, the Type R’s appearance on U.S. soil means we finally have the chance to compare it to its fiercest rivals – the Ford Focus RS, Subaru WRX STI, and Volkswagen Golf R.

As it turns out, I’ve driven each of the competitors. Each are immensely fun and worthy of loads of respect over their engineering and outright impressive performance. The Type R joins those ranks with the same impressive level of technical wizardry and high-tech manufacturing techniques. I’ll dive into some of that, along with comparing it to the RS, Subi, and Golf R. It will be a fun ride, so read along.

Continue reading for more on the 2017 Honda Civic Type R.

Recently published patent images show that Honda has a new, simplified air dam design that increases strength and rigidity, while simultaneously improving air flow as well. The patents also show what appears to be the new air dam attached to a second-generation NSX, spurring rumors that the H Badge could be cooking up a go-faster Type R iteration of its hybrid supercar.

Continue reading for the full story.

A Rallye Red 2017 Honda Civic Type R has graced my driveway for the last week. Visible from my office window, the hot hatch just begs to be driven – and driven hard. It’s a Nürburgring-tuned monster with an appetite for the Ford Focus RS, Subaru WRX STI, and Volkswagen Golf R, yet is rather livable doing everyday, mundane trips around town. Honda somehow engineered the Type R to do both, though the phrase about being a jack of all trade and master of none definitely applies.

The Type R is based on the Civic Hatchback but receives extra structural adhesives for a more rigid chassis. It also gets a unique suspension system, complete with adaptive dampers, stiffer spring rates, and thicker anti-roll bars. And of course, the Type R has its own powertrain – a souped-up version of the Accord’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. Here it makes 306 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 295 pound-feet of torque from 2,500 up to 4,500 rpm. Honda chose to forego a complex and heavy all-wheel-drive system like the Ford, Subaru, and Volkswagen; instead, going with a front-wheel drive setup that allows for an extremely respectable curb weight of only 3,100 pounds. It’s this combination of light weight and rigidity that make the Type R what it is. And now that you know Honda’s recipe, here’s how the final product tastes.

Continue reading for more on the 2017 Honda Civic Type R.

At its heart, the Honda Civic Type R is still a Civic hatchback. That’s the key. It still offers 25.7 cubic feet of cargo room behind the rear seats, an impressive 46.2 cubic feet with them folded, and will comfortably hold two adults when not. The Civic Type R’s only downfall compared to its more pedestrian brother is its missing second-row middle seat. Everything else (size wise) remains unchanged through the Type R-ification.

What’s that mean? The 306-horsepower hot hatch makes a good daily driver. There’s room for a trip to IKEA, car seats fit just fine, and all the niceties like dual-zone climate controls abound. But there is more to being a good daily driver than just having room for people and their stuff. Factors like ride quality, sound levels, seat comfort, and fuel economy are also at play. Keep reading for the details on how these factors, well… factor into the Civic Type R’s daily livability.

Continue reading for more on the 2017 Honda Civic Type R.

The Honda Civic Type R is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder constructed from aluminum. It uses Honda’s proven VTEC system to phase the timing of the 16 overhead valves. Rotational mass is kept down thanks to sodium-filled exhaust valves and lightweight pistons. A short blip of the throttle will have the 2.0-liter screaming at its 7,000-rpm redline in very short order. Thankfully, redline isn’t required for making peak horsepower. All 306 galloping ponies are in full stampede at 6,500 rpm and the 295 pound-feet of torque peak at only 2,500 rpm but stays through 4,500 rpm.

Temperatures are kept in check by an intercooler, a radiator, and four separate inlets into the engine bay. The lowest inlet in the grille chills the turbo’s intercooler while the space below the Honda H directs air to the engine’s radiator. The upper slot just below the hood is what feeds fresh air into the intake. Last but not least, the hood scoop is used to push cool air down the backside of the engine while relieving positive air pressure under the hood and thereby reducing lift.

More cooling happens via the oil jets that squirt the underside of the piston and the water-cooled, two-piece exhaust manifold. As for those oil jets, they not only cool the pistons and cylinder walls, they also provide a constant flow of lubrication.

After air leaves the unique exhaust manifold, it travels down a single exhaust pipe. Behind the rear axle, the pipe forks off into three seconds. The outer pipes go to large mufflers, while the center pipe feeds a resonator. The three each feel their own exhaust tip in the center of the bumper. Honda says the center resonator is used to control mid-rev booming inside the cabin, while the outer mufflers move vast amounts of air at high speeds. Interestingly, the center resonator actually generates negative pressure at higher revs. The result is a snarling yet not overbearing exhaust note – both from inside and outside the car.

Read our full, driven review of the 2017 Honda Civic Type R.

Continue reading for charts and stats.

The 2017 Honda Civic Type R has made massive waves in the hot hatch segment since its launch midyear. The Type R blazes its own trail with a different map that Ford and Subaru use for their Focus RS and WRX STI. The Honda lacks a fancy AWD system, drift mode, or some expensive Recaro or Sparco branded seats. Rather, Honda focused on reducing mass and aerodynamics. The aero work is clearly seen when looking at the car, but there’s more to the story than just tall spoilers and big intakes.

Rob Keough with Honda Civic Product Planning goes into deep detail on all the Type R’s aerodynamic surfaces and cooling ductwork in this five-minute video from Honda. Keough goes through the visual tour of the car’s thermal package first, showing the three separate intakes for the intercooler, radiator, and engine air intake. The hood-mounted scoop then channels air down and out of the engine bay. This not only helps relieve air pressure, but also reduces lift on the front wheels. A hidden air duct below the fog lights help cool the front brakes.

Around back, the wing is positioned high enough to not block rear visibility yet is thin enough to not cause any undue drag. Its angle and shape are positioned to create downforce at higher speeds, aided by vortex generators along the rear of the roof. Honda says the Type R has a drag coefficient of 0.26, which is incredibly low. By comparison, the Bugatti Chiron has a drag coefficient of .35 in its Top Speed mode. Yeah…

Of course, aerodynamics are only a part of the 2017 Civic Type R’s story. We’ll have more Type R content this week as we’ve got one in the driveway. Feel free to ask questions in the comments and we’ll answer them.