New Civic Type R makes Aus debut

The fifth-generation Civic Type R, which made its global debut at this year's Geneva Motor Show, will join the regular Civic sedan and Civic RS hatch in Australian showrooms in Q4, 2017, according to Honda.

 

Powering the new Civic Type R is the same 2.0-litre turbocharged VTEC four-cylinder engine as the outgoing model, but Honda says this latest version has been "optimised" to deliver 235kW and 400Nm, as well as improved throttle response and drivability. That's a mild increase on the 228kW and 400Nm from the current, fourth-generation version, but significantly up from the third-gen version - the last Civic Type R officially sold here - that produced only 148kW and 193Nm from a naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre VTEC four.

 

The standard six-speed manual transmission will gain a rev match control system, while under the skin, the new Type R chassis will be stiffer for improved handling stability, with a claimed increase in torsional rigidity of 38 per cent. Settings for the MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension have been recalibrated, making for a firmer ride, while also reducing torque steer.

 

The selectable driving modes will add a new "Comfort" setting to the existing "Sport" and track-focused "+R" modes. Each setting tailors the adaptive dampers, steering weight, gear shift feeling and throttle response to suit.

 

Externally, the upcoming Civic Type R has what Honda says is a more comprehensive aerodynamic package than the previous model, including a smoother underbody, front air curtain, lightweight rear wing and vortex generators at the trailing edge of the roof line, all designed to improve high speed stability.

 

While a staple in Europe and the UK (where this latest generation will be built), Honda has global ambitions for the new Civic Type R, which include offering it in North America for the first time.

Full specs, features and pricing for the Australian-delivered Honda Civic Type R will be announced closer to launch.