► Teaser video shows new Type R track testing
► Debut on July 21
► Turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine expected
The new Civic Type R will be revealed in July, according to a new release from Honda. The news comes with a fresh teaser of the hot-hatch, and follows a video of the new car testing at the Green Hell. The clip gives us our best look yet at the hot hatchback’s exterior styling, as well as an early glimpse at the car’s interior, ahead of its scheduled debut in summer 2022.
The teaser is equally generous, and shows a slightly tamer front-end than the anime-styled car currently on sale. You can read more about the new Type R below.
A super limited run
Honda has previously hinted that the new Civic Type R will go on sale in the UK in January 2023. Unlike the previous model, it’ll be sold in extremely limited numbers. A spokesperson for the brand recently told CAR Magazine that Honda is only planning to sell “a few hundred” examples of the hot hatchback in the UK to maintain its exclusivity.
Specs?
The formula for the new Civic Type R will be very similar to that of the outgoing car. We recently sat opposite some Honda executives, who said the next car will feature an evolution of the outgoing car’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. Expect an output upwards of 320bhp.
The next Type R is also certain to appeal to the purists. Unlike the standard car, which features Honda’s gearbox-less e:HEV hybrid system, the next hot Civic will feature a conventional drivetrain with a manual gearbox. It’ll stick with the same front-wheel drive layout as the old model, too.
Surely there’ll be some fancy suspension to support that much power?
You’re right there, Murray. 320bhp is an awful lot of poke to send through the front wheels – they’ve got enough on managing the steering and braking. For example, the Volkswagen Golf R (which has the same amount of power as the upcoming Civic Type R) features four-wheel drive.
But, because Honda’s hot hatchback is remaining fiercely front-wheel drive, we expect the brand’s engineers will fit a trick front differential to help transmit the engine’s power to the road. Other handling tweaks will include lower suspension, massive Brembo brakes and a huge rear wing.
In addition, the Type R will take advantage of the chassis improvements Honda’s engineers made to the standard Civic. These include stiffer suspension towers, lighter panels and an 18mm wider rear track. The hatchback’s overall torsional rigidity has also been improved by 22% thanks to a more liberal use of structural adhesive, which means the body will flex less when driving hard.
Kotoro Yamamoto, Technical Advisor for Honda Motor Europe, broke down the improvements to one of our staffers at the Civic’s European launch event. He also mentioned how the new Civic’s handling characteristics were specifically tailored to suit the demands of European roads. He said: “a car that works in Europe also works around the world.”
Honda hasn’t yet released a Nürburgring lap time for the next Civic Type R, but early signs suggest it’ll be quick. A prototype version of the hot hatchback recently lapped Suzuka circuit eight tenths of a second faster than the lightweight 2021 Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition, posting a time of 2 minutes 23.120 seconds. Watch this space.
You not going to mention the styling?
Between Honda’s teasers and our spy shots, we’ve almost seen every angle of the car. Underneath the mad camouflage wrap, we can make out several carry-overs from the previous-generation car, such as the deep front splitter and triple-barrelled exhaust poking out of an aggressive rear diffuser.
Price and interior
This new video marks the first time we’ve seen the new Type R’s cabin. It looks very similar to the standard Civic, sharing the same 9.0-inch infotainment system and 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster. However, the steering wheel (which features a different centre boss with a red Honda logo) is unique to the Type R model – and we’re expecting a fresh set of sports seats.
Prices are yet to be confirmed but, considering the standard Mk11 Civic will have a starting price of around £30,000, we’re expecting the Type R’s price to creep up towards the £40,000 mark. At that money (and that power output), it’ll be competing with the Volkswagen Golf R.
Read our Honda reviews here
