Spied: 2017 Honda Civic Type R Boasts Brembo Brakes, Huge Exhausts. MotorTrend
September 4, 2015
By: Jake Holmes
Ever since Honda confirmed it would bring the Civic Type R to the U.S., and after we whetted our appetite driving the European model overseas, we've been eagerly awaiting the car's actual landing on this continent. Now, our spy photographers caught a prototype for the 2017 Honda Civic Type R testing in the U.S., giving us some signals about the car's design.
The 2017 Honda Civic Type R seen here carries over many of the body styling cues of the Euro-spec model. Its hatchback design boasts flared fenders to accommodate large, wide wheels and tires. Red-painted Brembo brakes are evident behind the wheels, while a trio of exhausts pokes out from the car's tail. It's possible the third exhaust tip is just a vestigial test component, although this prototype is also missing the enormous rear wing seen on Europe's production Type R.
Up front, look for Honda to use a direct-injection 2.0-liter turbo-four engine, which will direct 306 hp through a six-speed manual transmission and to the front tires, where a limited-slip differential will help quell torque steer and wheel spin.
This car, the Focus ST, Focus RS, the upcoming Fusion ST, and the Raptor are all great cars that help build positive brand image, both of the car's nameplate and the brand itself.
Can we get something to compete with them from Chevy, GM?! The Silverado should have a Raptor fighter, and we should get hotter versions of the new Cruze and new Malibu IMHO.
Acura in particular could use this 306 horsepower turbo-4. Imagine the TLX SH-AWD but removing the V-6 for this lighter, much torquier engine and a firmed up suspension with a more aggressive wheel-and-tire setup.
Probably just as many as Focus RS. And it's global, remember. Plus it'll be a legend for all the ricerboiz.
My brother-in-law is currently in love with VW/Audi and looking at another Passat or maybe an Audi (doubt that) but once he sees this I wouldn't be surprised if he gets that itch. It'll be big enough, a hatch, FWD, and he's a HUGE Honda fan. Prelude, Civics up the yin yang, one of his old POS Civic coupes he bought he swapped a K20 motor into. Rode around in it after Hurricane Sandy. Loads of fun, but definitely an embarrassment. He's grown up and found religion and started actually spending his money on things worth buying, like not hunks of junk and a house, so this could def be in his driveway.
That's true that it's global but it's still a small small small market.
Honda has been starving it's sporty fans for a long time so there is definitely pent up demand. People balked at $60k for a Camaro but what about a fully loaded Civic R for $40k?
Oh it's definitely still a small market, but development costs are prob next to nothing for a performance variant of a Civic. Consider that Honda has pretty much all the crossovers it could ever need and utterly dominates the retail mainstream sector in the US with a very positive relationship with consumers and an excellent reputation.
Honda's biggest problem right now is that it's too boring. If I had all my ducks in a row like Honda does, I would definitely pull the trigger on a high margin, low volume, high profile sports car variant of one of my most popular models.
As far as Camaro, people balk at a $60,000 Camaro because most Americans are whiney little babies. I guarantee the ZL1 did not disappoint in the sales department.
there is HOPEFULLY a CIVIC SI and SI-R for the LESS well healed buyers to look at
and a TYPE R at SS CAMARO prices is IMHO not a bad price for 300+ BHP as I doubt it will be "LESS"of a car - DIFFERENT but NOT less
It will be "less" of a "sports car" I would rather take 400 lb/ft of torque to the rear wheels then 300 lb/ft to the front wheels with no AWD option. Trust me I owned a Cobalt SS and all that torque to the front wheels is not fun compared to a Camaro, which I currently own plus a Chevy SS.
Add in the fact that it's cheaper to mod a Camaro and I think you get the point.
This sounds good, this why it is important for Gm to make a Cruze SS/Tru 140s using 2.0 turbo thats in the Cadillac ATS, 2.0 turbo with 300 Hp 290 lb-ft would be perfect. Gm needs to know that there is a customer base that do not want muscle cars like Camaro, mustang, Challenger but they prefer smaller rally/racer cars.
One thing I missed about the old GM was they'd give us several performance cars for a cheap price and low cost to maintain. They weren't the best (usually got torn apart vs. the better and pricier competition), but they had style and decent speed. Now all performance type vehicles have pricey Brembo brakes, corner and crazy speeds, synthetic oil, expensive rubber, etc. - all great stuff, but they really drive the cost of a car way up and out of reach of the young folks who want a sporty car. And once we are in the $35,000 range, why not step into a Camaro or Mustang?
GM needs to put a 180-200 hp engine in the Cruze or Sonic, maybe slightly bigger tires and a few stickers or spoilers to make it look sporty or whatever else they can do to keep the consumer price increase over the regular model to $2,000 or so..... Something equivalent to the Cavalier Z24. Sporty, image car - not an all out sports car.
I miss my Z24, but I did a bunch of stuff that you are mentioning like better pads, synthetic oil, expensive rubber, and a few goodies under the hood. Parts were not cheap compared to a Civic or Nissan SER and I used premium fuel. Car makers are just making great cars and those greater cars demand for better parts. The car you discribed as the perfect sporty car that GM should do is a Civic SI and we know that nobody is buying those.
The rear end looks like the Civic Type-R, but why do the rear doors forward just look like the Acura ILX? Look at the rear door, the front end, especially the light and grille. Is it my eyes?
I've actually been thinking about ideas for a Cruze Z24, 220-230 HP engine, 18" wheels, better brakes (but not giant Brembo's), sportier seats, a stylish (but not overwrought) spoiler, slightly lower and sport tuned suspension with a more aggressive - but not really loud - exhaust note.
Price it in the low $20's, with the ability to option it up. Basic standard features (not tons of them, but things very important to the younger crowd this car would target) though should absolutely include a touch screen (non-nav) bluetooth/USB head unit, small build-in sub with quality speakers, Siri/Google Now integration, customizable color LED interior lighting in areas such as under dash and under seats. Beyond that, option it up. Want nav? It'll cost more. Want a sunroof? It'll cost more. Want HID (or LED) headlights? It'll cost more. Want power passenger seat? It'll cost more. Etc. This is the type of car that would make it far more affordable for the younger generation to get into.
Likewise, a similar setup for a Sonic (Z18? Z21?) with 160-180 HP engine in the $15k range.
Forget this junk heap, very few people care about a high performance version of a grocery getter - if you want a real performance car that's what the Camaro and Corvette are on the lot for.
Since Honda has no performance cars, they're stuck sticking a huge exhaust and calipers on a Grandma car and somehow the motoring press hails it as some great engineering achievement.
Will consumers spend the 35 to 39 grand to own these hot hatches?
Fords focus RS and Hondas type are will be the first of the breed here in the USA.
I thought Mitsubishi was crazy as it lifted the last generation evo x to around forty grand. I think their sales fell off pretty strong as the prices and technology rose.
Will the focus rs and honda type R fall to a similar fate once the first few months of hype falter? Or is this a new niche for automakers in America?
The basic Evo was still ~35K, but did indeed get to 40K for the more luxurious Touring. The biggest problem I have with the track sedans from Subaru and Mitsubishi is that they essentially stagnated for about a decade. They used to offer Mustang/Camaro V-8 performance, but at a higher price based on them being more all-around performance sedans as well. And performance hasn't changed much in over a decade from those cars. That's not what happened to the Mustang and Camaro, which are now a good bit faster for comparable prices while having become quite useful as track cars and have very livable, daily-friendly interiors. The Subaru and Mitsubishi may still be sedans with AWD systems that are useful in the winter, but aside from that they just haven't advanced the way they needed to over the years.
VW's Golf R does this better. It's quicker with the DSG than the Subaru and Mitsubishi while also being quite nice on the inside. In typical high-end Golf fashion though it could still be faster. The Focus RS has 345 horsepower and should retain the comfort of the conventional Focus' interior, so that'll be interesting. If Subaru can produce an updated Impreza with an interior that's actually nicer, that's a huge start. The 2.5T should be capable very easily of 350-375 horsepower and a twin-clutch option would give it wider appeal. That's actually something I'd be interested in, so long as a more subtle spoiler was available. But maybe the VW, Honda, and especially Ford competition will wake up Subaru. The VW and Fords start around 36K and the Honda probably won't be much cheaper. The Subaru is 35K base TMK.
Forty grand? LOL. That will get a leftover ELR these days.
Git yer ELR, just hang a few fart cans, screw on a wing any 16-year-old would be proud of, and you got the best of two worlds. Neither of which has much to do with reality.
Look at that awesome beak! Also, being a fan of Honda's older cars, I hope they get this right, as in put AWD in it, cause front wheel drive cars with about 300 HP are less than stellar.
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