GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: 2017 Honda Civic Type R to debut in March
One of the year's most anticipated hot hatches will debut in production form in Switzerland next monthAustralian enthusiasts have been hanging out for the new Honda Civic Type R for a long time and soon they'll be able to see the production version.
Honda has confirmed it will show the road-going version – as opposed to the prototype – at the 2017 Geneva motor show in early March.
Unlike the last one we never got, Australians will have access to the new-generation 250kW Civic Type R by the end of this year – within months of its European launch.
The new 2018 Civic Type R will enter production at Honda's Swindon plant in England from around July and we'll soon find out just how close to the concept car (pictured) the real deal will be.
And no doubt a few punters will be praying for the triple exhaust outlets and bonnet scoop to remain!
Details of Honda's upcoming Ford Focus RS rival -- based on the latest Civic hatch due on sale in Australia in April -- have not been confirmed, but the company has stated it will be faster and more powerful than the current version, which runs a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine worth 228kW and 400Nm.
With that in mind expect 240 or 250kW from a newer development of the 7000rpm four-cylinder VTEC engine, and possibly up to 440Nm of torque.
Expect a 5.5 second 0-100km/h sprint and an audacious body kit not unlike the prototype concept pictured in this article.
Honda has to bring its A-game and not only pump out big power but develop an apex-honed chassis. Why? Because Renault will also soon launch its new-generation Megane RS, which replaces a finely honed front-drive hot hatch and will deliver around 230kW, a rev-matching six-speed manual and four-wheel steering.
For a brief moment in history the hot Honda held the front-drive production car lap record around the Nordschleife Nurburgring. The Renault Megane RS has also done so, but currently the VW Golf GTI Clubsport is the lap record holder.
Honda is touting the Civic Type R as "the most rewarding drive in the hot hatch segment".
There have been reports that the Honda Civic Type R will be paired with an automatic CVT alongside the six-speed manual, which would increase sales dramatically but diminish the pedigree of the lightning-quick hatch -- and also make it considerably less engaging.
"It's a performance car. We'll look at all options but we're not in a position to confirm anything," Honda Australia's Group Public Relations Manager, Neil McDonald, last told motoring when asked if an automatic transmission would be offered.
The new Civic Type R will come with powerful Brembo calipers and big brake discs, along with a further advancement of the company's mechanical front diff with limited-slip functionality to deliver solid mid-corner traction.
Other Honda vehicles that will be under the hot, bright lights of the 2017 Geneva motor show include the Clarity Fuel Cell vehicle and NeuV concept car, but the Civic Type R will be the star car for Honda.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
