TOKYO MOTOR SHOW: Turbo Civic Type R confirmed

Honda will premiere its first turbocharged Type R engine under the bonnet of the Civic in 2015.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder VTEC TURBO is the headline act in a trio of new force-fed smaller-displacement engines that will further evolve the brand’s eco-friendlier Earth Dreams technology suite.

With a redline of 7000rpm, Honda says the direct-injected DOHC unit develops “206kW or more” and delivers a hefty torque hit of 400Nm.

Adopting new technologies including an electric wastegate for the turbocharger, cooling gallery-style pistons, a cooled cylinder-head and high-tumble intake port design, the Euro 6-compliant unit also offers fuel-saving technologies such as idle-stop.

The prototype version of the Civic Type R VTEC TURBO is fitted with a six-speed manual transmission, though may be offered with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Honda’s upcoming torque converter-based eight-speed automatic transmission will not be available in the Type R due to its torque ceiling of 270Nm.

Honda says the Civic Type R will arrive towards the end of the current model cycle and is set to debut initially in Europe from 2015.

Speaking at an even prior to the Tokyo motor show, Honda Motor Company Australia (HMCA) indicated that it is working hard at securing the model in right-hand drive shortly after its European release.

However, it cautions that the model will not be as freely-available -- or as competitively priced -- as the segment-leading Volkswagen Golf GTI (from $41,490).

“As soon as we’re in a position to get it we’ll take it,” said Honda Australia Director, Stephen Collins.

“It’s very important for our brand image. But it gets down to how we could position it price-wise.

“We see it as a relatively small percentage of the total model volume. Currently, we’ve been averaging about 1200-1300 Civic models per month, but the Type R will be a niche product and will be positioned accordingly.”

Honda says the new Civic Type R VTEC TURBO will go head-to-head with models including the Renault Megane RS 265 (from $42,640).

It hopes to see its new hot hatch set a new benchmark for front-wheel drive cars at Germany’s Nurburgring Nordschleife, where it has set a time “approaching the lap record” in a pre-production model.

The last time Honda sold its Civic Type R in Australia was 2010, priced from $39,999.

At that time, the high-revving naturally aspirated 2.0-litre rivalled the likes of the Volkswagen Golf GTI, Mazda3 MPS and Subaru Impreza WRX.

First drive of Honda Civic Type R

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