Honda has revealed the new Honda Civic Type R in camouflage giving us a hint that it’ll be slightly more subdued looking than the ever-so-slightly mental current model.
Sure, there’s still a huge wing at the back but the rest of the car has been toned down, with fewer of the fussy details of the old car. That said, you still get a purposeful body kit and three large central exhausts.
The stealthier design should open the Type R up to a wider audience – people that loved the way the old car drove but couldn’t live with its boy racer image.
And oh how it drove. The old Type R was nothing short of a phenomenon from behind the wheel. It’s 2.0-litre turbocharged engine delivered what felt like never-ending accleration so it says a lot that it was the Type R’s handling that left the lasting impression. It was a car that made carrying carry huge speeds cross-country as easy as ABC.
For this reason, you can expect the mechanicals to be altered only slightly. The new Civic Type R will keep the old model’s 2.0-litre turbocharged engine producing circa 320PS to get it from 0-62mph in less than six seconds and on to a top speed nudging 170mph.
Power will be fed through the front wheels via a limited-slip differential – that’ll give you plenty of grip when powering out of corners – and a six-speed manual gearbox with a satisfyingly tight action. Adjustable dampers which can be flick from firm to comfortable at the flick of a switch, will also likely be standard.
They’ll make the new Honda Civic Type R easy to live with and it’s this aspect of the car that is likely to see the biggest improvement in the new model.
Inside, you can expect to find a new, more infotainment-heavy cabin design with a centre display and a multi-function screen where you used to find analogue dials behind the steering wheel. Interior quality will also improve and you can expect the Type R to remain one of the most spacious hot hatches on sale.
And the price of these improvements? We’re expecting the new Type R to cost in the region of £35,000 when it goes on sale next year.
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