Honda Civic Type R prototype: Driven

PH gets a brief spin in the new 280hp Civic Type R. Worth waiting for?

First, the bad news: just because Honda has let the international media loose in a pair of new Civic Type R prototypes does not mean it's arriving any earlier than 2015. In fact, we've been told it's still 18 months away, so these cars aren't just prototypes, they're early prototypes; to go drawing serious conclusions would be dangerous indeed.

Especially given that time behind the wheel was limited to just two laps of the high-speed oval at Honda's Tochigi R&D facility. A comprehensive first drive this was not. Although if you're a fan of Gran Turismo, we're now pretty sure where some of the test track ideas came from.

'Manuals are more fun', says Honda

RTFM (reassuring total focus on manual)
So what's the good news? For starters, concerns about Honda's parallel development of dual clutch transmissions have not culminated in a flappy-paddle hot hatch. The familiar Type R titanium gearknob remains reassuringly present and correct atop a sweet six-speed manual within easy reach of the steering wheel.

Honda did consider offering both, but chose to stick with the clutch pedal "this time around". We pointed out that Porsche abandoned the manual for its latest 911 GT3 because PDK is faster, and, given a certain bold benchmark target, the Type R surely needs all the speed in can get. "Yes, but manuals are more fun," comes the response. Test passed, flying colours.

Also encouraging are the looks. Again, hold your horses slightly, since plenty could change between now and 2015, but the matt black prototypes are wide-stanced on 19s over Brembo brakes, with big boxy arch extensions and some serious looking aero front and rear. Even the 'VTEC TURBO' graphics seem an appropriate garnish. Forget namby pamby subtlety; Honda means business.

Which of course it needs to, when a new front-wheel drive Nurburgring record has been the development goal from day one.

Loud and proud in the best Type R tradition

Beating the Renaultsport Megane
We don't think Honda can do a McLaren here, and merely imply a new record to help the car sell out. It needs to officially eclipse the Megane 265's 8 minutes 8 seconds if it wants to earn our respect. And whatever you think about the 'Ring's role in modern performance car development, nobody at Honda seems the slightest bit concerned it might miss the bullseye.

To the point where managing director of new vehicle development, Toshihiro Mibe, reveals the car is now looking to break the 8-minute barrier, and showed us a slide including the NSX R's 7:56. In only a week of early Nordschleife testing, official word says the Type R is already close to the Renault. But maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves.

For all that it is showing the world Type R in progress, Honda remains tight-lipped about many of the details. So let's run down a few things we can definitely confirm at this stage. Starting with the engine.

Can it go sub-eight at the 'ring?

Turbo just kicked in yo
Honda points out that the Nurburgring is only one-third corners, so the need for some powerful motivation on the straights is definitely not in doubt, albeit in combination with balanced handling and strong aerodynamics. Right now the 2.0-litre turbo is quoted at 280hp - and feels every bit that fast as we pull out of the pit lane and accelerate onto the Tochigi oval.

There are some trick features here, as you'd expect from Honda, including a water-cooled exhaust manifold integrated into the cylinder head, and 'cooling gallery' pistons with special temperature reducing oil channels, alongside the latest VTEC evolution and multi-stage injection.

Big wheels, big wing, big attitude

Although it is inevitably much more torque-rich than Type Rs old thanks to that turbo, this hasn't come at the cost of Honda's traditional revviness, and it redlines at 7,000rpm. The turbo itself is a necessary evil, born of not just emissions regulations but market demand. There was no other way for Honda to make this car quick enough.

This urgency is maximised by a traffic light-style upshift indicator: green, yellow, red. The exhaust still needs some work, becoming incredibly resonant as we decelerate back down through 4,000rpm - and we could live without the quadruple tailpipes of the test cars - but raw performance isn't going to be an issue.

0-62mph? Around six seconds, at a guess, assuming the driven front wheels can get traction; tiny tugs of torque-steer going WOT out of the oval's banked end turns further underline the motor's potency, though an artificial 200km/h limiter prevents us getting too carried away. There will be no limiter on the production cars - one of the engineers only half joking when he says it would never sell in Germany if there was.

Press here for the full Type R experience

R-mode - benchmarking the best
Having completed a grand total of about 10 major steering inputs during the test run it's impossible to pass valid judgement on the chassis. The best we could do was lean on then lift off the throttle during one of the longer turns, which the Type R accepts with neat finesse and no drama, and observe the absence of any significant body roll. But while Honda resisted those twin-clutch temptations, it has succumbed to variable driving mode syndrome.

An 'R' button below the instrument cluster adjusts the electric power steering, engine response, stability control and damping. Again, meaningful judgement is without merit yet, but the yardstick cars are encouraging, with Honda citing Volkswagen's Golf and Scirocco for on-road behaviour and that Renaultsport Megane for R-engaged track work.

Similarly, though we hardly taxed the brakes, they felt positive and progressive, and well matched to the way the steering loads. The basic suspension design remains unchanged from regular production Civics, but naturally the Type R gets a number of bespoke parts to support the stiffer settings and revised geometry.

Everything about this brief encounter, from the way the car looks to the supportive sports seats that clamp you into place, suggests the new Civic Type R isn't far off being done. Which makes you wonder why on earth it's taking so long. Honda's response is to patiently explain there was never a Type R in the original product plan for the current Civic, so those first announcements back in September 2012 literally timed the company changing its mind.

Zero to a new 'ring record in three years - once it goes on sale - is really anything but bad.