RE: Honda Civic Type R: PH Fleet

[krismccloy]

Nice update, I can imagine this is more suited to the motorway with all that torque which allows wider gear ratios.

Definitely looks great in Grey, Thanks for sharing that picture.

Regarding the varied opinions on the aesthetics front, I'm just glad there is a car like this in the market to chose from.

And also regarding the price tag, A Leon Cupra starts at £28,775 these days and the CTR starts at £29,995 as an example. £30k seems like the going rate for a Hot hatch of this generation.

Previous DC2, FN2 & current EP3 owner, I have a lot of interest in the new car despite that turbo, Maybe one day. I just think it sounds terribly weak when changing gear at high RPM, Almost like the revs drop in a lazy unenthusiastic manner whilst sounding quite wheezy. Hard to explain so I'll stop.

Edited by krismccloy on Tuesday 3rd May 18:42

[LaurasOtherHalf]

krismccloy said:

Definitely looks great in Grey, Thanks for sharing that picture.

Regarding the varied opinions on the aesthetics front, I'm just glad there is a car like this in the market to chose from.

no problem I get a kick out people enjoying it!

your second point is particularly pertinent to me, i just think it's absolutely fantastic that honda went bold with the car-absolutely fantastic. if you don't want a fairy in your face boy racer special then there are plenty of other options available to you-and that's fantastic too-we're living through a wonderful age for hot hatches.
as for matt's experiences with positive comments it's the most i've experienced since the r35 gtr. driving through europe we were getting thumbs up from other drivers, i had a japanese tourist thrust me his camera and ask in broken english for me to take his picture next to the car.

i parked it for the first tine outside work today and i lost count of the people going over for a look-it's apparently a very special car to a lot of people

[Gareth1974]

Catatafish said:

Durzel said:

I can't get over the fact that even counting inflation it's a £33k Civic Type-R. Still, a massive improvement over the FN2.

33k now is 20k in 2000, so seems reasonable to me. Us old gits just need to re/calibrate our value of the queens pounds.

My FN2 Type R GT was £16k in 2011.

[Axionknight]

Gareth1974 said:

Catatafish said:

Durzel said:

I can't get over the fact that even counting inflation it's a £33k Civic Type-R. Still, a massive improvement over the FN2.

33k now is 20k in 2000, so seems reasonable to me. Us old gits just need to re/calibrate our value of the queens pounds.

My FN2 Type R GT was £16k in 2011.

Really? That's impressive. I love the FN2 - much maligned, but a smashing motor IMO.

[Master Bean]

What was your quarter mile time Matt?

[Guvernator]

Can Matt or anyone please comment on what the engine is like in the upper reaches of the rev range? I realise we are in the brave new world of turbo's but a huge part of the previous Type R's character was it's ability to rev to the redline and love doing it.

I know this car won't match that character but does it get anywhere close or are we looking at another efficient but relatively boring modern turbo power plant which delivers down low but feels breathless past 6krpm?

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Guvernator said:

Can Matt or anyone please comment on what the engine is like in the upper reaches of the rev range? I realise we are in the brave new world of turbo's but a huge part of the previous Type R's character was it's ability to rev to the redline and love doing it.

I know this car won't match that character but does it get anywhere close or are we looking at another efficient but relatively boring modern turbo power plant which delivers down low but feels breathless past 6krpm?

very easy to run it into the limiter at 7K,as it's still pulling. I'd personally be happy if it had another 250rpm simply as a buffer for when on track, but then if it did i'd probably want it to 7500, then 7750 etc etc

I understand people don't like 'ring laps for the pissing contest they represent, but watch the record lap for an example of how it revs;

https://youtu.be/a9G7N0_M9Rc

you can see the shift lights on the windscreen.

[Axionknight]

I have the limited experience of a (very enthusiastic) test drive but it seemed to breathe and pull very well all the way until the limiter, the cut off isn't savage either. It certainly didn't feel out of puff at 6k.

It's a touch laggy at the bottom end but I don't mind that, it adds to the character of the car for me, I've never been one for totally effortless performance (even though it's night and day over those cracking VTEC units of old) - just stir the excellent gearbox and away you go.

[Guvernator]

Sounds promising, I can deal with a touch of lag as it usually means they've put in a decent sized turbo rather than a snails shell which also probably accounts for why it still pulls strongly up top. Might need to take one for a test drive, now if only I could get over the looks.

[Leins]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

I'm going to bore everyone telling them the same story, but i picked mine up last Tuesday and took it to the Nürburgring, running it in on the way. One evening of TF and then open pit lane DN14 and Spa the following day, the car was absolutely immense

'Tis an absolute riot, but +R mode is solely for the track in my early experience so far. Admittedly, i have no idea about how accurate the speedo is but we were taking Tiergarten at an indicated 153mph on a flying lap-it's so planted and tied down it just begs you to take corners faster and faster

This post definitely deserves a IMO

[Axionknight]

Guvernator said:

Sounds promising, I can deal with a touch of lag as it usually means they've put in a decent sized turbo rather than a snails shell which also probably accounts for why it still pulls strongly up top. Might need to take one for a test drive, now if only I could get over the looks.

Have you seen one in the flesh? The pictures don't do it justice and neither does the white, sadly.

IMO of course.

Still, I need Sunderland to survive the league and then I'm all set

[AH33]

Being "scowled at in the supermarket car park" is one of the reasons i'd love one. I only get small scowls in mine, but I love them. They feed me.

I'd LOVE to be scowled at by some giffer in a beige trilby in one of these. I'd bang it off the limiter a few times too, for his consideration.

[Guvernator]

Axionknight said:

Have you seen one in the flesh? The pictures don't do it justice and neither does the white, sadly.

IMO of course.

Still, I need Sunderland to survive the league and then I'm all set

Yes unfortunately I have seen one, in white unfortunately and while it certainly didn't look as horrendous as in the pictures, it was still no oil painting. I'm thinking one in a darker colour like the grey one above or black might hide some of the more....err...interesting (read horrid) details.

[Axionknight]

fair cop

[Guvernator]

Don't get me wrong, I really applaud them for making a hot hatch that doesn't look sleep inducingly dull or little different from it's diesel equivalent. I just think the bean counters have had too much input and some of the detail doesn't look properly finished to a standard I expect from a leading manufacturer and more akin to a body kit you'd get off ebay.

[Axionknight]

It's the rear wheel arches that get my goat, tbh.

[Guvernator]

Axionknight said:

It's the rear wheel arches that get my goat, tbh.

That and the loss of the devil lights are the biggest failure IMO. The normal "3d" protruding Civic lights look rubbish.

[MustardCutter]

Axionknight said:

It's the rear wheel arches that get my goat, tbh.

I've only seen red ones in the flesh and I genuinely love the way it looks; it looks so childish it's brilliant. Hatchbacks just aren't the right shape to pull off the sleek and subtle look in my opinion so Honda went the right direction. Well, I love the way it looks until I see it in profile and those pesky wheel arches; I like each in isolation but together they do not sit right at all, it's one of those jarring things that can't be unseen. The next generation one looks a little better resolved from the camouflaged mule pics.

Guvernator said:

...the loss of the devil lights are the biggest failure IMO...

Whilst I'd agree the concepts spoiler / lights looked great I still actually quite like the production version. The first time my young son saw the current type r he shouted "woah daddy, look at that spoiler". We should all listen to our inner 4 year olds and embrace ludicrous spoilers.

Edited by MustardCutter on Wednesday 4th May 16:56

[Matt Bird]

Vyse said:

Delivered on 625. Was it a demo car?

They were considerate enough to deliver it run in! For me to then amble about talking about the mid-range... More interesting drives to follow next month!


Matt

[Matt Bird]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Guvernator said:

Can Matt or anyone please comment on what the engine is like in the upper reaches of the rev range? I realise we are in the brave new world of turbo's but a huge part of the previous Type R's character was it's ability to rev to the redline and love doing it.

I know this car won't match that character but does it get anywhere close or are we looking at another efficient but relatively boring modern turbo power plant which delivers down low but feels breathless past 6krpm?

very easy to run it into the limiter at 7K,as it's still pulling. I'd personally be happy if it had another 250rpm simply as a buffer for when on track, but then if it did i'd probably want it to 7500, then 7750 etc etc

I understand people don't like 'ring laps for the pissing contest they represent, but watch the record lap for an example of how it revs;

https://youtu.be/a9G7N0_M9Rc

you can see the shift lights on the windscreen.

What he said! Really revvy and keen for a turbo, definitely feels like it could go beyond 7,000rpm and for me is the best of the current 2.0-litre turbos (bar the A45) for response at high revs. Really quick too! I'm also fan of the lag as mentioned in another post, makes it a little more exciting.


Matt