Sunday 15th January 2017
Honda Civic Type R Black Edition
Limited edition Type R to bid farewell to turbocharged FK2 Civic
Does a coat of black paint set off against some red trim details on a Civic Type R really constitute a "a real collector's piece" as Honda claims it might? Sure, just 100 Civic Type R Black Editions have been built at the firm's Swindon plant to conclude production of the current FK2 Type R. They're on their way to Honda dealers at the time of writing to join the 2,500 or so 'regular' FK2s allocated to the British market and will be available to order for £32,300. Those hoping for something a bit special to mark the occasion may be a little disappointed though because the Black Edition is, literally, just that. Well, 'Black Edition with a few red bits' if you're being pedantic.
Based on the GT spec Type R the paint is set off against red-rimmed wheels and wing endplates while the interior gets a similarly contrasting mix of black trim and red accents. It's not especially shy, but then nothing about the turbo Type R has been. Certainly we've enjoyed Honda's long awaited and suitably bombastic return to the hot hatch market, our
PH Fleet long-termer seeing off the challenge of the
equally hyped Focus RS in its time with us and running the much loved
Megane Renaultsport 275 a close second when we took them to Blyton. Having made us wait what felt like an eternity after the FN2 went off sale in 2010 this time around Honda isn't wasting any time, the
new Type R already seen in 'prototype' form at the shows and following regular models off the Swindon production line later this year.
Those hoping for a properly mad run-out edition like the FN2 Type R Mugen 200 will be disappointed though. OK, the standard car's mad aero, standard limited-slip diff, adaptive dampers and R mode didn't leave a whole lot of headroom for additional tuning or cosmetic upgrades. But Type R fans are a passionate bunch and our drive in the Dream Automotive FK2 revealed there is still room for additional performance and attitude. A quick dip into the classifieds for FN2 reveals Mugen 200 versions commanding a small premium - a grand or two at the moment - over similar Championship White and standard versions. There will be just half the number of Black Editions compared with the Mugen 200 - enough to live up to Honda's promise of it being a "a true collector's item" though? Let the fanboys rule!
still, could be worse, it could be matt black.