Wednesday 18th March 2015

Honda Civic Type R in the BTCC

Out with the Tourer and in with the new Type R for Honda's 2015 shot at BTCC glory

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It's been at least a week since the last Civic Type R news, right? Honda has confirmed its new BTCC car will be derived from the new Type R, rather than the estate as used last year. Appropriately enough, that means the Civic Tourer BTCC car also ran for only one season, just like the old 850 Estate did 20 years earlier.

Looks quite smart without the livery...

The new racer has been in development since September, with the hatch apparently providing increased downforce, less drag and "more effective air flow management." Who'd have thought?!

Honda Yuasa Racing says the BTCC car will produce 355hp and 295lb ft. An unchanged driver line-up of Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal will race the Civic, with three-time champ Neal keen to get started: "We are as excited as anybody to start running the Civic Type R, which is a massive step forward from last year's Tourer - from the engine to the handling and aerodynamics."

This year's BTCC begins, as ever, on Easter weekend (April 4 and 5). We will be again be sending PHers along as roving reporters - keep your eyes peeled for more details soon!

Track photos: Gary Hawkins

 

[MustardCutter]

It's interesting to see that the front bumper and front wheel arches closely resemble the road car, implying that the Honda engineers got the aero sorted properly for the road car but I guess the BTCC guys couldn't stand the road cars rear arches either and had to make them suit the front ones, lol.

[MustardCutter]

Guvernator said:

Would it really have cost Honda so much to make those rear arches look a little more symmetrical with the front ones on the road car? The ones on the BTCC are obviously just bolted on but they still look 10 times better as they balance out the size and aggressiveness of the front arches. I'm not sure who signed off on those rear arches on the road car but I am willing to bet that someone in the accounts department had the final say.

Yeah the disparity between the two is a mess; the concept got it right but would require new panels. I actually think it would look better if they'd toned down the front arches to suit the rear that they were stuck with due to the rear doors / accountants, rather than beef up the front and leave the rear undersized.

Even if this is the greatest car to drive with five doors ever, you'd see those arches every time you approach it and just think eugh...