Wednesday 14th May 2014

Civic Type R seen undisguised

Now just launch it already Honda!

---

Renaultsport launches its Megane 275 Trophy and pictures surface of the Civic Type R testing in a very short space of time. Coincidence? Innate cynicism would have to assume not.

Fastest FWD be damned; Honda targets AMG

Honda has been fairly brazen in its intention to take the FWD 'ring record with the next Type R. We knew that. What we didn't know was how the production version would look; having driven an early prototype and seen the Geneva concept there were certainly strong hints but nothing definite.

Now, at last, the Civic Type R is here in all its camo-free glory. It appears to be the production version, we hope it's the production version, but these aren't official pictures. Yet.

Honda's overt intentions for the car are reflected in its wild appearance. That huge wing for the concept is still in place, some rather natty gold rims allow the gigantic brakes to be seen and all manner of intakes, scoops and vents adorn the body. It isn't subtle, that's for sure. The Type R is afflicted by the current trend in four-cylinder cars to have four exhausts which looks a bit daft. It's easy to forget that Honda Type Rs were often quite subtle aesthetically (think of the first UK Civic) and this is quite an extreme change.

What was so wrong with two pipes? Or one?

Just in case Honda's intentions weren't quite clear for the Civic(!), see the cars it has been benchmarking the Type R against. There's an A45 AMG visible in the pic but apparently the Golf Rand that Renault have been seen testing with it also.

With the new NSX due to make its debut at the Festival of Speed, the Civic may still be a little way off. To be honest there seems little point predicting just when Honda will launch new cars now, it's become a case of being patient. 2015 is still the rumoured date, so let's sit tight.

[Sources: WCF, autoevolution]

[Ali_T]

Sorry Honda, but that's just crass, no matter how fast it goes. The front arch extension is far too bulky with that silly fake vent, the rear arch extension is incomplete because they couldn't be bothered making an extra part for the rear door, and the rear wing has lost the lights running up it like the concept. Not that the concept was much better, but it had a few intriguing parts that are missing here. Real shame. I still remember back to my old EG6 Civic VTi and how much subtler it was than any other hot hatch, and elegant as well. Honda need to get in touch with Pininfarina again.

[Ali_T]

Bring back Pininfarina.....

[Ali_T]

Dave Hedgehog said:

not if hes going to design extremely bland cars like that

From an Audi driver, that's harsh criticism.....

[Ali_T]

Nikko 40691 said:

Forgive me if I'm wrong but Pininfarina have never designed a Civic?
They did the Honda Beat but I'm certain not the Civic...

They did far more than that as unnamed "consultants". The relationship began in 1982. LJK Setright wrote about it years ago in Car. Honda designers were also sent to Pininfarina to work as interns for a while, the last design coming from that relationship being the DC5 Integra.

[Ali_T]

captainsl0w said:

I used to own this exact car, was mine for almost 4 years, bought it standard and a wreck before modifying it (much of which has been stripped off when ive seen it crop up for sale every now and again)

I still think my EG6 was the best hot hatch I've ever owned. Nothing, these days, involves in anything like the same way.