For one reason or another, almost all the Honda Civic Type Rs ever made are appreciating. The original is experiencing the swell in values enjoyed by so many great Japanese cars of the 1990s; the first for the UK can now command more than £10,000 as its modern classic status becomes assured. Even the later cars are in demand, with the first turbo Type R popular as a very rare hot Honda, and the outgoing model taken from sale - the factory closed, no less - when it remained class leading. Just after a supply crisis. Budget anything up to £45,000 for one of those...
So, how about considering possibly the least loved of the Civic Type R family? Though the FN2 of 2006 improved on its EP3 predecessor in a few ways - including a sturdier interior and better steering - it wasn't as much fun to drive. The FN2 was heavier, slower, and not as agile as before. The futuristic looks didn't appeal to all, either.
A couple of years after launch, however, the Type R came good in the form of the Championship White. The changes weren't transformative - it gained a limited-slip diff on the front axle, and a coating of Honda's iconic paint - but the CW upgrades did improve the Civic. The paint played to the Type R's heritage, and the differential ensured a more accurate driving experience. There wasn't a surfeit of torque to be tamed (just 142lb ft), but the LSD did ensure a more even distribution of it - and a better drive as a result. The Championship White remained stiff and no faster than standard, yet it was received well; one review described the Civic as "one of the most agile and engaging hot hatches around, offering masses of grip and precise, communicative steering", placing it above a Mountune Focus ST and Golf GTI Pirelli in a group test. No wonder they proved popular; offered alongside the rest of the range for just £1,000 more than a GT, more than 500 Championship Whites were sold in the UK.
This one must be one of the most comprehensively enjoyed out there, having covered a substantial 164,000 miles since first being registered in 2009. But given everything - its billing as a focused hot hatch, a paint scheme that leaves nowhere for blemishes to hide, and the high mileage - this Championship White scrubs up nicely. The bodywork looks good, the wheels seem basically new, and even the seat bolsters haven't worn excessively. If it was suggested this car had covered 80k rather than twice that, it would be easy to believe.
Even the MOT history isn't too scary. Though a damper issue caused a fail once, that was five years ago; since then, fails have only been for bulbs and advisories here and there for tyre wear. Nothing that points to longstanding issues, or anything that should make another test next month anything to worry about. But it might be worth factoring an imminent MOT into your offer...
The Civic is for sale at £6,000; though older Type Rs are still around for less than that, it's worth remembering that they'll be at least 15 years old - and based on a car launched in 2001. They'll feel older because they are, for better and for worse. This Type R may not have been the icon its predecessor was, but a cheap Championship White looks a canny way into some old school hot hatch fun. And fast Civics can go on to many more miles than this...
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