The morning headlines boasting 'Honda announces technical details of
new Civic Type R
!' should, in fairness, be prefixed 'some technical details'. Because this ain't the full tech spec or eagerly awaited - and promised - record breaking FWD 'ring lap time.
Proper aero should help that 'ring lap
Instead a few more drip-fed details ahead of the Geneva debut, as if we haven't been kept waiting long enough already, mutter, grumble. Oh well, only another couple of weeks to go now.
Confirmed features include a 2.0-litre direct-injection VTEC Turbo (yo) engine, its power output not yet disclosed. We can see from the dash photo that it's redlined at 7K though; can it maintain the high-revving character we know and love from Type Rs of old? We'll have to see. "All the typical Honda attributes... these are characteristics that will remain intact," said project leader Hisayuki Yagi when we spoke with him about the car at the Paris show last September.
As per that Paris interview Honda continues to make big boasts about the new Type R's aero, claiming "exceptional high speed stability and high levels of downforce" as contributory factors in a pretty damned impressive top speed figure of 167mph, with the caveat this is subject to final homologation. Nonetheless, Honda describes this as "unrivalled amongst its front-wheel drive competitors", front-driven 'ring lap rivals like the SEAT Leon Cupra capped at 155mph by virtue of its German parent company and theMegane Trophy-R only slightly quicker at 158mph. This alone should increase Honda's confidence in being able to set that new FWD Nordschleife benchmark, long-stated as a development goal long before SEAT and Renaultsport went sub-eight.
Looks like a 7K redline for the VTEC Turbo
Tyres played a big part in both of those lap times of course, Michelin's Pilot Sport Cup 2 used by both the SEAT and Renault. Honda has confirmed Brembo four-piston calipers and 350mm front discs within the wheels but not the rubber surrounding them, the teaser image of the wheel released today suspiciously bereft of manufacturer's logos on the tyre's sidewall.
No doubt to be revealed in due course. But meanwhile how relieved must Honda's engineers be that the Focus RS has been confirmed as four-wheel drive, and therefore not a direct threat to that ambition? Very, you'd think, though whether it'll matter in the showroom as much as it does in the Pistenklause will be the deciding factor. For sure the Focus will be on the same shopping list more many potential Type R customers, this assuming they haven't already been won over by proven contenders like the Golf GTI or R, Megane Trophy, Leon Cupra or more premium alternatives like the A45 AMG and Audi S3.
Suffice to say, against rivals like that the new Type R needs to make some noise. Noise that'll no doubt be increasing in the days leading up to that Geneva debut. Watch this space.
[Verbatim press release as issued by Honda, 11/2/2015]
DESIGNED TO PERFORM: SUPERIOR AERODYNAMICS FOR BRITISH BUILT ALL-NEW HONDA CIVIC TYPE R
- 2.0 litre direct injection VTEC TURBO engine and aerodynamic performance deliver class-best top speed of 270km/h (167mph)*
- Unique vents, grilles, spoilers and skirts contribute to enhanced downforce and minimised drag
- All-new Honda Civic Type R in Championship White will make global debut at 2015 Geneva Motor Show
The all-new British built Honda Civic Type R - which will make its world premiere at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show - will feature a host of eye-catching design enhancements that have been heavily influenced by extensive aerodynamic development and testing, both on computer and in the wind tunnel. The result is a car with exceptional high speed stability and high levels of downforce.
The superior aerodynamic performance helps make the most of the Civic Type R's 2.0 litre direct injection VTEC TURBO engine, enabling the car to achieve a top speed of 270km/h (167mph)* unrivalled amongst its front wheel-drive competitors.
A new, almost completely flat underside aids airflow under the vehicle and combines with a rear diffuser to optimise downforce - effectively 'sucking' the car onto the road. A bespoke rear wing gives the car enhanced visual presence and delivers powerful additional downforce, thanks notably to the structure of its airfoil section.
A wide front splitter and deep side skirts also manage airflow and reduce lift, while the front bumper has been shaped specifically to inhibit air turbulence around the front wheels, cutting drag and enhancing high-speed stability.
To help the driver manage the Type R's prodigious power, the car is equipped with a high performance Brembo brake package, developed specifically for the car. At the front, four-piston calipers apply braking force to 350 mm drilled discs. New 19-inch alloy wheels, unique to the Type R, complement the visual changes, filling the wheel arches and accommodating the larger brakes.
Heat management was another major focus for the design team, influencing several prominent external design modifications. Enlarged upper and lower grilles in the front bumper, vents above the wheels on the front quarter panels and vents at the trailing edges of the front wheel arches combine to provide greater cooling and ventilation for the high-output engine.
Leon Brannan, Head of Car, Honda (UK) said "We've already seen huge customer interest for this much anticipated and unique car with over 100 orders already in the bank. With the release of these new technical details I think we can expect many more."
The Civic Type R will be unveiled at Geneva Motor Show in Championship White - a colour shared with successive generations of iconic Type R vehicles.
Honda can be found at stand 4250 in Hall 4 at the 85th Geneva Motor Show (3 - 15 March)[Ends].
