Honda Civic Type-R coming to the USA. Confirmed, official from Honda.

[slugg]

Link to Jalopnik article with more pics

copy/pasta of article, for those at work with blocked Jalopnik:

For years, us Americans have toiled under a separate paradigm. We got one Civic, while most parts of the world received another one. Today, that changes. This is the first global Civic, and it’s a bigger deal than you think. Oh, and we’ll be getting the Type-R, too.

And this doesn’t sound like an April Fools’ Joke, either. Otherwise Honda just dropped a lot of money on a very big presentation and the humor of a cruel monster.

Honda's Big Surprise Is A Truly Worldwide Civic, Type-R For U.S.
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Honda is calling it “the return of the sporty Civic.” The base line trims will come with a four cylinder plant that’s similar to what we’re used to, but for the first time (I think, feel free to check me on this) we’ll be getting a 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine.

Civic. Turbo. VTEC.

Honda's Big Surprise Is A Truly Worldwide Civic, Type-R For U.S.

(Insert your own Fast and Furious joke here.)

What you’re seeing here is supposed to be the coupe. And though on paper it’s bigger than the outgoing model, in person it feels smaller and sleeker. The sloping roof towards the rear feels tightened and less busy than the old coupe configuration, and is definitely a big improvement in terms of styling.

Honda's Big Surprise Is A Truly Worldwide Civic, Type-R For U.S.
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And classing it up a bit in the styling department as well comes LED lights in both the front and rear.

Honda's Big Surprise Is A Truly Worldwide Civic, Type-R For U.S.
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The new Civic will come with either a CVT or manual, and come in sedan, coupe, and Si trims. And one more: the five-door hatch. And another: THE FREAKING TYPE-R!

Let’s just repeat that one more time. We. Will. Be. Getting. The. Honda Civic Type-R.

And that’s huge. If we’re being honest among friends here, the last Honda Civic Si was never exactly going to set your pants on fire. With huge competition from the likes of the Ford Focus ST and a few others, it just never shined as brightly as it once did.

Honda's Big Surprise Is A Truly Worldwide Civic, Type-R For U.S.
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But the Type-R? That might bring Honda back to the top of the super-hatch game in the United States.

We don’t know anything about power yet in either the base Civics (probably adequate), the Si (hopefully punchy), or the Type-R (wishfully tremendous), but if Honda wants to keep its reputation for spry, light little cars, they won’t let us down.

This has definitely caught my attention. Honda reliability and resale value with from-the-factory go-fast and ridiculousness? With warranty? And financing is usually pretty good with Honda due to the resale value... Heck, sign me up for a test drive!

 

[Midwayman]

Nice, and a turbo too. Other than wrong wheel drive, I'd rock it. Anyone know what their 1.5l turbo puts out?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Does it come in normal colors or just "arrest me" green?

 

[vi edit]

Need to see it in a non-eye burning color to see how the lines really work. Otherwise it's an awkward looking car. Not that I should be surprised by any car produced by Honda in the last 10 years. They've all been ugly.

 

[michal1980]

mini accord. boring. (outside of color)

 

[vshah]

as a happy Si owner, I'll definitely be taking a look at the type-r when it comes out.

 

[tweakmonkey]

The standard civic is ugly.

I think the old hatchbacks looked much better. I guess I just hate the look of a 2 door with a trunk like that green thing. Reminds me of a Hyundai Genesis.

Compare that to these the old Type Rs:

The new concept(?) in hatchback:

The fenders and lines are much better. But the wing is a bit crazy.

Still awesome if it comes here.. and it better, they've always lost ground to Subaru and Mitsubishi. Now they'd be losing big to Ford as well with the ST and RS models.

 

[Midwayman]

only power quote I found
"In America, there aren’t that many (direct competitors) with turbo models. The power is very good,” he said. The new engine is said to deliver the power of a conventional 2.0-2.4 litre engine, while offering better torque and fuel efficiency.

Output figures have not been officially divulged, but the words (or numbers!) on the wire are 180 PS, 260 Nm and 18 km per litre. If that’s true, that’s 25 PS and 70 Nm more than even what our current Civic’s free-breathing 2.0 litre engine makes."

 

[tweakmonkey]

Edit- OH - I didn't realize they also announced a 1.5L Turbo. My mistake. That will be a great little engine I bet

~~
The Type R headlines were saying 300 hp before.

 

[Yuriman]

only power quote I found
"In America, there aren’t that many (direct competitors) with turbo models. The power is very good,” he said. The new engine is said to deliver the power of a conventional 2.0-2.4 litre engine, while offering better torque and fuel efficiency.

Output figures have not been officially divulged, but the words (or numbers!) on the wire are 180 PS, 260 Nm and 18 km per litre. If that’s true, that’s 25 PS and 70 Nm more than even what our current Civic’s free-breathing 2.0 litre engine makes."

The older K20 (introduced in ~2001?) puts out 200-220HP, N/A. A turbo would, of course, deliver that power lower in the rev range.

I'm pretty sure the 300HP figure was for a turbo 2.0.

Anyway, I rather like how it looks, and it's not often I say that about Honda's recent designs.

~

On a related note, it looks like the U.S. might also be receiving Honda's new S660 mid-engine micro sports car too:

http://jalopnik.com/the-honda-s660-looks-like-stupid-crazy-fun-on-the-track-1694813528

^ In Japan, I've read there will be to options, a turbo 0.66L, and a turbo 1.0L. The US is probably only going to get the 1.0.

 

[slugg]

On a related note, it looks like the U.S. might also be receiving Honda's new S660 mid-engine micro sports car too:

http://jalopnik.com/the-honda-s660-looks-like-stupid-crazy-fun-on-the-track-1694813528

Maybe I'm blind, but where in the article does it say we're getting the car? I would totally go for it (and wait for it) if it were true.

Edit: upon further reading, it looks like the S660 would be impossible to legalize in the USA. info

 

[tweakmonkey]

Tiny, mid engine and turbo??

Sign me up!

 

[Yuriman]

Maybe I'm blind, but where in the article does it say we're getting the car? I would totally go for it (and wait for it) if it were true.

Edit: upon further reading, it looks like the S660 would be impossible to legalize in the USA. info

It wasn't in that article, but rather in one I read a few days back. Definitely need to do some more reading on it.

Your link is broken, btw.

 

[theeedude]

Civic. Turbo. VTEC.

Yo.

 

[vi edit]

On a related note, it looks like the U.S. might also be receiving Honda's new S660 mid-engine micro sports car too:

http://jalopnik.com/the-honda-s660-l...ack-1694813528

http://cdn.mkimg.carview.co.jp/minka...t=24e11ef3546a

http://cdn.mkimg.carview.co.jp/minka...t=24e11ef3546a

^ In Japan, I've read there will be to options, a turbo 0.66L, and a turbo 1.0L. The US is probably only going to get the 1.0.

Cool..it's like a shrunk down reincarnate of the Del Sol.

 

[Yuriman]

Cool..it's like a shrunk down reincarnate of the Del Sol.

Yep, but what the Del Sol should've been - mid engine and light weight.

(I owned one until recently)

 

[996GT2]

1.5L turbo and not the 2.0L, 300 hp turbo-4 in the European version?

So, Honda finally brings back the "Type-R" name to the US, and they immediately neuter the engine for the US market?

 

[gus6464]

Damn that S660 is hot!

 

[mohit9206]

I prefer the Honda Fit over the Civic. More value for money.

 

[Mide]

I prefer the Honda Fit over the Civic. More value for money.

Until you went uphill with the AC on. I owned an 09 Fit and 07 Civic and I would totally pick the Civic. Fit was a great car that could pack anything but that underpowered engine and crappy interior that fell apart wasn't worth it in comparison.

 

[fleshconsumed]

Damn that S660 is hot!

IMO it looks like a midget car. I think 2015 Miata MX-5 looks the best, absolutely gorgeous. Yes, Miata is going to cost a bit more, but IMO there is no contest between the two.

 

[Yuriman]

IMO it looks like a midget car. I think 2015 Miata MX-5 looks the best, absolutely gorgeous. Yes, Miata is going to cost a bit more, but IMO there is no contest between the two.

For you, perhaps. Don't get me wrong, Miatas are great cars, but different people have different wants and needs.

Also, from a slightly older article, Honda might be coming out with a car between the S660 and NSX:

Interestingly, the S660 is actually part of a bigger picture for Honda — a picture we are hearing involves three mid-engined sports cars and a reference to the “third brother” of a mid-engined trio that Honda bosses are currently evaluating.

That new coupe, says one Honda engineer, could be similar in size and price to the Toyota 86. That’s good news because without the S2000, Honda certainly needs a compact sports car to slot in between the new NSX and the S660.

http://jalopnik.com/the-honda-s660-concept-is-a-sporting-return-to-form-for-1450641533

 

[tweakmonkey]

I'd much rather have the 660 than a Miata.

Mid engine (meh at front engine IMO), smaller, probably a bit lighter, and it's a Honda so I'd put more trust in its reliability. I also think it looks way cooler.

 

[gus6464]

Honda knows the US market is different than Japan. There is nothing stopping them from making the S660 bigger like a miata and putting the 2L turbo from the euro type-r in it.

Now that I think about it they would sell a shitload of them if they did that.

 

[SithSolo1]

The new Civic will come with either a CVT or manual, and come in sedan, coupe, and Si trims. And one more: the five-door hatch. And another: THE FREAKING TYPE-R!

Really wish they'd drop the DCT from the ILX in the Si/R.