Honda Civic Type R to feature turbocharged 2.0-litre i-VTEC engine [+Video]



Interesting times loom over the field of hot hatchery, because Honda has just released very promising new details about its upcoming hatch, the Civic Type R, just a few days before the 2014 Paris Motor Show kicks off. Honda claims that the hot hatch will be their most extreme Type R to date, one that is in many ways more superior than its Type R stablemates, the Integra, Accord and the iconic NSX.

Honda Civic Type-R Concept Photograph: James Lipman +44 7803 885275

It is no surprise to know that Honda is jumping onto the forced induction bandwagon, following stricter emissions-based taxation and a whole lot of other industrial reasons. As put by Suehiro Hasshi, Honda’s Large Project Leader in the R&D department said, “The new turbocharged engine benefits by boosting low-end power delivery, while retaining its signature VTEC characteristic which is synonymous to Honda.”

Powering the Civic Type R is the 2.0-litre turbocharge i-VTEC engine that will be paired to a six-speed manual transmission. In its current state of tune, the engine makes over 280 PS and redlines at 7,000 rpm; numbers that were first seen in the 3.0-litre V6 of the NSX. With the turbocharger, we can expect Honda to squeeze more juice out of the four-pot mill.

Honda Civic Type-R Concept Photograph: James Lipman +44 7803 885275New to the Civic Type R is the +R button located to the side of the steering wheel. It’s basically a Sports mode that, when activated, will improve engine response by re-tuning torque delivery and improves the steering wheel’s responsiveness. In default driving mode, the Civic Type R is essentially an everyday sports car with fluid power delivery. The +R button however, brings out a more dynamic character and is ideal for track use. The hatch gets a new four-point Adaptive Damper System that will automatically adjust damping forces depending on driving conditions.

Honda Civic Type-R Concept Photograph: James Lipman +44 7803 885275The new Civic Type R was developed to cater to European driving tastes, and will be build at Honda’s plant in Swindon, UK. The hot hatch will hit European showrooms next year, though it remains unclear whether or not it will be introduced to Malaysian shores.