Frankfurt 2013: Honda Civic Type R to pack 280bhp
Honda’s hatch legend wants to give Renault’s ‘Ring record a black eye
By Imthishan Giado
Honda fan? MME definitely is one too, but it’s been a rough few years for aficionados of the fabled H badge with a succession of dreary beige saloons in the past few years marking Honda’s inexorable transformation into hated rivals Toyota. But there’s still a faint glimmer of hope and nearly all of it rests in the new Euro-only (which means we might get it too).
The new Type-R isn’t at Frankfurt but Europe President Manabu Nishimae confirmed some crucial and downright juicy details – the new Civic Typer R will feature a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with ‘at least’ 280PS (around 276bhp). Honda is gunning hard for the Nurburgring front-wheel drive production car record, current held by the Renault Megane RS Trophy with a time of 8:07.97. Unfortunately the car is quite a long way away with a release date of 2015 and Ring testing has only just begun – though tantalisingly, Nishimae says they are already in sight of the lap record.
Oh, and what’s this? Why, it’s a manual gearbox! Thank goodness Honda hasn’t fallen prey to the trendy movement to fit a dual-clutch box, just a good old fashioned gearstick, pedals and the most fearsome circuit on Planet Earth.
Watch the video below
