Spy Shots: Honda Civic Type-R
World Car Fans has a gallery of new spy photos of Honda Motor's Euro-Civic hatchback, apparently in Type-R trim. The lightly disguised Civic looks like it should be a worthy competitor in the european market's hot hatch wars.
Although WCF reports that all models of the new hatch will get sportier suspension tuning than the sedan, the real fun is reserved for the Type-R, which gets a 197 hp 2-liter engine - good for a 0-100 km/h time of 6.5 seconds.
The Civic hatchback hits U.K. showrooms this summer, after its debut at the British Motor Show. The Type-R should appear next year. Follow the link for lots more photos!
[Source: World Car Fans] Thanks for the tip, Ebm14!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
looks good 1:52PM (5/19/2006)
What's the price?
Given that the non-Si version of this vehicle costs something like $25K, I wonder what this goes for?
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Steve 2:20PM (5/19/2006)
Dangit. Why are Europe's cars so much cooler looking than ours?
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WRCFan 2:23PM (5/19/2006)
For those bemoaning the fact that the U.S. will not see this, or the standard Civic hatch, just remember... it has a torsion beam rear suspension.
It is based on the Fit platform and not the U.S. Civic platform. So, in some small way, we actually get the "better" car.
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James 2:32PM (5/19/2006)
And it is the same power level of our Si..:P
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GOKARTN 2:42PM (5/19/2006)
If they had a hatchback Civic in the US, I would seriously consider a Civic. They are so much more useful and look much more sporty. What do we have against hatchbacks here in the US?
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Richard Warren 2:57PM (5/19/2006)
Damn, that thing is ugly and that wing on the back is worse
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chairman 3:03PM (5/19/2006)
Even if the Type-R has the same HP as the American Si and a more primitive rear suspension, I'm a sucker for hatchbacks. If they brought it over, I'd forgive Honda for killing the RSX. I'd even forgive and forget if they brought a Civic hatch hybrid to replace the Insight.
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s 3:14PM (5/19/2006)
Who cares if it has a torison bean suspension!!!!
It's a Civic Type R you fool !!!!
This is best design Civic hatch so far!
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Ebm14 3:38PM (5/19/2006)
Stuart, thank you for posting what I submitted
earlier this morning.
I think this will be the next Acura RSX. I would modify the uni-brow headlamp design in favor of something a little more elegant and perhaps thin out the rear spoiler in the back to make it less of an afterthought.
Also, please import this car from JP with optional AWD!
If Honda would do such a thing, the 08'Impreza would automatically have something to worry about..death.
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Tim UF 3:40PM (5/19/2006)
So, really, its not a civic (at least, not a US civic). its a Fit 3door, with civic styling, and the si's engine...
if you go and look at all the pics on the report, the rear is reminiscient (sp?) of the old crx-si, with the split rear window. it also looks like there might be rear-suicide doors? or at least theres a seam under some of the camo'ing
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Scott 4:00PM (5/19/2006)
All I can say is "Ewwwwwwwww . . . . ."
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Blake 4:25PM (5/19/2006)
The article calls it a three-door, even though it's obvious as all hell they just covered up the rear door handles. You can even see the gap for the door! Come on now.
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T. 5:27PM (5/19/2006)
So you get the fit with a the Si engine shoved in it, and it's a hatchback as well?? sign me up!! :)
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iQuack 5:37PM (5/19/2006)
Too bad hatchbacks aren't popular in the U.S. That's probably because the first hatches offered here were relatively inexpensive cars that earned the "econobox" label.
So, even though they were good cars (VW Rabbit, Honda Civic, Mazda GLC, Toyota Tercel, etc.) they weren't very upscale. And there were some horrible hatchbacks: Pinto, Vega, Chevette, for example.
I think cars like the new, Dodge Caliber will change this perception because hatchback cars are so useful and can be smartly styled, too.
It's likely that many current SUV drivers would be just as happy with a hatchback that's nearly as roomy but costs much less to run.
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Nill 6:10PM (5/19/2006)
Finally, a car that makes it from concept to production virtually unscathed and we can't get it.
The diesel model of the 2006 "euro" civic is the only car in all of Honda?s lineup that even interests me.
Even if it had to be a special order, I?d drop the cash sight unseen if they?d sell it to me.
As it stands, however, I'll be shopping elsewhere.
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s 6:10PM (5/19/2006)
This car will never be rebadged in America for Acura as a the RSX replacement.
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LupeDupe 6:53PM (5/19/2006)
New 7 litre Caddy Spied.
http://cars.msn.co.uk/carnews/cadillacctssupervspiedmay06/
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Howard Kerr 7:06PM (5/19/2006)
Yeah, if you look REAL close, you can see the cutlines for the rear doors. However, these doors look too small to be regular doors...could they be "mini-doors" ala the old Saturn SC?
As far as the wing on the back, it least on this car it looks like the wing was designed for it, unlike the wing on the U.S. Civic SI that looks like a J.C. Whitney "one size fits all" part.
CAR magazine says that many Civic fans in the U.K. are buying the outgoing model, (the one we had here from '02 to '05...and NO ONE bought) in the hopes of getting a cheap future collectible.
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jimbo 8:10PM (5/19/2006)
This thing makes an old Geo Storm look like it was ahead of it's time.
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Tim UF 8:14PM (5/19/2006)
go to edmunds.com/insideline
they have a pic of the european 4door civic hatchback.
they also bring up the point that honda has a hotter engine lurking in the wings: the rdx's 2.3liter turbo... which they say will fit with only a change to engine mounts, and a new location for the intercooler... factory turbo civic anyone?
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