Sportier 3-door Civic arrives
Basis for Type-R now here
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A new three-door Honda Civic breaks cover at the British International Motor Show in July, and will form the basis for the new Type-R. The Type S shares the same platform and overall dimensions as the five-door Civic, but it has a sportier look and feel, with re-tuned suspension to deliver sharper cornering. The car will go on sale in January 2007.Type S is aimed at younger customers wanting style and performance in a three-door package. It joins the five-door and Type R Concept to complete the Civic line-up for Europe.
Exterior styling is bold, with sculpted side skirts flaring towards both the front and rear wheels and blended into the wheel arch surrounds. These then flow into the front and rear spoilers to complete the lower body structure, all of which is finished in a gun metal finish.
To give the Type S sharper steering response, improved ride and excellent cornering stability, the suspension has been specially tuned, with revised spring and damper settings and a 20mm wider rear track.
Under the bonnet of the three-door Civic sits either a rev-happy 1.8-litre i-VTEC petrol engine, or Honda’s 2.2-litre diesel unit. Both engines produce 138bhp and can be combined with a six-speed manual gearbox. The 1.8-litre i-VTEC is also available with Honda's automated-manual i-SHIFT transmission.
Interior
Silver-stitched black alcantara seats and a leather trimmed steering wheel join aluminium pedals plus Honda’s Dual Link dashboard design – first featured on the 5-door Civic – which places key information in the upper part of the instrument panel. This means that important data can be viewed without compromising the driver’s concentration on the road.
The interior instead provides flexibility and good passenger accommodation according to Honda. The distance between the hip point of front and rear passengers equates to that of higher segment cars. The rear seats also incorporate Honda’s one-motion, dive-down feature to create a flat loading space and 485 litres of loading space – the same as the Civic 5-door. A centrally-positioned fuel tank is located beneath the front seats rather than impinging on the luggage area.
Models and features
Two model grades will be offered. As well as 17-inch wheels and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) as standard, Type S gets air conditioning, cool box, remote audio controls and curtain airbags. The Type S GT model adds a panoramic glass roof, dual zone air conditioning, cruise control, front foglights, retractable mirrors, and automatic wipers and headlamps.
Passive safety features include double seatbelt pre-tensioners on both front seats as well as active headrests for protection against dangerous whiplash injury. Front and side SRS airbags for front seat passengers and full-length curtain airbags are standard on all models. The instrument display also features an innovative seatbelt reminder for both front and rear seat passengers.
Honda anticipates a Euro NCAP result of five stars for front and side impact safety, three stars for pedestrian safety and four stars for child protection safety, making it one of the safest cars in its class.
Type-R
The three-door Type S will form the basis of the Civic Type R, which goes on sale in the UK in March 2007. The Type R will offer greater sophistication without compromising the Type R philosophy of exhilarating performance through advanced engineering.
Aggressive styling, responsive steering, intuitive handling and greater in-cabin refinement will all be key characteristics. And although maximum engine power remains the same as the out-going Civic Type R, Honda’s engineers have further developed the 197bhp 2.0-litre engine.
The Type R will also have a GT grade, which will offer extra equipment such as dual zone air conditioning and automatic rain and light sensors.
The old model had two main problems: firstly, poor steering feel and secondly, a chassis incapable of dealing with bumpy and / or wet roads.
What have Honda done with the new model? Introduced a primative rear suspension design and retained that horrible electronic power steering.
Meantime, the engine output will not increase but I bet my house the overall weight will. Be lucky if it lumbers to 60 in under 7 seconds.
Rain sensing wipers on a Type R? FFS!
Erm, not quite.
Who proofs these articles?!?
(Article quote)
And although maximum engine power remains the same as the out-going Civic Type R, Honda’s engineers have further developed the 197bhp 2.0-litre engine.
Where did you see that 148bhp.......?
Erm, not quite.
Who proofs these articles?!?
(Article quote)
And although maximum engine power remains the same as the out-going Civic Type R, Honda’s engineers have further developed the 197bhp 2.0-litre engine.
Where did you see that 148bhp.......?
They probably quietly fixed it to make havoc look stupid
Erm, not quite.
Who proofs these articles?!?
(Article quote)
And although maximum engine power remains the same as the out-going Civic Type R, Honda’s engineers have further developed the 197bhp 2.0-litre engine.
Where did you see that 148bhp.......?
They probably quietly fixed it to make havoc look stupid
I've just looked - they have!!! Cheeky feckers!
Then again, 'twas really the result I was after.
The old model had two main problems: firstly, poor steering feel and secondly, a chassis incapable of dealing with bumpy and / or wet roads.
What have Honda done with the new model? Introduced a primative rear suspension design and retained that horrible electronic power steering.
Meantime, the engine output will not increase but I bet my house the overall weight will. Be lucky if it lumbers to 60 in under 7 seconds.
Rain sensing wipers on a Type R? FFS!
I too own a just bought out going type R. I did question whether i should hold back or get something different but I enjoyed the drive too much.
I'm not sure which revision you have but the later models steering feel is better than the earlier ones and i don't find the chassis that bad on bumps (then my track car is very hard so compared to that anything is soft) but you're right, the stock 040's struggle in the rain.
Now i've been driving mine 3 months i have to say though the VTEC engine is fantastic, it ain't half tiresome as a daily drive. Honda would be better taking the low pressure turbo route IMHO.
The old model had two main problems: firstly, poor steering feel and secondly, a chassis incapable of dealing with bumpy and / or wet roads.
What have Honda done with the new model? Introduced a primative rear suspension design and retained that horrible electronic power steering.
Meantime, the engine output will not increase but I bet my house the overall weight will. Be lucky if it lumbers to 60 in under 7 seconds.
Rain sensing wipers on a Type R? FFS!
Its the brake by wire I'm more concerned about.
Turbo and VTEC not really compatible, as VTEC (for power) requires high-compression, while a turbo needs low compression. You'd end up with a compromise engine that did nothing well.
I disagree that VTEC should be changed...with iVTEC, and with evolutions, you will have continually variable cam- and valve- timing and opening, so you should be able to tune an engine for low-down smoothness, mid-range torque, AND top-end power. A few more cubes wouldn't go amiss though...
Turbo and VTEC not really compatible, as VTEC (for power) requires high-compression, while a turbo needs low compression. You'd end up with a compromise engine that did nothing well.
I disagree that VTEC should be changed...with iVTEC, and with evolutions, you will have continually variable cam- and valve- timing and opening, so you should be able to tune an engine for low-down smoothness, mid-range torque, AND top-end power. A few more cubes wouldn't go amiss though...
Yeah, my point was to drop the whole VTEC system and use a medium compression low pressure turbo system like the VWGroups new range. I did test drive the new GTI before buying the Honda and while the performance didn't have the smile factor of the 8400 redline it was certianly an easier drive.
Perhaps i'm just getting old (at 24), or perhaps my track mr2 turbo spoils me with torque.
No, i'm just getting old. The CTR was a bad choice for a sensible daily when you travel an hour and a half a day!
No, i'm just getting old. The CTR was a bad choice for a sensible daily when you travel an hour and a half a day!
Yes, and yes.
Although no, too...I had an Integra (not as quiet or cossetting as CTR) for 3+ years and put 50k miles on her, much of that M-way rush-hour to and from clients all over the W.Mids. It wasn't exactly relaxing, but I managed OK...and for those fleeting moments where you can redline the car, it's SOOO worth it. Often took the long-way home as well in summer...
Turbo and VTEC not really compatible, as VTEC (for power) requires high-compression, while a turbo needs low compression. You'd end up with a compromise engine that did nothing well.
I disagree that VTEC should be changed...with iVTEC, and with evolutions, you will have continually variable cam- and valve- timing and opening, so you should be able to tune an engine for low-down smoothness, mid-range torque, AND top-end power. A few more cubes wouldn't go amiss though...
Well, in a turbo engine you have a variable compression ratio. The turbo by forcing the intake raises the compression ratio depending on RPM. The compression ratio rises as the turbo spools up.
Are you sure about that? (I can see you drive a turbo'd car) The compression ratio compares the volume of air BDC with the volume of air at TDC...all FI does is rams more air into the cylinder (so I guess could be considered to be increasing the ratio by the back-door because it artificially increases the density of the air under compression...is that what you were getting at?)
I managed to own my '04 CTR for 5 months before selling it on! Why can't Honda be true to the cause and make a decent Type-R!!!! I'd love to say they offered something better than a MK5 Golf Gti, but I don't think so.........
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