Honda Confirms Civic Type R for Geneva Debut and Summer Production
There has been so much nonsense surrounding the 2018 Honda Civic Type R that it was becoming difficult to separate fact from the fiction. Speculation on the car’s engine and transmission was endless. There were rumors that it could be as large as 3.5 liters or a substantially smaller mill mated to a continuously variable transmission. However, it turned out the most expected configuration was the correct one — Occam’s razor, and all that.
Although, after so much conflicting information, when and where the 2.0 liter turbo VTEC and its manual transmission would show up seemed uncertain. The Type R was supposed to come to North America in the middle of this year, something 36 year olds have been begging for since they were 16, but Honda hadn’t said anything concrete and that deadline is fast approaching without anyone even having laid eyes on the production model.
Then, late last week, Honda Europe slipped in a small mention that the Civic Type R would debut in Geneva alongside the Clarity Fuel Cell and the NeuV electric concept while confirming the summer production and immediate export for North America.
While everyone is chuffed that the wait to see the final production model will only be another month, few expect it to look wildly different from the prototype we were treated to last fall in Asia. Extended wheel arches, splitters, spoilers, and all of the other aggressive bodywork from its earlier incarnation are expected to remain — perhaps toned down slightly.
The 2.0 liter turbo is confirmed and anticipated to make more than the previous model’s 306 hp and 295 lb-ft worth of torque, casting a long shadow onto the friendlier Civic Si.
Assembly of the new Type R will start in summer at Honda’s Swindon manufacturing plant in the United Kingdom and the vehicle is to be simultaneously be released in Europe, Japan, and the United States. If you’re considering taking delivery on the Civic, the Geneva Motor Show runs from March 9 to March 19 and we’ll have the full allotment of details on the production vehicle then.
[Images: Honda]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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Anything from the euro Honda catalog would be an improvement....even this "ADP Sticker" Special. I can't think of anything from the current catalog in the US that an enthusiast would want to own, other than the Unicorn NSX. The prior TL in PS AWD was fast if bland, but now, nothing..... and my brother has a perfect Civic Si from the 80's in the garage.....
Civic Type R - Goes like stink because it looks like stink.