Honda Type R: Honda set to wage war on hot hatch rivals - Aside from the 20-inch wheels, this is how the Type R will look in 2007

摘要

Unveiled as a 'concept' at the recent Geneva motor show, the radical-looking canary yellow Civic Type R previews the three-door bodyshell of the all-new Civic hatch. Aside from the show-special 20-inch alloys and wide 245/35 ZR20 Michelin Pilot tyres, the production version of the Type R will be largely unchanged when it appears in Europe and Japan early 2007. Expect the production Type R to roll on marginally more modest 18-inch rims. The concept features the same high-revving 2.0-litre VTEC four-cylinder from the previous model. Its 150kW appears a little soft in the current power race, where 180kW front-drive hatches are not unheard of. Still, like the Renault Sport Clio [right], the new Civic Type R promises to be more than a one-trick power pony. The 2.0-litre screamer is likely to be tuned to deliver better mid-range response, while still maintaining the top-end rush Honda VTEC engines are renowned for.