Honda has officially confirmed the development of an all-new Civic Type R for the first time. Slated for a global debut in 2022, the new Civic Type R is said to be ready for Nürburgring testing, and the official preview image shows the car in much less camouflage than previously seen in spy shots.
- New Honda Civic Type R likely to globally debut by early 2022
- Expected to be powered by upgraded 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine from outgoing car
- It could also get a hybrid powertrain with all-wheel drive
New Honda Civic Type R: what do the images reveal?
Honda's official image of the prototype confirms that the new model will not be radically different from its predecessor externally, although the design will be cleaner. The overall body shape, with its low, wide stance, saloon-style bootlid and big rear wing is familiar, while the distinctive triple-exit exhaust pipes and red brake calipers provide another nod to its performance potential.
A closer look at the rear profile reveals that the spoiler features a new raised mounting, while the smaller lip spoiler on the boot lid no longer appears to dissect the rear window. Further visible changes include a lower shoulder line, a lower bonnet line and lower headlights, as was already previewed by the standard Civic hatchback that will go on sale in European markets in 2022.
Notably, the new Type R features far fewer faux air vents and large plastic bits sticking out than its predecessor, which is evident even with the camouflage. Just like the regular 11th-gen 2022 Honda Civic adopts a much cleaner design, the Type R also ditches the busy look of the older car.
Honda hasn’t revealed any images of the interior of the Type R, although it is expected to be completely different from its predecessor and more in-line with the new-gen Civic.
New Honda Civic Type R: powertrain options
Under the hood, the new Type R will likely forge ahead with an enhanced version of the outgoing car's 2.0-litre four cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. This engine currently produces 316hp, sending power to the front axle for a 0-100kph time of 5.8 seconds and a top speed of up to 272kph.
But it has also been suggested that it could use a hybrid powertrain like on the NSX supercar concept, which mates a twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 engine with three electric motors. It is unclear whether that would make the Civic four-wheel drive, but it is likely if Honda goes full-hybrid.
Honda Civic in India
Honda unfortunately pulled the plug on the Civic sedan in India back in December 2020, when the company ceased manufacturing operations at its Greater Noida plant in Uttar Pradesh. The last Civin on sale India was the 10th-generation model.
The Civic was locally assembled from CKD (completely knocked down) kits and its sales never really took off, which ultimately led to its discontinuation. Priced between Rs 17.70 lakh-22.30 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Civic was certainly expensive and even then, it did not have a convincing powertrain line-up to justify its premium. Not only did the engines lack outright punch, there were some crucial omissions from the lineup such as a petrol-manual or a diesel-automatic variant.
Upcoming Honda launches in India
Honda is gearing up to launch the City Hybrid in India sometime in 2022. It could possibly be the most fuel efficient petrol car in India, to be sure, but it will not come cheap. The recently unveiled seven-seater Honda BR-V could also be on the cards for India.
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