HONDA released the latest generation of the Honda Civic Type R, a four-door, front wheel drive hatchback propelled with tremendous force by a turbocharged 2.0-liter, 16-valve DOHC, in-line 4-cylinder engine. It costs P3.88 million and for that money, it can about 1.2Gs of thrust from the 320 PS and 420 Nm of torque that small-block engine makes.
That’s about 1:8 ratio of money to thrust, not a bad investment, pundits will agree, but do we need another performance car amidst the unsolvable traffic congestion be it at grade or above ground.
“Tonight, we welcome 2023 with the launch of most powerful Civic Type R. It embodies Honda’s DNA, demonstrating the brand’s strong determination for crafting machines that attain the ultimate in speed and the joy of driving,” Masahiko Nakamura, President of Honda Cars Philippines said.
“Honda offers more options for our customers, and the Type R is just one of many options for the Civic brand,” Atty. Louie Soriano, Division Sales Head of Honda Cars Philippines, told a group of automotive journalists at the simple and crowded launch of the Type R at the aptly-named resto-bar Karrera Showroom in Alabang.
What he probably meant by options is that in the whole Civic line-up currently available locally, the car moves from sane yet sporty Honda Civic S Turbo CVT costing P1.368M, to the loaded and sporty Civic RS Turbo CVT at P1.775M. Note in both descriptions, ‘sporty’ is contextual, there is no simple and quiet Civic in the line-up. Just gung-ho cars with different personalities.
The Type R is based on the Civic Hatchback, but has a new front bumper that reduces side wake, functional front fender air outlets, and a side sill garnish which enhances efficiency, contributing to a lower overall coefficient of drag. Aerodynamic development was done by the race-bred technologies of the Honda Racing Company (HRC) Sakura Super GT race team. This ensures that the 6th generation Type R is more aerodynamically efficient than before. Each airfoil and vent, spoiler and wing generates, significantly more downforce which improves high-speed stability.
When Honda said the 6th gen is bigger than the previous gen Type R is, they weren’t lying. However, the differences are tiny, almost negligible. There’s about 0.8 inches more in length (the size of a matchstick), 0.6 inches width (the thickness of a slice of carrot cake, and 0.5 inches lower (about 3 slivers of French fries stacked one on-top of the other. To improve race drivers see the narrow road, or a wide turn’s apex, the A-pillars have been pulled rearward by 1.96 inches. He swept back profile shouts “faster!”
But does the Philippines, with its pockmarked streets, made even narrower by misappropriating space for bike lanes, congested for more than 18 hours a day, need the sportiness and speed of the Type R?
“The joy of driving is a customer need. It can be fulfilled with the Type R,” Nakamura reiterated in a sit down chat with motoring scribes and some Honda car club enthusiasts who were aghast when Nakamura said that there are already over a 100 orders for the car, and of the 40 that landed in the Batangas port over the holiday season, 39 are already committed for. He further narrated that the incoming 60 units, sourced from Honda’s performance car factory in Saitama, Japan, might be loaded before the end of next month.
So there really is a market for the expensive 2023 Type R with its more aggressive front bumper wrapped by the thematic honeycomb grille mesh that replicates itself throughout the interiors. There is more bulk in the car, with working air vents and smaller but wider 19 inch by 295 width tires–30mm wider than the last model. Honda says this aggressive stance is “accentuated by wider rear doors and a reshaped rear bumper revealing its updated signature three-round exhaust outlets. You will also be greeted with a redesigned rear spoiler with aluminum stanchions and a new rear diffuser that increases downforce and reduces drag.”
The Type R overflows with tech, and I mean overflow. It has a data logger, much like an airplane’s black box, without the need for crashing to reveal its contents. Honda says all this tech that delivers “ultimate driving pleasure.” Let’s see what P3.88 million brings in terms of tech. First, 9-inch touchscreen that supports various multimedia functions such as Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. That’s coupled to 12-speaker Bose sound system.
There is also the new enhanced version of the Honda LogR Performance Datalogger which combines its onboard computer and sensors with a new built-in vehicle app that help drivers monitor and record a variety of performance parameters in real time when driving on the road, on track and other closed courses, helping to improve driving skills. It has the “Performance Monitor” which includes a G-force gauge (the basis of the earlier statement of G-force versus SRP), status of oil and coolant temperatures, oil pressure, and more. Play a game in the real world with “Auto Score” which shows how the car behaves and help improve your driving performance using key driving metrics like track speed and time or time stages in a track. Finally, there is “Data Log” that quickly analyzes driving data to help understand and improve on driving habits. Once completed it reports on track performance, provides lap time and Heat Map.
To make full use of the data logger and all those sensors there is a 10.2-inch fully-digital instrument cluster, and to cool the heat of a hot lap, automatic air-conditioning, smart entry with a smart key card and one push start system, a wireless charging pad. And there is more. Many more. The question remains however, do we need another performance Honda on the streets?
“The Type R is a response to customer needs. The customer who wants the Type R is looking for a practical sporty vehicle that can be driver everyday, parked anywhere but with enough performance to delight. There is more than enough performance in this the Type R,” Atty. Soriano highlights in a quick chat. In its DNA, the Type R was developed based on Honda’s challenging spirit, leveraging its deep roots in competition with racetrack-proven engineering–a car that maximizes performance without sacrificing civilized road manners.
The Type R is aligned with Honda’s global commitment “to lead the advancement of mobility.” And it this means keeping the brand’s high-performance icon revving, this all-new Type R–by far the most powerful in its 30-year history, embodies the brand’s challenging spirit with its latest innovations that “are sure to deliver a thrilling driving experience.”
“There are those who want a car like the Type R,” race driver and now race organizer Georges Ramirez told me between a bottle of beer and a can of Coke. “These people have the money to spend and enjoy the thrill of driving. Let’s say they are rich and practical, and not really show-offs, so they don’t want a supercar that will always scrape the humps but they want a statement. More than that, Type R owners actually drive their cars on the race track on track days, pushing it to the limits of their driving skills. Yes, there is a market for the Type R and Honda’s sales has proven it.”
So the answer, it yes. We do need another performance car on the road, if just for the heck of it!
