Japanese Market Civic Type R

Following the launch of the Euro-spec Civic Type R, Honda is set to introduce the Japanese market Type R at the end of March. In contrast to the European 3-door version, in Japan, where the current Civic is not available in hatchback format, the range-topping Type-R will be made available solely as a 4-door saloon. However, if various Japanese motoring periodicals are to be believed, body shape is not the only area in which the Japanese and Euro-spec Type Rs will differ. While the Japanese market Type R is expected to share the 2.0-litre DOHC i-VTEC from the European model, power output in Japan is estimated to be 225ps, which exceeds both the 203ps of the current European Type R, and the 215ps (vs. 201ps for the previous generation of the Euro Type R) of the previous generation Japanese Type R. Just as the previous generation JDM Type R gained a power advantage over the equivalent Euro Type R thanks to a reprogrammed ECU and modified camshafts, the soon to be released JDM version of the new Type R may gain its power advantage by employing similar tactics. Similarly, just as the previous Type-R was a more potent, track-orientated vehicle in Japanese market guise, the same it seems will hold true for the new model.

Meanwhile, although the new Euro Type R gained 134kg of excess weight over its predecessor, somewhat surprisingly, certain Japanese rags cite the new Japanese Type R as being 10kg lighter than its forebear. This weight loss has not however been verified, and a 10kg loss certainly seems somewhat dubious considering the larger dimensions associated with the Civic saloon. All will however be revealed in a matter of weeks.