By: IOL Motoring Staff
Geneva Motor Show - The Honda Civic Type R always had a cool factor that gave it a proper presence in hot hatch circles despite it being let down by an underpowered normally aspirated engine.
The all-new one, which we see in full showroom spec for the first time today, makes up for that and then some, and then some.
In fact with 400Nm of sheer twisting force emanating from its all-new 2-litre turbopetrol motor at just 2000rpm and an eye-watering 228kW produced from 6500rpm, you'll never again have to listen to a Type R fan sheepishly promise "but wait until the Vtec kicks in."
Favouring purist driving sensation over the convenience of fancy double-clutch gadgetry, shifting still takes place through a short-throw six-speed manual gearbox.
The advanced new direct injection Vtec turbo motor might conform to modern trends in all the right places but it still has a 7000rpm redline compromise to offer blue-blooded rev-heads. Performance is in another league altogether, with Honda claiming a 5.7 second 0-100km/h sprint and 270km/h top speed.
KING OF FRONT-WHEEL DRIVES?
This, according to Honda, makes the new Type R the quickest accelerating front-wheel drive hatchback on the market and it certainly begs the question: can those front wheels handle all that voomah?
We won't know until we get to test this final production model, but Jesse Adams drove a 208kW prototype in Japan in late 2013 and described it as being a bit of a handful even in that guise, although engineers have had a lot of time to further hone the steering and chassis since then. Read his report HERE .
Honda has gone to great lengths to develop and test its new mega hatch on both road and track and it's spent extensive time on both the Nürburgring Nordschleife and the Suzuka Formula One circuit.
Its aggressive exterior kit all forms part of an aerodynamic package that was meticulously engineered to optimise airflow and downforce, while a set of 19-inch alloys aim to keep you firmly planted.
IMPROVED CHASSIS
On that note, the Type R sports a new Dual Axis Strut front suspension that claims to reduce torque steer by 50 percent, and while the rear sticks with an H-shaped torsion beam set up, it is constructed with what Honda calls a "crushed pipe" design that improves rear roll rigidity by 180 percent.
Yet despite its focus on fast cornering, it does promise a more comfortable ride, achieved by the new four-point adaptive damper system. Yet when you're looking for a no-compromise track tool, all you need do is press the new '+R' button on the dashboard, which sharpens the responsiveness of the throttle, chassis and steering systems.
This is, without doubt, the ultimate Type R. But has Honda done enough to make serious waves in the hot hatch world? Time will tell.