Suzuka, Japan - The next-generation Honda Civic Type R will make its debut in 2022, the Japanese carmaker has confirmed, and tiding us over until then is a new set of teaser images that show the hot hatch undergoing final testing at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan.
Honda is still remaining tight-lipped about the technical specifics, but a company spokesperson did reveal earlier this year that the new Type R would be a manual only affair. That could prove something of a controversial move, given how buyers are increasingly gravitating towards auto and dual-clutch gearboxes in this segment, but clearly Honda is catering purely for the purists here and that probably bodes well for the rest of the dynamic package.
Beneath the bonnet, it is widely expected that the new Honda Civic Type R will come with an uprated version of the current 2.0-litre turbopetrol mill, which produces 228kW and 400Nm, and as before it’s likely to remain a front-wheel drive product despite previous rumours of an AWD version.
The new model could be a bit more powerful though, as Honda’s latest teaser campaign describes it as the “best-performing Honda Civic Type R ever”.
What we do know about the new performance hatch is that its exterior styling will be as aggressive as ever, with the teaser images clearly showing a large ‘ironing board’ type wing, triple exhaust outlets and huge black alloy wheels.
Final testing is currently taking place at the Suzuka Circuit, which has been something of a mecca for Honda’s car development programmes from as far back as the 1960s.
“The 5.8 km Suzuka Circuit is renowned for its high-speed chicanes and challenging corners, with a distinctive ‘figure eight’ layout that includes a long 1.2 km back straight, which passes over an earlier section of the circuit just after Turn 9,” Honda said.
“Widely regarded as a highlight of the Formula 1 calendar, Suzuka has been an important testbed for developing performance Honda vehicles and engines since 1962.”