One of the biggest hits with hot hatch fans in recent times has been the Honda Civic
Type R. Whether it’s the MkI model or the more distinctive wedge-like styling of its
successor, both have found favour with UK drivers. But with only 200bhp on tap, and
with rivals such as the Ford Focus ST and VW’s Golf GTI offering greater power, you
could argue the Type R is the poor relation.
But not any more. Honda has announced the launch of a
new limited edition 240bhp version that will go on sale in the
spring. And this isn’t just some aftermarket power hike, it’s
the work of Honda’s performance division Mugen. Never
heard of it? Get on Google and do an image search for a
taste of proper Japanese exotica. This Type R will be racetuned
by the team which used to do the Honda’s F1 engines!
For an idea of what that means in real terms, listen to this.
When a prototype version of the car was on the road last
summer, Mugen engineers did some secret testing at the
Bedford Autodrome. The car was two seconds a lap faster
than the 300bhp Ford Focus RS! The production Type R is
about 80kg heavier than that test machine, but that’s still an
impressive result.
Okay, it’s time for the bad news and there’s two doses to
swallow. Firstly, only 20 of these cars are going to be built.
And secondly, it’s going to cost you an eye-watering £38,599
to get behind the wheel. That’s a whopping £15k more than
the flagship Championship White model on which it’s based.
There is some good news, though. The 20 cars are all for the UK market and Japanese
bosses are confidently predicting that this Type R will mark the start of more joint ventures
between Honda and Mugen. In effect, it’s the unofficial launch of the Mugen brand in this
country. Have a look at www.typermugen.co.uk for more details.
So my guess is you’ll be wondering what an extra 40bhp has done to the Civic Type R. Read
on to find out… because I’ve driven it. During a recent trip to Japan I was invited to an
exclusive test session at the legendary Motegi circuit in the hills to the north of Tokyo. On
hand were the Mugen development team, flown in especially from the firm’s European base
in Northampton.
Immediately as you see the Mugen it’s obvious this is not a standard car. The exterior
changes aren’t subtle, with the massive rear wing providing downforce and the trademark
triangular twin exhaust pipes swapped for round ones. There’s Mugen branding on the wing
and rear hatch. The wheels are new, too; these Mugen-stamped forged aluminium alloys are
35 per cent lighter than standard Type R rims, and the gold-painted motorsport brake
calipers are clearly visible through the spokes.
The Mugen will only be available in white. Tape measure out, it’s the same width as a
standard car, but 10mm wider at the front and 20mm longer overall because of the restyled
bumpers. Inside, the cabin remains unchanged bar a gauge cluster at the base of the A-pillar,
giving details of oil temperature, oil pressure and water temperature. But the biggest change
is under the bonnet; the 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine has been completely reworked to
boost power by 20 per cent, with a host of upgraded components and an ECU remap. The
Mugen is also 20kg lighter than the standard car, taking it down from 6.7kg to 5.5kg per bhp.
The starting process is exactly the same – fire up the engine with the big red button and the
car burbles into life. But as soon as you’re on the move it’s obvious this is a different beast.
For a start the rev range has gone up from 8,300 to 8,600rpm and the throttle is more
responsive, too. The 0-60mph sprint time is down from 6.6 seconds for the standard Type R,
to six dead. With my foot to the floor in third gear there was a massive kick of power at
6,000rpm which was a real thrill, and the noise makes this car a real head-turner. Even on the
tight Motegi circuit, where I didn’t get much above 80mph, the stopping power from the
brakes was impressive. And even though the ESP stability control has been ripped out, the
car has phenomenal levels of grip.
Motegi is, as you expect, pancake flat and not surprisingly the car’s ride was very smooth.
The real test will be on some twisty British B-roads, but the Mugen team are confident it will
be surprisingly refined.
The 20 cars are fully road-legal and will be bought for
both everyday and track day use. They’re available on
a first come, first served basis but aren’t expected to
hang around long. That’s because, despite the high
asking price, they’re exceptionally good value for
money. Mugen would typically charge a staggering
£190,000 for a race-prepared Type R, which is
effectively what this is. Bosses were keen to point out
this isn’t a volume sales operation to shift aftermarket
parts, but a premier quality motorsport upgrade.
Because of that, they believe many customers will spec their machines up closer to £50k. For
example, standard rubber is a set of Bridgestone RE050 tyres, but super-sticky Yokohama
AO48 ones are available for £800. Want to make the car even lighter? The rear seat will come
out for an extra cost, too.
The Mugen Type R is also a great story for British engineering because the cars come off
Honda’s Swindon production line before being shipped to Northampton for the upgrade. A
team of three people will work for seven days to transform each one. And when it’s ready for
collection, owners will go to the factory to be immersed in the world of Mugen, rather than to
their High Street Honda dealer.
Did I like the car? Yes, I loved it. Mugen is just
what the Civic Type R needs, and the fact there’s
only 20 means the car will be ultra-exclusive. I say
get your order in now before it’s too late.