Honda Civic Type-R fans look to Europe for an answer or two

Our most read article for 2015 was written on a Honda performance hatchback that will never be sold in North America.

Short Story: The venerable 300 horsepower, manually shifted FWD Civic Type-R performance hatchback available for limited sale in Japan and Europe today, will never reach a Honda showroom in North America.

In-fact, what will be available to Honda performance enthusiasts stateside, most likely as a 2018 model, is constructed on the 10th generation Civic world-compact-car-platform underpinning the 2016 Civic Sedan. None the less, Honda Civic Type-R fans look to Europe for an answer or two as to what can be expect on the performance side from this race track inspired Honda hot-hatch.

Blame it on the E.P.A., heightened safety standards, manufacturing practice and distribution. Whatever, Civic Type-R fans made Type-R our most read Honda article for 2015, by a 3 to 1 margin. Honda tuner fans love Civic Type-R.

Fact peppered with a bit of speculation

Who doesn’t love the thought of a Ford Focus ST, Subaru WRX chewing Civic Type-R? I for one loves the idea of a fire breathing turbocharged, close throw 6-speed manual shifting Type-R rally car. Throwing all-wheel drive to the wind, who needs it, this is Honda.

looking to the recent development of the direct injected turbocharged line of “ Made in the U.S.A.,” EarthDreams ™ low friction high torque-output gasoline engines, we know that the Civic Type-R destined for North America, although manufactured in Surrey, England, will be equipped with an I.C. engine built in the U.S., and in true Honda style, front-wheel-drive. Transmission, who know? Honda is a world-wide automotive manufacturer with global resources.

I’ve driven the much improved turbocharged, CVT 2016 Civic Touring. Honda engineering tells us that this car shares some common road handling attributes and technology with the near future Civic type-R. Such as low-friction internal engine parts, swingarm, brake, suspension components, active and passive safety features.

2.0 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder gasoline

Speculation based on current (known) engine specifications has the North American bound 2018 Civic Type-R pounding the pavement with no less than 300 b.h.p., and an MSRP south of $40,000. Reads good to us, bring it on. Looking to initial production run Japan availability(2016 Euro-specification)of 700 units, I’m hoping that American Honda Motors will kick up the Civic Type-R numbers just a bit for Honda’s largest car market.