We all know and love the Honda Civic Type R, but maybe we know it a little too well. You could argue that perfection requires no updates, but we'd say there’s always something to improve. Based on Honda Racing Corporation’s (HRC) latest video and the latest reports from Japan, Big Red agrees with us—the Type R HRC Concept is headed to showrooms this year.
HRC President Koji Watanabe told Car Watch about Honda’s plan to bring the HRC concept to production. During a Type R owner’s event at Honda-owned Mobility Resort Motegi, Watanabe-san expanded on the HRC Concept that was teased at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon.
View Price on AmazonHe says it will come very soon, within “100 days” of the time of the announcement, and that the car is currently being developed. He added, "But please do look forward to it." If you’re familiar with the Acura Integra Type S HRC Concept, then this exercise will feel very familiar, except that this comes with a much more serious edge.
HRC’s video shows the car being developed at Suzuka Circuit alongside Honda drivers Ayumu Iwasa, Takuma Sato, and Hiroki Otsu, and the camouflaged parts are extensive. The entire front end, including the bumper and fenders, looks completely different. The fenders are Super GT-inspired, with wide box flares, while the car has a more aggressive front lip, side skirts, and rear spats to complement it. The rear wing is also of a different profile, but doesn’t look radically changed.
There is clearly suspension and chassis development too, as Sato commented on the rigidity and stiffness of the development car. It’s possible that the wide front fenders will accommodate a staggered tire setup to enable more front grip. Honda also doesn’t pull its best pros from active racing for no reason, meaning that this is a more serious product than originally anticipated.
Whether the production car will make it stateside, we aren’t sure. But Watanabe-san said the parts from the concept will be sold aftermarket in the US, which means owners can do it themselves. If there are no engine changes, it shouldn’t be too difficult to homologate.
Source: motor1.com
