2022 Honda Civic Type R tackles testing at Suzuka

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Finishing touches being applied to the Honda Civic Type R’s chassis as next-generation hot hatch nears.

Honda’s new Civic Type R is entering the final stages of its development programme, undergoing testing at the Suzuka race track in Japan ahead of its launch next year, and Honda has revealed more images of the car wearing its lightest disguise yet.

The latest Civic Type R hot hatch is based on the Mk11 Civic hatchback, which was revealed back in June. It features the same five-door fastback body style as its predecessor, although Honda’s designers have elected to tone down the previous car’s styling slightly.

However, there’s still an aggressive aero kit present. Up front the hot hatchback features the same slim LED headlights as the standard Civic, but they flank a sportier mesh radiator grille.

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The front bumper is more aggressive than the standard car’s, with an enormous intake that extends right down to the lower splitter. There’s also a fresh pair of intakes underneath the headlamps. However, the fact that they’re covered in camouflage wrap suggests they’re purely for aesthetics rather than function.

The new Type R will have a much wider track than the standard Civic, with wider wheel arches covering large alloys. The side skirts are also deeper, and feature a new aero fin ahead of the rear wheels to clean up the air flowing down the car’s flanks. The wheels are bespoke to the Type R and are shod in a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres.

At the rear, Honda’s new hot hatch retains the full-width light bar of the standard Civic, but the rear bumper has been redesigned with a pair of vent cut-outs and a deep diffuser. This houses a triple-tailpipe exhaust set-up which, unlike the current Type R, places the largest outlet in the centre. The system is designed to provide a more aggressive note under hard acceleration, while minimizing drone at a motorway cruise.

Inside, the Type R will mirror the standard car’s design with a new nine-inch infotainment system mounted on the dashboard, and a fresh digital instrument cluster ahead of the driver. It’s also highly likely the Type R will feature a new pair of sports seats, an updated sports steering wheel and aluminium pedals, plus the Type R’s signature aluminium shift knob.

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However, the new car’s most interesting feature will be its powertrain as, while the rest of Honda’s range is steadily marching towards electrification, the next Type R won’t. The brand recently clarified its EV strategy by announcing it aims to only electrify its “mainstream” European line-up by 2022, which should delight enthusiasts.

When asked if this included the Type R, Tom Gardener, Senior Vice President at Honda Europe, told us: “We have our main pillars that are going to be electrified. Clearly we have a very famous product – such as the derivative of the Civic, which I guess is what you are referring to in the Type R – but no decisions have been made on that yet.

“We’re very much aware of customers’ strong appreciation of the current model, and we’ll have to deeply consider the best progress forward.”

Based on Gardener’s statement, we expect the new Type R will use an updated version of the existing car’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. It’s not yet known if power will rise over the 236kW its predecessor produced, although it’s highly likely in a bid to help keep the Type R competitive with the new Volkswagen Golf R and other larger hot hatchbacks. It’s almost certain that the Type R will retain its six-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel drive set-up, too.

Production of the Civic Type R will also move from Swindon, where its predecessor was built, to one of Honda’s facilities in Japan.

Luke Wilkinson

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