In February Honda gave the Civic Type R a much-needed update in Chicago. Along with the redone redone Civic, the Japanese brand also debuted the limited-edition Civic Type R, with the goal of regaining the Nurburgring record it once held.
In addition to the new fascia, part of the Civic Type R Limited Edition’s features is its lightweight construction. To achieve this, Honda had to remove the soundproofing and rear heater ducts to save 28 pounds (12.7 kilograms), while the wheels were upgraded to a Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 forged rubber-wrapped BBS aluminum wheelset. The last one shaved 22 pounds (10 kg), according to the video above.
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But what is the secret behind forged BBS wheels? Honda released an official video, a kind of How it’s done to showcase the essentials behind revered BBS lightweight wheels. The video is short, but if you don’t have time to watch, the process is pretty simple (to say).
Unlike shaping wheels through molten metal, forging uses heat and pressure to shape aluminum, similar to sword making. This ensures that the fine grain structure is strong and lightweight, eliminating the small gaps formed when using molten metal.
The entire process is captured on video at the top of this page. We suggest you check it out to further appreciate the greatness of the Civic Type R Limited Edition.
Meanwhile, we are still waiting for Honda to return to the Nurburgring. It has already broken FWD Suzuka’s record recently, and it’s only a matter of time before the previously banned fruit achieves its goal, if at all.
