Much has been said about the Honda Civic Type R, mostly about its handling characteristics. Cars with front-wheel drive cars are not normally known for such things, but Honda engineers have called the hot hatch almost in perfection. The downside is that the straight guff of the Civic is often not noticed, but not by the people at L’argus.
We actually watched one of their videos back in 2017, when the Civic Type R was fresh and new. Honda lists the official top speed for the Type R at 169 mph – not at all shabby for a car with hot eco-hatchback roots. With that run, the Civic saw its rating by a few mouse clicks to 174 mph, but now the figures are even higher – 180.2 mph (290 km / h) to be exact.
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Let that drop for a moment. 180 mph… in a factory stock Honda Civic. Yes, the car shown in the video is in stock, but it is also not a typical model. This is the new Limited Edition, which runs on special lightweights, custom mufflers, and includes a recalibrated steering system. It is also 28 pounds lighter than the standard Type R.
These changes certainly help in handling, but interestingly, the engine output does not change. The turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder still develops 306 horsepower (228 kilowatts) and 295 pound-feet (400 Newton-meters) of twist, kind of turning the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. The weight reduction certainly helps with acceleration – the Limited Edition jumps to 124 mph (200 km / h) in 18 seconds, and terminal speed is reached in just over one minute. However, a lack of weight does not necessarily help the Honda by pushing at high speeds. It takes more power to overcome such a drag.
Does this mean that the Type R Limited Edition actually has more power than advertised? Not necessarily; There are several reasons why this particular car reached the 180-mph mark, not the least of which is speedometer error like a tailwind. However, there is more evidence that the Type R is not just an angle carver, but a good fast machine that can surely surprise people.
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