With more turbo power and a six-speed manual gearbox, the new Honda Civic Type R is the fastest in history, and will probably be the last with a pure gasoline engine.
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The Honda Civic Type R 2023 has finally been unveiled, before launching in Australia early next year.
Known to fans and experts as the ‘FL5’, the new Civic Type R arrives 25 years after the original, and may be the last exclusively with a petrol engine, as Honda’s global model ranges pass to hybrid energy and eventually to electricity.
Arrivals at Australian showrooms will begin early next year. Prices have not yet been confirmed, although a sticker is expected to be closer to $ 65,000 or $ 70,000 by car, than the $ 54,990 plus road costs of the old model.
The new “FL5” Type R is a development of the outgoing “FK8” 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which Honda promises is “even more powerful and responsive” than its 228 kW / 400 Nm predecessor, all and that specific outings are a refuge. has not been revealed.
Power is still sent to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission with rev adjustment; there is no automatic option, nor an all-wheel drive system to increase off-road traction.
Honda does not cite a sprint time of 0 to 100 km / h, although the increase in power is likely to reduce a tenth or two of the time of its predecessor, which independent tests found between 5.5 and 6 , 0 seconds.
To make the largest production possible, there is a “revised turbocharger that now features a compact housing to improve the overall efficiency of the unit,” while the turbine itself has had both its blade count and the optimized shape for increase power and improve airflow through the turbo.
Under the skin, the Civic Type R 2023 benefits from the new more rigid platform under the latest Civic hatchback. In standard models, this offers a 19% increase in torsional stiffness.
The bows are filled with 19-inch black alloy wheels, an inch smaller than the outgoing Type R, wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tires.
Adaptive shock absorbers with three modes (including a + R parameter) are expected to be included as standard, while a Brembo brake set is installed, with brake discs carried on the old FK8 Type R. There are also a LogR data logging system, which monitors the lap. time, forces g and other vehicle parameters.
Perhaps the most notable change for the new FL5 Type R is the style, which swaps out angles and extroverted folds of the outgoing FK8 for a smoother surface, a sharper shoulder line, and thinner front and rear LED lights.
Still, traditional R-type signs remain: red Honda emblems, front and rear R-type insignia, more aggressive bumpers, sporty side skirts, and a high rear wing over the tailgate.
The wide intake hood and trio of exhaust tips are maintained, the latter powered by a sporty exhaust system, while the wider wheel arches are now integrated into the body, rather than hitched. se with the model of the previous generation.
There will be five colors available in the US: Championship White, Rallye Red, Boost Blue, Crystal Black Pearl and Sonic Gray Pearl.
Inside, improvements to the Type R include a set of front sports seats, red suede upholstery, an aluminum shift selector ball, red seat belts, Alcantara steering wheel and center armrests and red contrast seams everywhere.
The newly added 9.0-inch center touchscreen and newly added 10.2-inch digital instrument panel get R-type specific images, while next to the gearbox is a driving mode selector with a power button. shortcut + R.
It’s unclear if the new Civic Type R has five seats, or just four, like its predecessor.
The Honda Civic Type R 2023 will be unveiled in Australian showrooms in early 2023. Local prices and details will be confirmed closer to launch.
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he created his own website, Redline. He collaborated on Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flipping through youth car magazines to growing up around performance. vehicles in a car-loving family.
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