2020 Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition is out

KUALA LUMPUR: Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition has been revealed by the company which will obviously be sold in limited numbers depending on the markets the current-gen Civic Type R is available. While the US market will get 600 units, Honda Europe has decided to offer just 100 units. So, the new 2020 Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition is aimed at fulfilling the distinguishing need of the buyers across the globe.

Well, then what’s new? To start with, Honda has explicitly mentioned that it is the “purest Type R to date… developed with track performance as its core focus”. While the powertrain options on offer remain the same as before, what’s new is the weight of the car. Honda mentions that the new Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition is 47 kg lighter than the regular model which will have a great impact on the performance.

You’d still find the same 2.0-litre V-TEC four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine under the hood that pumps out 320 PS of power at 6,500 rpm and 400 Nm of torque between 2,500 and 4,500 rpm. The power mill is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox that transfers power to the front wheels.

The weight has been reduced by including new alloys that are 20-inch BBS forged alloys that accounts for approximately 8 per cent weight reduction, revamped dampers, and a recalibrated steering wheel that offers supreme feedback and control. Additionally, the rear wiper has been removed, while on the inside, AC system, infotainment head unit, and tonneau cover have been chucked away. When that wasn’t enough, the company also reduced the amount of sound-deadening materials in the dash, front bumper, rear hatch panel and roof.

On the outside, a contrasting colour scheme of bright yellow and black has been followed. All the limited edition models will be offered with the same, this yellow in the US is called Phoenix Yellow, whereas, in Europe, it’s referred to Sunlight Yellow. The exterior elements like mirror caps, roof and air intake vent on the bonnet get black paint. You’d also notice a Civic badge on the tailgate that’s finished in dark chrome.

Inside, it sports Alcantara steering with red highlights, a new teardrop-style gear knob, red bucket seats and a plaque with the build number of the car. On the safety front, it gets the Honda Sensing Safety suite that includes features like Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Departure Warning, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control and Forward Collision Warning.

If the yellow is too flashy for your liking, you can go with the Civic Type R Sport Line, with more discrete aerodynamic styling, features and refined ride quality. This version of the Civic Type R comes with a low-deck rear spoiler, grey accent line at the lower edge of the car, soundproofing materials in the tailgate and boot and smaller 19-inch wheels finished in dark grey on the outside. There is a new Racing Blue colour on offer with the Sport Line and the standard CTR.

While on the inside, it is bestowed with Alcantara steering wheel, teardrop-style gear knob, black bucket seats with contrasting red stitching, air-conditioning system and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

The Adaptive Damper System’s control software has been updated for a better response along with its braking system. The braking duties are taken care of by the two-piece floating front discs and new brake pads. This new braking setup reduces the unsprung weight by 2.5 kg approx.

There is a new system called the Honda LogR performance datalogger that is responsible for recording different performance parameters through sensors and onboard computer which can be monitored by the driver later via a mobile app.

There are three modes, Log Mode that monitors and maps vehicle’s location using GPS and gathers braking, acceleration, cornering G and other data with the help of sensors. The other mode is Auto Score in which a score is generated based on driver’s driving behaviour, data recorded here is for acceleration, deceleration, turning and straight-line driving.

Then, there is Performance Monitor showing real-time information like temperatures, oil and atmospheric pressures, coolant temperature, gear position and G-meter.

The Civic Type R Limited Edition will be made available from summer this year, pricing of which is yet to be revealed. The models like Civic Type R Sport Line and GT can be bought in Germany starting this Spring. While the former is priced at 41,990 euros (RM190,127 approx), the latter gets a retail tag of 41,490 euros (RM187,858 approx).

Also Read: Honda Civic Type R - 5 Things We Like