Honda Canada Inc. is giving you a taste of the track with the introduction of the radical new 2017 Civic Type R sports car.
Built for Racing
The 2017 Civic Type R is billed as the most powerful production vehicle that Honda has ever sold in Canada, and it certainly lives up to its R designation. It has been designed with the racing spirit as lucky testers took it to the track to hone its powerful 306 horsepower engine at 6500 RPMs with 295 lb.-ft. of torque between 2500 and 4500 RPMs.
In pre-production, this Civic set a record lap for a production front-wheel drive vehicle of 7:43.80 minute/seconds around the Nürburgring Nordschleife, which is German for North Loop, of the famous German Nürburgring track. This was over three seconds faster than the previous record.
Honda has dropped a 2.0-litre DOHC direct-injected turbo i-VTEC® engine under the hood of the Type R. It is coupled with a 6-speed manual transmission with a short-throw aluminum gearshift knob, which lets you feel in control of every one of the horses under the hood.
The transmission comes equipped with helical limited slip that is matched to a set of Continental SportContact 6 245/30ZR20 performance tires mounted on 20-inch rims in black aluminum.
Stopping is as important as the speed record, so Honda added a set of 350mm 4-piston Brembo calipers on the front and single piston calipers on the rear 305mm rotors.
It is quick, but is it nimble? Yes, the Type R is quite agile. It is equipped with a dual-axis strut front suspension and a multi-link rear suspension. It is sturdy, thanks to front and rear anti-roll bars and a set of springs, bushings and damper mountings designed just for the Type R.
Honda designed an Adaptive Damper System that is intuitive enough that it can adjust the damper as you drive through the corners of your favourite racetrack or highway. Three G sensors, a steering angle sensor and four suspension stroke sensors all measure and monitor the chassis and relay information to the Adaptive Damper System where it is adjusted on the fly.
This tight control over the ride makes handling effortless and driving exhilarating.
The driving modes consist of COMFORT, SPORT and +R, which allow you to take control over your handling based upon your driving needs. You can also select a throttle profile that will help you during downshifts.
Part of the record-breaking performance of the 2017 Honda Civic Type R comes from the body itself. Honda dressed this model in an aluminum hood to save weight. The hood weighs less than 5.3kg. They also added rigidity to the frame through strategic placement of structural adhesives. The high-flow exhaust is expelled through three centre-mounted outlets. The body has been aerodynamically packaged for low drag and superb stability, and that should make you want to take it out on the longest highways you can find for an exciting drive.
Inside the Cabin
The 2017 Civic Type R is about performance, but there is no sacrifice to the interior or comfort in order to compensate for the power.
The interior is stylish and comes with features that focus on its racing history. The textured aluminum pedals give your feet grip, and the leather-wrapped steering wheel keeps your hands in place. The driver’s seat is emblazoned with the Type R logo and comes with 6-way adjustment settings for the perfect fit.
Driving is made even more exciting when the tunes are cranking out of the 542-watt stereo system with 12 speakers and a subwoofer. These, plus many other features, await you.
If you’re ready to experience the 2017 Honda Civic Type R today, then come by and see us.