The 2015 Honda Civic Type R has been spied winter testing near the Arctic Circle as the Japanese marque pushes to create the world’s quickest front-wheel drive production car to lap the Nurburgring Nordschleife.
Honda is still refusing to release official performance details for the new turbocharged 2.0-litre i-VTEC petrol engine powering the next-gen Civic Type R other than confirming it will delivering over 276 hp. Torque will reportedly sit around the 300 lb-ft mark with power conceivably reach the 320 hp mark.
The Japanese automaker has confirmed that the new engine will redline at 7000 rpm. In typically Honda fashion, peak end power will be provided by the i-VTEC system with the turbocharger providing extra power lower in the rev-range. Thankfully, Honda has decided to fit the new Civic Type R with a traditional six-speed manual transmission and the car will inevitably reach 100 km/h in the mid-5 second range.
A new +R button will also be fitted. It will provide improved engine responsiveness, modify the torque mapping, improve the responsiveness of the steering while also stiffening the suspension.
Compared to the current range of Honda Civics, the souped-up Type R model will also receive a plethora of visual and aerodynamic modifications. At the front for example, it will feature enlarged air intakes, a prominent front splitter, side skirts, new wheels, a towering rear wing as well as flared wheel arches and new taillights.
