Honda Civic Type R Mugen

[mikeyb]

Tuning specialist gives fading hot hatch kiss of life with barnstorming upgrade.

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Meet the crazy Civic thats gunning for Fords Focus RS! This one-off Type R has been modified by tuning company Mugen, and its aiming to
put Hondas hot hatch back at the top of the class.

In the past few years, the 198bhp 2.0-litre Type R has been overtaken by ever more powerful rivals, such as the 301bhp Focus RS and 227bhp Renault Mgane R26.R. So the Japanese firm asked Mugen to produce a more powerful concept, with a view to putting the car on sale in limited numbers. And weve driven it!

With expertise that ranges from F1 engines to upgrades for Hondas other road cars, Mugen knows its stuff. For the Civic Type R it has added lightweight body panels, a totally new suspension set-up, sticky tyres and bespoke brakes.

There is also a stripped-out cabin that loses the rear bench completely, gains some extra white dials and replaces the front chairs with low-slung Recaro bucket seats complete with racing harnesses. The 2.0-litre VTEC engine benefits from a fresh ECU, new pistons and camshafts plus a stainless
steel exhaust system. It now produces 237bhp and 213Nm of torque improvements of 39bhp and 19Nm respectively.

Combined with a weight saving of 105kg, these power increases make a big difference, and the 0-60mph time drops 0.5 seconds to six seconds. Beyond 5,000rpm the Type R becomes as ferocious as a BTCC race car, wailing its way to 8,500rpm and making you glad that the Recaro buckets hold you firmly in place. Thanks to a sharp racing paddle clutch and a slick six-speed gearbox, the only limit on how fast you can change ratio is how quickly you can move your left arm and leg.

Show the Mugen a corner and it gets even better. Grip is incredible, body roll non-existent and the meaty steering full of feel. As with the Mgane R26.R the ride is very firm, and theres plenty of engine and exhaust noise. However, the Mugen Type R is amazing fun on a fast road, and we reckon it would be even better on a track. Only 25 models will be made available for sale next year, and each will cost at least 35,000.

We agree thats a lot of money for a hot hatch but we dont think Honda will have any trouble finding buyers.
Rival: Mgane R26.R

AS with the Honda, the Mgane is hardcore. It has a super-stiff set-up and no rear seats, but it is brilliant fun on a race track, where you can exploit
its turbocharged engine and engaging handling to the full.


[autoexpress]

 

[mikeyb]

Honda Civic Type R Mugen (2009) CAR review

















Whos Mugen? I thought the Civic was made by Honda...

Mugen is a tuning company and engine builder that specialises in Honda cars and bikes. Although its technically independent from Honda, the company was set up by a son of Soichiro Honda himself and has done everything from bodykits for the Jazz to F1 engines. And now the European arm has turned out this Scuderia-esque stripped out and pumped-up version of the UK-built Civic Type R.

Looks pretty standard, whats so special about the Mugen Civic Type R?

Look closer. The front wings, bonnet and bumpers have all received work, there are uprated brakes and suspension and a pair of hot cams lifts engine power from a now-looking-anaemic 198bhp to an on-the-pace 237bhp at a screaming 8300rpm.

Inside, theres no cage but a pair of snug buckets fitted much lower than the standard chairs. The back seat is in the skip but, unlike in the Megane R26R, a false bulkhead means youve got a normal boot to keep valuables from prying eyes (or just stop your groceries lapping the interior on the way home from the shops).

Is the Mugen Civic all show and no go?

Oh no, this thing goes! Its not Focus RS quick, but then with no turbo and half the torque it was never going to be. But its far more rapid than the slightly flat-feeling standard Type R, reaching 60mph in around six seconds wed guess. And the engine noise is simply out of this world: a proper BTCC wail filling the cabin as the revs pass 5500rpm.

As more manufacturers disappear down the turbo route, this 2.0-litre engines soundtrack and razor-sharp throttle response are a perfect reminder of why a really good naturally aspirated engine still takes some beating.

But the Honda Civic Type R Mugen was never really going to be about going fast in a straight line. With sticky Yokohama rubber, the Type Rs optional limited slip differential and a 100kg weight reduction (ditching the interior saved most of it), the Mugen feels alive on the track, more racer than road car with an aggressive turn-in, abhorrence of understeer and brilliant body control.

Forget the flabby Focus RS, if you want a hatch for trackdays, this is the one now that the Megane R26R is unavailable. On the road its undeniably stiff, tramlines a little and the mid-rpm exhaust boom desperately needs sorting, but it's eminently usable and brilliant fun on fast smooth tarmac.

Right, wheres my chequebook? Im off to my local Honda emporium!

Whoa there! This Civics still a concept at this stage while Mugen Europe works out whether theres a good business case for it. If it does make production, itll be built at Mugens Northampton base at a rate of around 20 cars per year. Why only 20? Because youll need at least 35k, possibly 40,000 to buy one. Is that the sound of a chequebook being slipped back into a drawer I hear?

It certainly was. So what weve got here is essentially a Megane R26R with a better engine that costs 15k more...

Though Mugen would disagree, thats about the size of it. The Renault just about made sense at 23k (although Renault UK failed to shift as many as hoped), but if you want to buy a track car for 35-40k that has no back seats but retains some on-road civility, why on earth wouldnt you buy a Lotus Exige? No, we dont know either.

Verdict

The Mugen Civic is brilliant but if it does make production at 35-40k, the queue is going to be shorter than a French head of state. What wed like to see is Honda UK take a good look at it, and put something similar into production as a rival to the Focus RS and forthcoming Golf R at 25-30k.

How about it Honda?

[carmagazineonline.uk]

 

[nvmsp]

not too bad at all.

 

[big Lou]

I like it, But the price tag will set anyone back a pretty penny.

 

[genericuser]

That rear wing is horrifying.

 

[Stormtrooper77]

That rear wing is horrifying.

I don't find the wing horrifying, just that it does not belong on this car. Nice car nonetheless.

 

[nealric]

Dear Honda,

It's called a turbo.

 

[Dparks7]

wow "supposed to compete with the ford rs" well they look exactally like focus rs

 

[fatti03msp]

rs is going to kill this,

once i saw the second pic it was over for me, that rear end is fugly


but that is some impressive power for a na 4 banger

 

[Flash5]

50,000 for a civc.....hahaha yea ill take a convertible corvette instead

 

[justanothermp5]

yea way overpriced

 

[LASERBLUE135]

Dear Honda,

It's called a turbo.

lolololol. Look at those stupid exhaust pipes, wow, that is a f@$$ing retarded car.

 

[tenzin]

car looks good, just didn't like how the spoiler sits on middle of rear windshield.

 

[Wagonbacker9]

between the dual exhaust, the vented hood, and the gauges... I was expecting boost.

interesting to see CRX styling cues come back in the rear.

 

[mazda_dan]

wow i love it. i'd trade my ms3 for it... lol

 

[mikeyb]

Dear Honda,

It's called a turbo.

swap out the current engine with a tuned RDX engine.

 

[LASERBLUE135]

swap out the current engine with a tuned RDX engine.

because the car is cheap already.

 

[MANDO]

Holy s*** thats sick! Can lose the rear wing and engine bay seems really tight and crammed. Other than that, with the weight reduction and increase in power this ride should fly. A Honda I definitely would not underestimate.

 

[ballesteros_91]

i would buy one if they came TURBO....

 

[altspace]

WTH is up with these car designers lately following a very old trend of putting tiny exhaust pipes though fake larger "tips". Even Mazda is guilty of it with the MS6. Then there is the Lexus IS-F, and now this?