2015 Civic Type R will make 'at least' 276 hp from 2.0L turbo [w/video]

Tue, 10 Sep 2013

Honda may not actually be showing off the production form of its upcoming Euro-only 2015 Civic Type R at the Frankfurt Motor Show this year, but it did take advantage of the focused media attention to make a pretty cool announcement. In addition to dropping a really hot video of the new Type R testing at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, Honda Europe president, Manabu Nishimae, gifted us with some juicy details about the coming hot hatch.

Nishimae confirmed rumors that this Type R would make use of a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, while telling us that the mill would be good for an output of "at least 280 PS." A raw conversion from PS (metric horsepower) to standard horsepower gives us a figure of about 276 hp, or very near the rumored figure of 300 galloping, front-wheeled ponies.

The company will need each ounce of output from its new 2.0-liter engine if it is to meet its stated performance target: making the Civic Type R the fastest front-wheel-drive production car around the 'Ring. Apparently this last session of testing, with World Touring Car Championship driver Gabriele Tarquini at the wheel, has already gotten Honda close to the lap record. Scroll down to read Honda's brief press release about the upcoming Type R, and, more importantly, to listen to the car as it's throttled around the track.

Honda Reveal First Details of New Civic Type R

At today's Frankfurt Motor Show Press Conference, Manabu Nishimae, President, Honda Motor Europe revealed the first details of the hotly anticipated new Civic Type R. Powered by a direct injection turbocharged 2- litre engine, the new Civic Type R will deliver at least 280 PS.

Honda confirmed ambitions for the Civic Type R to become the fastest front wheel drive car around the infamous Nurburgring circuit in Germany. The car still faces a further 2 years of development before going on sale in 2015 however, on-track testing has already begun. "We have recently spent a week at the Nurburgring, carrying out extensive testing and we are on target, and have already set a time approaching the lap record", said Manabu Nishimae.

A film demonstrating the impressive performance and handling of the Civic Type R development car on the Nurburgring with Gabriele Tarquini, Honda's WTCC driver behind the wheel, was premiered during the Honda Press Conference.

Honda's new Civic Tourer made its public debut at the show and during the Press Conference, it was confirmed that it would achieve impressively low CO2 emissions from only 99g/km* (3,8 litres l/100km) when partnered with Honda's 1.6 i-DTEC engine. The Civic Tourer builds on the strength of the Civic 5-Door, offering class leading boot space and practicality.

"For me, the strength of the car is the synergy of functionality, versatility, and dynamic design. As a European development team, we're passionate and proud about what we've achieved", said Adrian Killham, Large Project Leader for Civic Tourer.

(*Honda internal figures)

By Seyth Miersma