Civic Type R $39,990 + On Roads

[slipangle]

Autocar in the UK have driven the FD2.I think the car would be probably too hard for even the hardcore enthusiast.It only really seems to be a track car according to the "First drive" impressions of the write up.
I wonder if the suspension set up is even harder than the DCR2 ?
A fantastic car but,seems to be quite harsh as an everyday car.
I wouldn't mine if Honda Australia imported a limited number for the hardcore enthusiasts,but I wouldn't be one of the buyers.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/...Type-R/226473/

How timely that autocar review is. It summarises a lot of key issues and only makes me appreciate the JDM car even more.

Some interesting points;

- "wait for the boys at Swindon to pull their fingers out and offer us the much-mooted, full fat, Type-RR." Huh? anyone have any details?

- "But it’s also light; 1250kg, says Honda, making it 83kg lighter than the Brit Type-R we weighed six months ago."

-"the first one Litchfield got in his workshop was actually knocking out 238bhp at 8600rpm." That's approx 175kw.

- "there’s no sound deadening insulation here."

- "It steers more precisely and fluently than the Brit Type-R too, thanks to hydraulic rather than electric power assistance"

I suspect a large part of the track time gains (esp at Suzuka!) were a result of the tyre technology. Still, it is a very convincing package...and funnily enough, I don't find the DC2R's ride too harsh for public roads.

[MKI4EVA]

VERY FARK"N WELL SAID LAD!!!

nuff said - mods please close thread item NOT SOLD................HAHHAHAhahahha ROFL.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I think the reason why there seems to be so much emotion about this new CTR is that a lot of ppl have invested a lot of their goodwill in to Type R which has been borne about by an appreciation for cars such as the DC2R (and maybe to a lesser extent, the AU DC5R (but that's a whole can of worms there)). When Honda no longer delivers on something we've invested in in the past (both emotionally and financially), then we feel betrayed that our beliefs can be so easily dismissed for the sake of what Honda believes will bolster their bottom line by raking in more of the masses.

So what is it about Type R which manages to evoke such emotion and a faithful following that makes this new CTR so grating for people like me?. Well, when I sit back and think about the amount of effort that Honda had put in to the DC2R, and I mean the minute detail things, I can see that a bunch of Honda people really devoted a LOT of thought and effort in to feel, performance, and dynamic factors that are most likely irrelevant to 90% of drivers. I like that a lot. It's the same reason why Rolex makes diver's watches that can go to depths that most people wouldn't even dream to venture. Conversely, the new CTR instead places a LOT of thought and effort into compromising a package to suit the 90% of drivers who couldn't give two tosses as to why the car is not fitted with an LSD.

What does that tell me about Honda being an exceptional company full of clever engineers? (or so the advertising goes). They may well have had their best brains work on this CTR, but the end result smacks you in the face that the engineers just conceded to the bean counters and the PR men who think they can sell this car off spin and advertising, and the red H...cos... no one really cares whether it's faster, or lighter or cleverer than the last one, so long as we can get enough people to think they're sharing something with Jenson Button through marketing words and pictures, we'll make a mint!.

I'm more of the opinion that if Honda can win me over with technical accomplishment, then they can have my money, and all the money from people who will look at what they've created with a respect from a technical accomplishment viewpoint as opposed to just applying engineering in the fields of marketing and advertising to appeal to those that would be impressed by red starter buttons instead of (in my opinion) more impressive things like moving the gearlever's centre of mass back and downwards for mass centralisation and reducing the CoG.

In the past (as Honda Japan does now), we see a whole load of technical data and detail describing what changes they've made and how and why. I don't see any of these sort of details with the new UK CTR. Is it because they don't see that boasting about saving money with a torsion beam rear setup and the omission of an LSD cos "they can get away with it" would make very good text?.

I think if we just sit back and say, aww...ok, we should just be thankful that we get anything at all, we end up getting what we settle for. i.e. mediocrity. I won't buy in to that. We know Honda can do better. It's just that we can't get our hands on it...

[bennjamin]

rofl.......

reply on if interested !

*bans everyone*

[BlitZ]

couldnt have said it better...

I am wondering if all these backers of the type r have ever owned or tracked a type r... do it once and its in your blood for life

I can't speak for anyone else, but I think the reason why there seems to be so much emotion about this new CTR is that a lot of ppl have invested a lot of their goodwill in to Type R which has been borne about by an appreciation for cars such as the DC2R (and maybe to a lesser extent, the AU DC5R (but that's a whole can of worms there)). When Honda no longer delivers on something we've invested in in the past (both emotionally and financially), then we feel betrayed that our beliefs can be so easily dismissed for the sake of what Honda believes will bolster their bottom line by raking in more of the masses.

So what is it about Type R which manages to evoke such emotion and a faithful following that makes this new CTR so grating for people like me?. Well, when I sit back and think about the amount of effort that Honda had put in to the DC2R, and I mean the minute detail things, I can see that a bunch of Honda people really devoted a LOT of thought and effort in to feel, performance, and dynamic factors that are most likely irrelevant to 90% of drivers. I like that a lot. It's the same reason why Rolex makes diver's watches that can go to depths that most people wouldn't even dream to venture. Conversely, the new CTR instead places a LOT of thought and effort into compromising a package to suit the 90% of drivers who couldn't give two tosses as to why the car is not fitted with an LSD.

What does that tell me about Honda being an exceptional company full of clever engineers? (or so the advertising goes). They may well have had their best brains work on this CTR, but the end result smacks you in the face that the engineers just conceded to the bean counters and the PR men who think they can sell this car off spin and advertising, and the red H...cos... no one really cares whether it's faster, or lighter or cleverer than the last one, so long as we can get enough people to think they're sharing something with Jenson Button through marketing words and pictures, we'll make a mint!.

I'm more of the opinion that if Honda can win me over with technical accomplishment, then they can have my money, and all the money from people who will look at what they've created with a respect from a technical accomplishment viewpoint as opposed to just applying engineering in the fields of marketing and advertising to appeal to those that would be impressed by red starter buttons instead of (in my opinion) more impressive things like moving the gearlever's centre of mass back and downwards for mass centralisation and reducing the CoG.

In the past (as Honda Japan does now), we see a whole load of technical data and detail describing what changes they've made and how and why. I don't see any of these sort of details with the new UK CTR. Is it because they don't see that boasting about saving money with a torsion beam rear setup and the omission of an LSD cos "they can get away with it" would make very good text?.

I think if we just sit back and say, aww...ok, we should just be thankful that we get anything at all, we end up getting what we settle for. i.e. mediocrity. I won't buy in to that. We know Honda can do better. It's just that we can't get our hands on it...

[MKI4EVA]

or could it be u makin the car look bad and having no idea about the current car market???

I cant believe this car is getting such a flogging over such little things, are u in the market for a new hot hatch MK14EVA?? have u drivin the CTR? have u driven the golf and the XR5???

shhh I wont tell if you don't.





I can understand that you've probly seen more than your fair share of tyre kickers but I think you've beaten that "well are you in the car market!!! have you driven a new hot hatch" arguement to death now lets move on.

[UNLS1]

shhh I wont tell if you don't.





I can understand that you've probly seen more than your fair share of tyre kickers but I think you've beaten that "well are you in the car market!!! have you driven a new hot hatch" arguement to death now lets move on.

lol nice ride, my mrs took delivery of hers yesterday in blueish silver
but auto

her brother takes delivery of the CTR tomorrow
*runs away

[SeverAMV]

What about Suzuka?

NSX Type S - 2:35.44
Evo VI RS - 2:36.50
RX-7 Type RS - 2:35.81
R34 GTR V-spec - 2:39.56

and....

FD2 CTR - 2:35.20

Yes, the CTR is fast. Because it has racing suspension. When tested even on the freeway, the passengers in the car were bouncing about.

yeah, lol, i just saw that vid, and now the car defends itself, lol

[MKI4EVA]

someone link this thread to honda.au............they need to see this shet.

If im free during the week i'm gonna call them and tyre kick them to death........hehehhehe.

Anyone want to org a cruise to honda.au? make it into the papers would be a crack up

[UNLS1]

yah a real crack up....

[industrie]

if honda australia didnt decide to bring out the sports civic model they could have had a chance to bring in the JDM civic type R in low numbers ...that would have been a great alternative...

[slipangle]

Hmmm... in the whole scheme of things, I don't think this thread will make that much of a difference to Honda Au as they will be vindicated in their decision by the fact that they will sell every one of these CTRs. I don't doubt that.

Though, I am very dubious of the overall effectiveness of this venture as an image enhancing exercise within an (admittedly) small group of dedicated enthusiasts.

[bennjamin]

this CTR is not aimed at a proper enthusiast at all -
not any kid here that is naturally progressing from say a DC2R to a more mature car etc is going to pick a new CTR over say a evo 9 etc .