Leaked specs of the 2023 Honda Civic Type R reveal a power increase and weight gain
Honda has been drip-feeding us all the details of the 2023 Civic Type R for ages at this point, and now leaked images of a Type R brochure appear to have revealed its power figure. We already knew the upcoming Type R had set a record for the fastest FWD car around Suzuka, and it turns out the Japanese-market version will come with 325bhp and 310lb ft of torque – that’s 9bhp and 15lb ft of torque over the outgoing FK8 model. The car will also reportedly weigh in at 1430kg (3152lbs) which is a 40kg (88lb) increase on the old model, although this will most likely vary depending on which market it’s sold in.
The ‘FL5’ Civic Type R is powered by an evolution of the 2.0-litre four-pot used in the previous Type R, but this time it’s fitted with an improved turbocharger sporting a compact housing and redesigned turbine blade to improve airflow and increase power. The last Civic Type R produced 316bhp, giving it a 0-62mph time of 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 169mph, so the FL5 is likely to improve on those figures.
The upcoming hot Civic has more restrained styling than its predecessors, but we think the hard-core aero and aggressive tweaks to the Type R help it stand out handsomely. Most noticeably, there’s a massive rear wing bolted onto aluminium mounts, front splitters, bigger air intakes, widened wheel arches, a large rear diffuser, and the triple-exit exhaust – a feature carried over from the previous generation, although this time with the middle pipe bigger than the two either side of it.
The car sits on a set of 19-inch wheels and is finished in the iconic Championship White – a colour worthy only of Honda’s hardcore performance models. When it’s released in Europe in 2023, it will also be offered in Rallye Red, Racing Blue, Crystal Black and Sonic Grey Pearls.
The interior is fairly minimalistic, but the red seats, red stitching and suede steering wheel add to the drama the Type R deserves. Drivers will be able to choose from a range of driving modes – Comfort, Sport, +R and Individual (a new addition for this car). These modes tweak the dynamics of the engine, steering, dampers and engine sound to suit their respective driving styles. The car’s computer also includes Honda LogR – a data logging system that gives information about things such as tyre friction circles and can even rate you on your track performance.
In a time where many rival hot hatches, such as the Volkswagen Golf R and Mercedes-AMG A35 opt for four-wheel drive, Honda has stuck to the traditional front-wheel-drive recipe it’s known for. The Type R will also come fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox and we’d expect a mechanical limited-slip differential, although this is another detail yet to be revealed. Details on the car’s suspension are also pretty scarce, but stopping power will be provided by a heavy duty Brembo braking system with two piece discs.
Honda set a FWD track record at Suzuka with the new Type R back in April with a time of 2 minutes 23.120 seconds, so that should be enough to prove the newest model’s worthy of continuing its 25-year legacy.
The new Civic Type R will debut in Europe in early 2023 and prices are yet to be announced, although we’d expect a figure around the £40,000 mark.
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