2017 Honda Civic Type R Set for North American Debut

One of the biggest absentees from the Honda lineup in the North American markets has been the Civic Type-R.

The hard-core performance version of one of the best-selling Honda cars in the world has been accessible to buyers in Europe for some time now. However, Honda has clarified its intentions to launch the 2017 Honda Civic Type-R by debuting the model at the 2016 SEMA Show. Honda has a long list of launches ready for the next year and one among them will be the vehicle with based on the new Civic Hatchback.

The prototype of the vehicle shows heavy body modifications and styling tweaks done primarily to enhance the aerodynamic efficiency of the vehicle. Finished in a brushed aluminum effect on a highly reflective surface, the prototype car has already received a lot of positive response. The carbon fiber splitter and a red accent line, which looks highly sporty, dominate the front of the vehicle and it increases the aggressive look. The fascia is much wider than on a standard model due to the use of slatted ducts while there are air intakes with diamond-mesh inlets.

The 2017 Honda Civic Type-R will have the iconic red Honda badge, which is found on all Type-R vehicles, under the nose. The debut of this vehicle came in Paris earlier this year and it has made straight to the 2016 SEMA Show without any changes. Honda has been making a comeback in recent years after their recent models were criticized for being too dull and alienating from the concept of the Japanese brand. Known for making sporty cars which red line with ease, the recent generation Honda Civic Type-R models have been storming the racetracks around the world with incredible lap times.

The vehicle may come with the same 2.0-litre turbo-petrol VTEC engine seen in many Honda models of late, but it provides more than 300 bhp at the disposal of the right foot. Peak torque of 400 NM is available from as low as 2500 rpm unlike in the past Honda models. These figures make for a vehicle that can do the 0 to 60 mph run in under 6.5 seconds. Since it is less than 1500 kg in weight, it is also expected to be extremely frugal. The 2017 Honda Civic Type-R could also be quite practical with a reported boot space of around 500 liters showing that the vehicle is not all about drag races.