Autoevolution: Spyshots: 2015 Honda Civic Type R Nurburgring Testing

In Japan, Honda is one of the most popular and biggest carmakers, but over in Europe it's a clear underdog. Ignoring the two strange hybrids that arena't selling so well, they only really have four cars to rely on, the Jazz, Civic, Accord and CR-V. Even Kia or Hyundai can boast a lineups that are bigger.

Honda thus needs something new, something distinctly European, something with heritage. They need this new Civic Type R.

The last one was a mixed bag o potatoes. With only 200 hp, it played second fiddle to the much more powerful turbo engines used by its competitors, meaning Honda payed the price for its reluctancy to deviate from VTEC technology and use turbos.

Early reports about the coming of a new Type R were not that encouraging, suggesting Honda wanted a rival for the Golf GTI, basically a civilized and economical car for the road.

But these latest spyshots prove the Japanese automaker is willing to bet big and bank on the experience it's gained from the World Touring Car Championship. The prototype covers the Nurburgring track well using its ground-hugging body kit. They've also installed huge fender flares onto the factory panels instead of changing them and slapped a large wing and quad exhaust on the back.

Honda Europe is the one responsible for the development of the car which means it will have nothing in common with the cheap-ish models offered in the US. "GB" license plates indicate this prototype was developed by British engineers. Last month, Honda announced it was building a motorsport facility in Milton Keynes as it plans to return to Formula One as a supplier in 2015.

Source;
http://www.autoevolution.com/news-g-image/spyshots-2015-honda-civic-type-r-nurburgring-testing/139578.html#sjmp

AutoExpress: Euro New Honda Civic Type-R will arrive in 2015

Honda CEO confirms that the new Civic Type-R is on track for a 2015 debut

Honda CEO Takanobu Ito has confirmed that a new Civic Type-R will be unveiled in 2015, alongside a new fuel-cell electric vehicle. A compact SUV is also set to join the range in the near future.

The new Civic Type-R will be developed specifically for Europe and will incorporate developments learned from Honda’s experience in the World Touring Car Championship. Ito wants it to be the fastest front-wheel-drive car around the Nurburgring, which means it’ll have to beat the Megane 265 Trophy’s time of 8 min 7.9 seconds. Honda's UK MD Dave Hodgetts went on to tell Auto Express that the new Type R "will have at least 265bhp... the engineers' target is 300bhp though."

Hodgetts told us that the Civic Type-R will begin testing at the Nurburgring in the autumn of 2013, with production set to begin in Swindon ready for an on-sale date some time in 2015. He explained that the handling and throttle response were being developed using lessons learned from Honda's WTCC entry. Hodgetts wouldn't draw on whether the production Type-R would get the same 1.6-litre turbo as the WTCC car but said: "it's possible, but then anything up to a 2.0-litre turbo is possible."

The new Civic Type-R will be one of the first of a number of performance models that Honda is looking to produce as a backbone to its whole range. "We want a range that is genuinely perceived to be sporty, but with a range of practical models sitting underneath,” said Hodgetts.

One of these more practical cars is a compact SUV, expected to be a Nissan Juke rival based on the next-generation Jazz platform. Hodgetts and Ito both confirmed that a Civic-based SUV-MPV crossover with similar styling to the 2009 Skydeck concept was also under consideration.

As well as confirming a new hydrogen-powered vehicle will be on the roads during 2015 (possibly a successor to the FCX Clarity) Honda revealed it is working on hybrid systems with one, two or three electric motors. The technology will be used throughout Honda's future range, allowing for everything from a 100mpg-plus Jazz to a plug-in hybrid four-wheel-drive NSX supercar. These use the one and the three motor systems respectively, and we were told that the two-motor system is reserved for mid-sized vehicles.

All of the developments mentioned are part of Honda’s push to increase its market by 60 per cent worldwide from 23.9 million customers to 39 million by 2017.

Source;
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/honda/civic/60362/new-honda-civic-type-r-will-arrive-2015