Caught recently undergoing testing at the Nürburgring, it’s hard to believe Honda are already developing their next generation Civic Type-R. It only seems like yesterday that the current Type-R was boasting about its 7:50.63 lap time on the famous Nordschleife circuit. Yes – progress at Honda is rather swift indeed.

So how about we take an illustrated closer look at Honda’s next Type-R; what will it look like, and what can we expect?

Aggressive Design:

When looking at the all-new Civic Type-R five-door hatchback based on the new 2016 sedan, first impressions are that it’ll frighten most species of animal, insect and probably your grandparents too; that’s right, subtle isn’t a word that applies here. From the large angular front air inlets, flared fenders, red accents and that massive rear wing; the overall theme is aggressive and in-keeping with the Type-R brand, complementing the base Civic’s rather handsome and dynamic design.

Revamped Sports Interior:

Whilst not overtly expressive in terms of interior design; the latest Civic has had a long-overdue upgrade which brought substantial improvements in perceived quality, materials, packaging and technology. As with most sports-orientated variants; expect figure-hugging race seats, dark upper environment (charcoal headlining and pillar covers), red/black Alcantara inlays and a thicker, flat-bottom steering wheel.

What Will Power It:

Currently the Type-R pumps out an impressively schizophrenic 306 horsepower and 295 foot-pound of torque through the front wheels, for a brisk 0-62 mph (100km/h) time of 5.7 seconds. Expect the new version to utilize the same 2.0-liter turbocharged VTEC unit, albeit with slight improvements to power and torque levels. Whilst we’d love to see a Focus RS-rivaling 350 hp; any major bump in power would likely force a re-think of drivetrain, and that isn’t happening anytime soon.

Hot Hatched Rivals:

In terms of pure front-wheel-drive opponents, Honda’s boosted hot-hatch primarily rivals the Renaultsport Megane 275 Trophy, Seat Leon Cupra 280 and Ford Focus ST. However this segment is a mix-bag of different  drivetrains; so it’ll also battle against AWD’s like Ford’s eagerly anticipated Focus RS, Volkswagen Golf R and Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG – just to name a few. 
Expect Honda’s next Civic Type-R 5-door hatch to officially emerge by 2017, with it finally being sold on both European and U.S soil (insert applause here).

Share your thoughts about Honda’s upcoming offering in the discussion area below.

By Josh Byrnes

Photo Renderings Copyright Carscoops / Josh Byrnes

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