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2019 Honda Civic Type R Spied For the First Time

The NSX Type R started the trend, the Integra Type R brought it in the realm of normal people like you and me, and the Civic Type R perfected Honda’s go-faster lineup of models. The current generation is the fastest FWD hot hatch on the Nurburgring circuit, but as it happens, something new is in the pipeline for 2019.
2019 Honda Civic Type R 11 photos
Photo: Stefan Baldauf/SB-Medien
2019 Honda Civic Type R2019 Honda Civic Type R2019 Honda Civic Type R2019 Honda Civic Type R2019 Honda Civic Type R2019 Honda Civic Type R2019 Honda Civic Type R2019 Honda Civic Type R2019 Honda Civic Type R2019 Honda Civic Type R
Spied by the carparazzi for the first time in Germany, this near-production prototype doesn’t appear to be a facelift. After all, the fifth generation (FK8 chassis) started production in Swindon, England in 2017. What we’re seeing here is, without a shadow of a doubt, a new variant of the Civic Type R. Is it me or does it look faster than the 2018 model?

Look with utmost attention to the camouflaged parts of the vehicle, and you’ll notice a deeper front bumper, different rear bumper, and additional flicks in the front of the vents at either side of the prototype. The stance of the car also appears more aggressive than that of the Civic Type R we know and love.

Chief engineer for the Civic family, Hideki Matsumoto, expressed his interest for adding more variants of the Type R to keep the 320-horsepower hot hatchback as hot as possible with the public. What kind of variants, you ask?

Matsumoto wants a more powerful Civic Type R, one that embraces “the grand touring aspect” of driving, and one with… wait for it… all-wheel drive. The platform can accommodate AWD, but it remains to be seen if Honda wants to enter a segment that Ford, Audi, and Mercedes-AMG dominate with 350-plus horsepower and lots of go-faster technology.

Even the Volkswagen Golf R is expected to join the 400-horsepower club, meaning that Honda would be digging its own grave with adding all-wheel drive to the Civic Type R. The Focus RS is gunning for 400 ponies as well with the help of mild hybridization.

On that note, what’s your opinion on this prototype of the 2019 Honda Civic Type R?
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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