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2022 Honda Civic Type R Imagined With Performance-Oriented Styling

Type R is to Honda Motor Company what M is to BMW. The go-faster suffix can trace its roots back to the early 1990s with the mid-engine disruptor known as the NSX, and just a few short years later, the critically acclaimed Integra Type R paved the way for the Civic that we all want.
2022 Honda Civic Type R rendering by Reichel Car Design 28 photos
Photo: Reichel Car Design
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No fewer than five generations were produced from 1997 onward, and the latest Civic Type R is a tough act to follow in every respect with the notable exception of fake vents. Be that as it may, Honda knows it has to deliver a genuine driver’s car with very little in the way of gratuitous visual garnish.

Imagined with great attention to detail by pixel artist Bernhard Reichel, the all-new Civic Type R retains the sultry scoop of the outgoing model for two reasons. The primary function is, of course, to cool the engine bay because a turbocharged four-cylinder motor tends to get really hot. The scoop’s other role is to reduce lift at speed by relieving pressure from underneath.

The gloss-black elements up front contrast nicely with the rest of the car, which is finished in a Phoenix Yellow-ish color instead of the more traditional Championship White. As a brief refresher, Phoenix Yellow is exclusive to the 2021 Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition that costs a whopping $43,995 while the regular model starts at $37,495 excluding destination charge.

Rendered with low-profile tires, red brake calipers, and a generous rear wing that mirrors the design of a pre-production prototype spied by the carparazzi last year, the next-generation Civic Type R won’t differ too much from the current one under the skin. Honda made it crystal clear that the six-speed manual tranny will be retained, and the Japanese automaker has also shot down any hearsay in regard to all-wheel drive and hybrid propulsion.

Given these circumstances, the K20C1 is certain to soldier on with minimal changes over the 2021 model year. Also available as a crate engine, the four-cylinder turbo with VTEC on the exhaust side and beehive-style springs currently produces 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet (400 Nm) of torque.
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Editor's note: 2022 Honda Civic Type R prototype pictured in the gallery.

About the author: Mircea Panait
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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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