Test Drive Honda Civic Type-R Mugen 2009 - 2010 Hatchback
City Rocket
Among the Honda cars in our country, only CR-V and HR-V SUVs were widespread, the other models of this Japanese company are not in great demand. But in the model range of Honda there are unique samples that have no analogues in the world. Today we will tell about one of them Honda Civic Type-R. The company Honda Motor Company occupies a special position among other Japanese companies. I release about 3 million cars a year, Honda is included in the World Automotive Leadership Group. A distinctive feature of the company is that even the most advanced technical solutions apply on mass models.
The founder of Honda Motor Company is Socychiro Honda, a specialist in the field of internal combustion engines. At first, his company was engaged in the production of two-stroke engines for motorbikes. In the 1950s, Honda became one of the leaders in the production of motorcycles.
The first car under this brand was introduced in 1962. For S360 sports model, Honda designers created a very interesting power unit. An inline four-cylinder engine with a working volume of 360 cubic meters. cm had four carburetors, two upper camshafts and individual chain drives for each drive wheel. The motor could unwind up to 9 thousand rpm.
In 1967, Honda, having releasing the front-wheel drive model N360, became the height of the mini-vehicle popular in Japan (length to 3.4 m, engine capacity up to 660 cu. Cm). In 1972, the debut of the legendary model Honda Civic took place. The car instantly became famous worldwide. For thirty years ago, the name of Civic has become no less famous than Toyota Corolla or Volkswagen Golf. Today we already produce the seventh generation of Honda Civic. In accordance with modern trends, each subsequent model becomes more comfortable, powerful and safe, but the image of Civic remains unchanged. The main trump card of all Honda cars engines, powerful and at the same time economical. At the same time, technical excellence does not go to the detriment of operational qualities. Since the appearance in the Honda Civic market invariably occupies the first places in reliability ratings.
Already on the first Honda Civic cars, CVCC forkar engines were used, which corresponded to the strict environmental norms of the United States, even without using a catalytic neutralizer.
In 1987, the Civic fourth generation was for the first time among mass vehicles installed engines with a system for changing the phases of gas distribution and degree of opening VTEC valves. Since then, Honda Civic has become called the machine with two engines so much changed the behavior of the car depending on the engine speed. The current generation of Honda Civic debuted in 2000. The car took the buyers very well. Every year in 160 countries of the world sell more than 600 thousand cars of this brand. Currently, Honda Civic is produced at Japan, USA and England factories. The European market supply models with sedan bodies, as well as three- and five-door hatchback. They establish gasoline engines with a capacity of 90, 110, 160 and 200 liters. with., as well as Turbodiesel COMMON Rail with a capacity of 100 liters. With.
In the fall of 2003, Honda Civic was significantly upgraded: the bumpers and headlights were changed, improved the equipment of the car. On all modifications now install disc brakes with ABS and electronic EBD brake force distribution system.
Perhaps the most interesting in the Honda Civic family is the sport modification of Type-R. Such cars are released only in a single version: three-door hatchback with a two-liter engine with a capacity of 200 liters. With. and a mechanical six-speed gearbox.
The external differences of Type-R version from the base machine are quite a bit: another bumper, a spoiler on the roof, the sidewalls on the sidewalls with the title-R, 17-inch wheels here, perhaps, that's all. However, the construction of the car body is significantly recycled. Four transverse stretching and additional amplifiers in the arches of the rear wheels are installed to increase stiffness. As a result, the rigidity of the body increased by 23%. In addition, the developers have made changes to the suspension design. Honda Civic Type-R put reinforced transverse stability stabilizers and more efficient brakes. The clergy of the sports version was reduced by 15 mm.
But the most interesting in the design of the Honda Civic Type-R, of course, the new generation Motor I-VTEC (prefix i means Intelligent, translated from English sensible). Unlike previous generations of Honda motors, I-VTEC engines are able to change the gas distribution phases and the degree of opening of the valves depending on the rotation speed of the crankshaft; The height of the inlet valve lifting is adjustable depending on the load. With such a Motor Honda Civic Type-R has stunning characteristics. The maximum vehicle speed is 235 km / h, and overclocking up to 100 km / h occurs in just 6.6 s. At the same time, the engine has a good burden in a wide range of revolutions. Already from 30 km / h, the car is able to confidently accelerate on the highest transmission. But fully the engine capacity is manifested after 6000 rpm. The maximum torque (196 nm) of the motor was recorded at 5900 rpm, and the maximum power is 200 liters. With. at 7400 rpm. At the same time, the Honda Civic Type-R fuel consumes no more than an ordinary family machine with a two-liter engine (8.9 liters per 100 km in a mixed cycle). In addition, the Honda motor is distinguished by high reliability and availability of a large resource. The technical perfection of the engine shows that numerous attempts of tuning firms raise the power of the standard Type-R engine ended to no avail, since it is no longer possible to improve anything. Look at the salon. Sport seats Yes Control unit with white scales and speedometer marked up to 260 km / h, here are the only differences in the version of Type-R from the usual Honda Civic. Thanks to the gear lever placed on the front console, the car does not have a central tunnel, as a result, the cabin turned out to be very spacious for his class. The luggage compartment does not differ much capacity, but it is very convenient, and its volume can be significantly increased by folding the rear seat completely or partially.
As a result, in the daily operation of Honda Civic Type-R practically not inferior to the convenience of ordinary family hatchbacks. The road clearance of Type-R is reduced compared to the basic version, but its value (130 mm) remained quite sufficient even for our roads.
The suspension, of course, is harsh, as it should be all sports machines, but it is distinguished by increased energy intensity. For driving Honda Civic Type-R from the driver, outstanding abilities are not needed. By manageability, this is a traditional front-wheel drive car, having in the limit modes a tendency to demolition of the front axle. At the same time, the potential of the car is very high. It is not by chance that since 2003 in Russia spend annular races at the Honda Civic Cup. In competitions, almost serial Type-R machines are involved, differing from product samples in the presence of safety frame. Currently, the cost of Honda Civic Type-R is 34,900 dollars. Basic equipment includes an immobilizer, a central locking, alarm, front-mounted driver and front passenger airbags, electric power steering force, depending on the speed, headlight speed, heated mirrors and Electric windows, electric windows, headlight washers, alloy wheels. Installing the air conditioner is possible only for an additional fee. However, do we still know the racing machines with air conditioning?
All cars sold by official dealers are a guarantee of three years when running up to 100 thousand km. The frequency of technical inspection after running 15 thousand km.
Does Honda Civic Type-R competitors in Russia? Today, almost all leading companies produce sports versions of family hatchbacks. The trouble is that there are few people in our country. Currently, the choice is small: Opel Astra GTS 2.0 TURBO, Volkswagen Golf GTI and Toyota Corolla T-Sport. At the same time, all listed cars are closer to ordinary road machines than sports. According to the dynamic characteristics of Honda Civic Type-R, it still has no equal. No more company offers such an urban rocket. At the same time, the car is not well suited not only for racing, but also for everyday ride. Its operating costs are not higher than that of conventional Class C machines. It is important and the fact that the reliability of Honda Civic Type-R exceeds most of their competitors. After all, as we have already said, Honda manufactures engines with the system for changing the phases of gas distribution and the degree of opening of the valves for twenty years. During this time, their device is brought to perfection. As a result, today the resource of such motors is even higher than in many power units of simple design.
The editors thanks Major Auto for the provided car.
Photo: Sergey Kozlovsky