Honda Civic Type-R

Look beyond the racing decals and slicks and this could be the ultimate road-going Honda Civic Type-R

Auto Express Car Reviews

Specially tuned Type R was originally developed for track use

By Marc Mustard

05th October 2006

As if the 200bhp offered by the standard hot hatch unveiled at the Paris Motor Show wasn't enough for most serious enthusiasts, the JAS Motorsport-tuned racing Type R pumps out a colossal 240bhp.

Originally developed by the Italian specialist for track use, the upgrade kit will also be made available to road-going buyers looking for an even greater 'Type' of performance. With a remapped engine control unit (ECU), upgraded camshaft, custom-built six-speed transmission and lightweight components, the super Civic should significantly improve upon the Type R's 0-60mph time of 6.6 seconds and top speed of 146mph.

The standard Type R goes on sale in March, and anyone who is brave enough can log on to the JAS website www.jasmotorsport.com to place their order for the kit. However, it won't be cheap: the extra performance offered by the package costs somewhere in the region of £36,000 on top of the Type R's £19,000 asking price.

Meanwhile, Honda has announced that production at its Swindon plant in Wiltshire, where the Type R is made, will be increased to its maximum capacity of 250,000 cars a year. Seven hundred new jobs will be created to cope with demand for the new Civic model.