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New Honda Civic

New Ford Focus and VW Golf rival will be quieter and more refined thanks to input from ex-F1 engineers

Honda Civic

By Sam Hardy

26th August 2011

The launch of the new Honda Civic is edging ever closer, with an unveil set for the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The Japanese firm has released more details about its new Ford Focus rival, revealing how it has used ex-Formula One engineers to make the new car more refined and quieter than ever. 

Key to this is the slippery shape of the new Civic, which has been developed using the expertise of a team who worked on Honda's Formula One racers. This, the firm says, has helped them to combine a low drag coefficient with impressive high-speed stability, in turn reducing fuel consumption and making the Civic exceptionally quiet. 

Engineers have also spent time in Honda’s anechoic (echo-free) chamber, which is located at the company's Swindon facility. Cabin noise has been reduced by working in the chamber to change the design of the roof lining.

“We did not improve the noise and refinement of the new Civic through just one technique,“ explained chassis development leader Kazuo Sunaoshi. “It was the accumulation of lots of little details. My big challenge was to match the noise and vibration levels of our European competitors. I am proud to say that we have achieved our goals.”

Honda has also made extensive use of UK roads to fine-tune the Civic's ride comfort on our bumpy tarmac. Sales of the new model will start in January 2012.

For an alternative review of the latest Honda Civic visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk

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7 Comments

Not exactly a selling point?

Giwen Honda's recent record in F1, seems strange to broadcast this news.

By cfhughes on 26 August, 2011, 10:30am

cf-hughes...Derrrrrr!

I think you will find that some of the greatest F1 machinery had Honda powerplants...

I think you need to remind yourself of Senna, Prost, Piquets, Mansells and Bergers machinery.

Any F1 car better looking than a McLaren-Honda MP4/5 in Marlboro red and white colours...? Well maybe (just maybe) a 1965 Honda RA272 in all white!

By LegioIXHispana on 26 August, 2011, 10:02pm

Yes BUT will there be a Type R??????????????

Pleas say yes! My 02 EP3 is on it's last legs and needs replacing with a new Type R. The current Type R is rubbish so we really need Honda to come up with something special again.

By oliver144 on 26 August, 2011, 10:26pm

oliver, they stopped making type R's in the last generation due to european emmisions laws, so probably not? and how can your 02 plate be on its last legs? my 53 plate is going strong, never misses a beat and still wipes the floor with these modern "hot" hatches!

By chinsip on 30 August, 2011, 10:43am

I am well aware of the emmissions issue which led to the demise of the Type R in current guise. However for Honda to effectively give up on catering for a sizeable chunk of it's loyal customer base seems utter madness to me.

By oliver144 on 30 August, 2011, 1:00pm

oliver144...02 EP3 on its last legs??

What have you been doing to your 02 plate for it to be on its last legs nine years later! My brother runs a 1997 Prelude and my father has a 2003 Accord - both running as well as ever and with many more years left in them!!!

By cousins11 on 30 August, 2011, 3:10pm

well, a type R that doesnt rev high or go fast is not a type R, so in its current guise, i think we can all assume not? look at the lacklustre cr-z... no hope.

By chinsip on 31 August, 2011, 9:48am

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