The Honda Civic has really come on leaps and bounds in recent years, and the new Honda Civic Type R is naturally attracting a whole heap of speculation from everyday drivers and industry experts alike. Well, Honda just threw new fuel on the fire; they let not one, but two iterations of the new Honda Civic Type R get snapped taking circuits at the Nürburgring.
If you don’t know, the Nürburgring is one of the most legendary race courses in the world, and it’s one that manufacturers typically take their high-performance variants to for rigorous test driving. The Honda Civic Type R is already celebrated for its combination of exhilarating drive and surprising everyday usability, so it comes as no surprise to see the latest versions being put through their paces on this infamous track.
All signs point to a mid-life facelift, which is admittedly quite the gamble when you’re dealing with such distinctive styling.
The first model caught on camera looks a lot like the current model, but we can notice slightly revised headlights even through the camouflaged bumper. It looks like Honda is going to double down on the Civic Type R’s already audacious front-end styling. It’s a move to strengthen support from your supporters and push naysayers further away – the Type R sure isn’t making any compromises. In fact, you’ll see the same kind of styling treatment when you turn the car around. Its angles on angles here, too.
It could be that this first model is the rumoured faster and up-rated version of the Type R with which Honda are supposedly taking aim at the Ford Focus RS’s all-wheel drive setup and higher power output. Unfortunately, we can’t yet say for sure if Honda is doing anything under the bonnet. Still … fingers crossed.
The second car carried the same camouflaged bumpers, but you can immediately notice a smaller rear-wing. Could this foretell a return of the warmer and more user-friendly Type S? Could be, but keep in mind that Honda pride themselves on the current Type R’s all-round capabilities.
We love hearing more about the Honda Type R, and it’s always a thrill to learn that Honda is thinking of new ways to make their signature performance compact even more enthralling. To hear the latest, keep checking back with us.