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2015 Honda Civic Type R Clocked At 167 MPH

Motor Authority

The new Honda Civic Type R is just a couple of weeks away from its debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, and in the lead up to its arrival Honda has dropped a few more details on its upcoming hot hatch. We also have the first photos of the final production version, in its Championship White hero color.

We already know that the new Civic Type R will be powered by a direct-injected and turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with VTEC variable valve timing, and that the engine’s output will be “more than” 276 horsepower (the final figure could be as high as 320 hp). Honda has now confirmed that this will be enough to carry the car to a top speed of 167 mph, making it one of the fastest front-wheel-drive cars in production.

To ensure stability at such high speed, the Civic Type R will be fitted with a host of mods aimed at boosting downforce. Specific elements include an almost completely flat underbody, a rear diffuser, a rear spoiler, deep side skirts, and a wide front splitter. The front bumper has also been shaped specifically to inhibit air turbulence around the wheels, cutting drag and further enhancing high-speed stability.

Heat management was another major focus for the engineering team. In this regard, the Civic Type R will feature enlarged upper and lower grilles in the front bumper, vents above the wheels on the front quarter panels and vents at the trailing edges of the front wheel arches to provide greater cooling and ventilation for the engine and brakes. Those brakes, by the way, will be beefy Brembos, with four-piston calipers and 13.7-inch discs found at the front. The brakes will sit within a set of 19-inch alloys unique to the car.

Prototypes for the Civic Type R have been spotted on U.S. soil. There have been reports that the car may be offered locally, though we’re yet to receive confirmation that it’s coming. What Honda has confirmed is that a version of the car’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four will end up in some models here. The engine is even set to be produced at a plant in Anna, Ohio.

Stay tuned for the full reveal of the 2015 Honda Civic Type R at the Geneva Motor Show, which gets underway March 3. More coverage of the show can be accessed via our dedicated hub.

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