2023 Honda Civic Type R Breaks Cover in Official ‘Spy Photos’
Honda revealed two images of its upcoming next-generation 2023 Civic Type R set to be released in 2022. The images are our first official look at the highest-performance Civic, as Honda says the Civic is “ready for Nurburgring testing.” While covered in camouflage, there’s still a lot to glean from the images. It appears that whatever growing up the redesigned Civic has done, the Type R has decided it’s not quite ready for maturity.
Related: 2022 Honda Civic First Drive Review: Honda’s Boy Racer Grows Up
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As with the current Type R, the new one will be based on the Civic Hatchback, and while not as angular as the previous model, the new Type R retains many of its usual wild “boy racer” looks. There’s the obligatory gigantic rear wing sitting on some very lightweight- and cool-looking struts. In front, it wears larger grille openings to feed air to the more powerful motor, and it looks like there’s a chance there are extra front vents to help with airflow and brake cooling.
The new Type R will also feature flared fenders to accommodate wider and higher-performance tires than what you’ll find on a standard Civic hatch, and there are side skirts with winglets just ahead of the rear wheels in a bid for improved aerodynamic performance. Out back, the Type R retains its signature triple exhaust, though this time the center tip is larger than the two outboard ones. It also appears the Civic has a rear diffuser, though whether that’s more for show than function is unclear.
We still don’t know about powertrain details for the new Civic Type R, but expect a high-output, turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired to a manual transmission, lots of performance-related suspension tuning, bigger brakes than a regular Civic and much, much more in the way of go-fast goodies.
If the new Type R is “ready for Nurburgring testing,” that almost certainly means Honda is chasing a new front-wheel drive lap record, and will likely embarrass some more prestigious and higher-priced rear- or all-wheel drive cars along the way.
Honda says the new Type R will be officially introduced sometime in 2022 — which is somehow only three months away — so stay tuned for all the details closer to its official debut next year.
More From Cars.com:
- Life With the Honda Civic: What Do Owners Really Think?
- 2021 Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition Review: A Little Bit Lighter, a Little Bit Louder
- How the 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback Differs From the Sedan, 2021 Hatchback
- 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback Priced From $23,915, Slightly More Than Civic Sedan
- Is the 2022 Honda Civic a Good Car? 6 Pros and 2 Cons
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