UPDATE: Honda has confirmed that the Type R will only be available in the U.S. with a manual transmission.
A Honda spokesperson confirmed to Jalopnik thatthis Model R will only come with a manual transmission; no CVT will even be an option.
The all-new Honda Civic Type R is being developed and we have some interesting details thanks to a discussion in the CivicX forums. According to some Japanese bosses, the hot hatch will have an even lower center of gravity than the standard model and will only be powered by the front wheels, contrary to earlier reports that it may get an AWD system.
The most fascinating part is that Mirsuru Kariya’s head engineer and lead designer Daisuke Tutamori and Katsushi Inoue, Honda Europe head, have discussed with Autocar Magazine the possibility of the Civic Type R being available with a CVT transmission, which is optimized for low-end acceleration. A six-speed manual transmission is standard. A dual-clutch auto is not available.
According to previous reports, the next-gen Civic Type R will be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. This unit produces 305 horsepower (228kilowatts) as well as 295 pound-feet (405 Newton-meters). Although no major increase in output is anticipated, engineers at the company will likely tweak the unit to produce at least 320 horsepower (239 kW).
Honda already confirmed that the Type R will be arriving in the United States this year. It is most likely to arrive as a 2018 model. A prototype of the car was shown off. It made its debut at the Paris Motor Show in fall 2016. It featured a striking black-red color scheme, huge 20-inch tires and 245-section high performance tires. Honda is showing the prototype in near production without an interior. However, the company doesn’t want to show it. Tinted windows and locked doors prevent media and viewers from seeing it.