Silverstone send off for Civic Type R

[RichardA]

Honda will mark the end of production of the Civic Type R with a special event at Silverstone on the 22nd August. The famous racetrack will also be hosting the latest round of the British Touring Car Championship, featuring Honda Racing Team drivers Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden in action. Special events for Type R owners on the day include a 'Lap of Honor' round the track, Type R-only parking facilities and Honda 'Dreamfields' hospitality.

Upcoming Euro V emissions regulations for 2011 signal the end of European sales of the Civic Type R. Whether this will effect the likelihood of a successor remains to be seen; emissions of powerful naturally aspirated engines like the Type R's K20 unit tend to be higher than turbocharged units, and Honda is traditionally anti-turbocharging.

The first official Civic Type R for the UK market was introduced in 2001. Since then, the Civic Type R has become a hot hatch icon over two generations with over 12,000 examples the current generation sold in the UK since introduction in January 2007. Many commentators predicted the current Civic Type R - with virtually no power increase over the previous 2001-2006 model - would struggle against new turbo-charged competition such as the VW Golf GTi and Ford Focus ST. This prediction was quashed with the Type R remaining competitive against the more powerful competition. In the end though it was EU regulations that spelt the end as many turbocharged rivals have lower emissions.

The last UK spec Type R will roll of the Swindon production line in October for final sales in December. Swindon will continue production of the Type R for Australia and South Africa.

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[RichardA]

The end of Type R production also markes the final(?) facelift for the current Civic generation. Production of the 2011 Civic at Swindon starts in November and includes the addition of the Type R grille and various specification changes:

From Honda UK:
The British-built Honda Civic has been given a refresh with a range of cosmetic enhancements for 2011. The updates and additions are designed to enhance the striking appearance and passenger comfort of the car at no extra cost to the customer.

Production for the 2011 Honda Civic begins at the Swindon manufacturing plant in November 2010 with prices starting from £13,995 for the 1.4 Type S.

Exterior updates
Eyes are immediately drawn to the new front grille, which has taken inspiration from the iconic ‘Type R’ model, creating a smarter, more upmarket face for the popular hatchback.

Exterior updates also include a range of new alloy wheels now fitted as standard, with individual designs and sizes dependent on the variant chosen. New 16-inch rims feature on the Civic five-door range in 1.4-litre SE and Si, plus 1.8-litre SE trim levels. While the five-door 1.8-litre Si now wears a fresh set of 17-inch boots.

On the sports-inspired Type S model, the 1.4-litre Civic now benefits from colour-coded sideskirts and revised 16-inch alloys. The other news is a dynamic new exterior colour - Ionized Bronze, which is available across the Civic range.

Interior comfort
Keeping the driver and passenger comfortable is also part of the 2011 Model Year upgrade package, with a series of new interior finishes. SE and ES trim gets half fabric and luxurious Alcantara, while Si is now half leather and Alcantara with heated front seats.