Mugen Special: The Civic Type 'RR'

[GT Pro]

TOKYO — The folks at Mugen love to make Hondas go faster — for a price.

Japan domestic-market customers will soon be able to take delivery of a very special edition of the Civic sedan, the Mugen Type RR, which will carry a retail sticker of $39,000. Only 300 units will be available, beginning in September.

The heart of the Type RR is Honda's terrific DOHC 2.0-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox and produces 240 horsepower and 161 pound-feet of torque.

The Type RR rides on Bridgestone Potenza RE070 performance tires (225/40R18 all around) and weighs a mere 2,734 pounds. Among the mechanical upgrades are a sport suspension and brakes, alloy wheels, a dual exhaust system and revised air intake.

Ride height has been lowered, and Recaro bucket seats have been fitted in the cabin.

What this means to you: Honda, hear our plea: Bring the Type RR to our shores.

Tsukuba Time Attack vid - 1:06:68 : http://www.mugen-power.com/street/RR/movie/index.html

Small news but it is a Mugen. Sexy as it is, only 300 are being run out; exclusively to Japan.
But this only makes me ask why Australia gets the JDM 'standard' Civic but not the the JDM 'Type-R' .

 

[Muzaffar]

Oh wow! its soooo cool! I wish they would bring one here in Malaysia (i think its more likely since it can be imported.Have already seen Subaru S202 and Nismo skylines around my neighborhood) But i think they should do this to the european Civic Type-R (the FG model).It looks so much cooler than the 4 door Civic.I'm really jealous because only the europeans could that car....

 

[nitro_2005]

Hel-lo beautiful!

 

[Bram Turismo]

Just like the R version, bah 👎


This is a sexy Type R:

This is not a sexy Type R:

Bah

 

[Kent]

Looks great and I'm sure it will sound great.
One thing I wonder about though... Does this Civic run on the US Civic's suspension or is it on the Euro Twist Beam suspension?
Regardless of what the suspension is, I'm sure the reduced ride height and those rediculus wheels will keep the car well planted at all times.

It's hard to believe they use a wheel tire combo like that... I mean, it almost seems like the lazy man's way of giving the car a more grip.
I suppose it's a necessity when you're running 240hp through the front wheels.

 

[Keef]

Just like the R version, bah 👎


This is a Type R that has a 1970s torsion-beam rear axle and doesn't do anything well:

This is a Type R that has a double wishbone rear suspension; a key to Civics' great handling potential since, well, since forever:

Sweet.

FIXED.

 

[Bram Turismo]

Fixed?

How can you like that thing? No style whatsoever in those lines, headlights are totally uninspired and lame, not to mention the rear


I'd take this over ANY Civic, ANY day:

 

[Danny]

Fixed?

How can you like that thing? No style whatsoever in those lines, headlights are totally uninspired and lame, not to mention the rear


I'd take this over ANY Civic, ANY day:

Sure. The Corolla is exciting in the same way that say, painting a fence and watching it dry whilst being mildly careless is exciting.
The problem with the Corolla is that it's a fast hatchback, but it's never truly 'hot'.

 

[Azuremen]

Bram... you have issues on the Civics there... that hatch is just ugly, period. Sedan looks way better, not to mention has a better suspension. And yes, the Corolla wins

Of course Japan gets the coolest Civic... thats how it always works

 

[Keef]

And that's one reason us American Honda fans love the JDM cars so much. They're virtually unattainable unless you've got money flowing out of your pockets.

I mean, this Type RR would probably put an S2000 to shame on the track. If not beating it, at least being neck-a-neck. It is too bad Civics have gotten so heavy though. Now they really are heavier than a Stew.

 

[niky]

FIXED.

Bwahahaha.

That's the funny thing... the sedan gets all the suspension goodness.

I do wonder if they've done anything to fix that bobbing nose problem, but whatever... I'd take it for the sweet engine alone... and the fact that said car can lap Tsukuba about (about meaning plus or minus a second or two) as fast as a WRX or a 350Z.

 

[Bram Turismo]

I mean, this Type RR would probably put an S2000 to shame on the track. If not beating it, at least being neck-a-neck. It is too bad Civics have gotten so heavy though. Now they really are heavier than a Stew.

If the S2000 is an FF that is, which it isn't. I assume the RR is an FF? Bah, boring none the less.

 

[ExigeEvan]

FIXED.

I so hope you were one of the people that has defended the Corvette's "dated" suspension. I really, really do.

 

[Omnis]

Just like the R version, bah 👎


This is a sexy Type R:

This is not a sexy Type R:

Bah

Seriously? On looks alone, the white car wins by miles. That ugly yellow civic looks like an asian wombat-- fat-headed and squinty-eyed. Horrible! It looks like it's from an early '90s Power Rangers movie!

 

[Rotary Junkie]

I call y'all RICERS.

I HIGHLY dislike Civics. Anyways, the Mugen job is even uglier than the U.S. version Civic, which is TRULY ugly, so shoot me.

The sedan's headlights look stolen off a Jetta and deformed by the riceclear radiation.

 

[Pupik]

Japan domestic-market customers will soon be able to take delivery of a very special edition of the Civic sedan, the Mugen Type RR, which will carry a retail sticker of $39,000.

Red between the lines; almost nobody in the US would pay that much for a Civic, when less expensive, better handling and more powerful cars can be had.

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Ding!

 

[Keef]

I so hope you were one of the people that has defended the Corvette's "dated" suspension. I really, really do.

I don't understand your point. The rear suspension of the Z06 is great (well, it is now, but when it first came out it was horrible). But that leafspring still can't match the handling prowess of the heavier Viper.

 

[YSSMAN]

Red between the lines; almost nobody in the US would pay that much for a Civic, when less expensive, better handling and more powerful cars can be had.

Exactly. Some say the folks who buy Shelby GTs are crazy at $36K (good luck finding one at that price), but $39K for a Civic is just way too much.

I can think of a few things better, in no particular order:

1) S2000
2) Mustang GT
3) 350Z
4) Solstice GXP
5) Pontiac G8 GT
6) Chrysler 300C
7) Volkswagen R32 MKV (good luck finding one!)
8) Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR
9) Used NSX
10) Spend a few more bucks and get an '08 Corvette.

 

[Perfect Balance]

I call y'all RICERS.

I HIGHLY dislike Civics. Anyways, the Mugen job is even uglier than the U.S. version Civic, which is TRULY ugly, so shoot me.

The sedan's headlights look stolen off a Jetta and deformed by the riceclear radiation.

Dude.


Just...go away.




Ontopic: This is the first good looking civic since the Ek IMO. Not really the "RR" just this civic in general.

 

[harrytuttle]

$39,000 Austrailian is $33,000 in the US. That puts it in STi/Evo territory, and that's not including the muscle car segment. It's a good thing it's "limited production" because hardly anyone would buy that. They'd see the paper stats, see the price, and walk right back out the door. This is not to say the car is bad. On the contrary, I'm sure it's a fantastic drive. But you can't expect someone to pay that kind of money for something that has half the driven wheels and has long since lost it's reputation as a company that makes great front-drive cars.

 

[JohnBM01]

Without reading one single post besides the introduction, let me guess what the majority of posts would be:

* "This is just what Honda fanboys need- take a plain-jane Japanese[anese] sedan and rice it out some more. Yeah. We can REALLY use one of those here in the States."
* "Take an already ugly car and make it uglier. Way to go, Honda."
* "Who needs a car like this when you can have a Pontiac G6 GXP?"

Now after reading some of the other comments, let me change gears a bit. It took me a bit of a while to adjust to this latest Civic design. When you see a new generation of a car, you kind of get adjusted to it after awhile... only if you let it. It's why I got adjusted to the previous Impreza (not the most recent ones- the Impreza before this one with that aircraft-inspired look up front). I'm sure this thing goes like hell. Sometimes, it's tuned versions of cars that look better than the base model and makes you like the overall lineup a bit more. The front headlights and grill are all I'd want for a peppy sedan. It's aggressive without being ugly. Also stylish if you ask me. The front bumper part looks somewhat clean. The rear of the car reminds me of a more aggressive 1998 Honda Accord. Almost like tacking on four lights while keeping that 1998 Accord taillight design. That auxillary taillight between the mufflers make this a bit more like a race car than your impress-your-neighbors car. For what it is, it's pretty mean. I'd bet the farm that someone wants to pick one of these up and make it a balls-out road racer. The most extreme thing that could be done from a tuning standpoint is to make this machine more like the Pontiac GXP.R that races in the GARRA. You know... make this rear-wheel drive, tubeframe chassis, trick GT wing, lighter parts all around, end result- killer.

Out of 100% approval, I'm giving this a 90% rating for its style and what it brings to the table performance-wise. Would be the ultimate Civic if sold in America. So what if it's a FWD sedan pushing 300? I don't think the Civic was designed to edge out muscle cars and the hardest American autos. I'm very okay with a lot of the car. I'd be interested to see how a coupe version of the Mugen Civic RR would look like. Only thing I'd trade is probably its rear wing. I'd trade it for a rear wing style that's stylish without being outlandish. Red is a nice color for the photos posted. People got pretty testy when we saw that Civic Type-R hatchback concept in yellow. I'd like a nice royal blue color kind of like Blue de Chine for the Peugeot 206 or Brilliant Blue from the Nissan Silvia S15 Spec-R Aero. I like this car.

 

[niky]

RE: S2000 versus Civic Type RR comments? Take note of the laptimes. This thing's Tsukuba laptime is sitting bang in the middle of the 350Z and a host of rally-rockets. I think it's worthy.

There's a vid circulating of this car (or something like it... a Civic with 240 hp and some tasty mods) trouncing an S2000 in the rain, with the same tires.

No doubt, the next S2000, whenever it comes, will rip this car a new one, but, for now, it's doing exceptionally well for a FWD. Ain't progress wonderful?

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

^ Tama ka dyan pare! 👍

-> I think for its performance factor, its a good value. Plus parts/maintenace are on the cheaper side on average compared to my WRX Wagon, even it has that "Mugen" name plastered all over it. I like to have a Honda again.

-> Now that Niky mention it, the S2000 CR (or should I say the next RWD Type-R from some JDM rumors) is around the corner (no specifics as of yet). I'm also looking forward for that one too.

-> For the person who said that the Euro Type-R is better looking than the JDM Type-R, the Euro-spec Is a softer version compared to the JDM one, in fact the JDM sedan is officially faster than the FWD benchmark the DC5 Type-R.

-> And to the guy who bahses FWD as "ricers". If you have nothing else to say, then just don't say anyting anything at all, you may get banned if you continue that attitude. As your username implies that you like Rotaries, they're some FWD that are faster than some rotaries at the touge tracks like the SEED EG6.

 

[Kent]

Please keep in mind that it is not good for normal members to use the term "bann."
(that's something to be left for the mods)

That said, I don't recall the "SEED EG6"... Only the "SEEKER EG6" maybe I need to go catch up on some Touge racing I've missed?

Btw, I agree that Honda would have a hard time selling many of these in the U.S.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

^ Oh yeah, I kinda forgot that. My mistake, it the SEEKER EG6, thanks for correcting me Kent!

 

[Kent]

It's all good.
Only made the correction so people could find the car if they searched.
Fact is, sometimes it is good to remind people that a FF can keep up when tuned properly. Gaming and games like GT4 will make you think a FF could never run as fast as a FR but in real life it's a very different story. BM's Touge 280 showed the Jun Prelude run .3 off the Amuse S2000 R1 while beating everything else in the field (which included the MCR S2000 and G'Spice Altezza).

So with all that said, I'm sure this Civic Type RR is a great car. The seating would get me to buy-in the second I sat down and the engine would make me a believer after only 6 or 7 thousand RPMs.
Of course, I still feel like the biggest advantage for this Civic is the wheel-tire combo... You just can't deny that tires like those are probably the most important upgrade you can make for a car. 👍

 

[Azuremen]

I've seen that BMi... The Jun was nice and fastest, but an IS200/Altezza is hardly a good bench mark, since its not exactly fast

That aside, FFs can perform amazingly well, its just at 39 grand I would rather have an IS350, a G35, or ever a BMW 3 series. Likely faster if you put some tires on, and much much more refined. Plus RWD, which is just more fun. FF is fast, but not nearly as much fun as RWD... just a fact of life

 

[SlipZtrEm]

I hate to see it, but now I understand why the Integra needed to die. This thing is awesome.

...And am I seeing someone seriously consider the Corolla a better "more exciting" car than a JDM CTR? Considering the JDM car tears the UK CTR apart, and that car itself is already considered superior to the Corolla in nearly every way... wow. It's like Poverty has come back and left his Audi fanaticism for Toyota.

 

[YSSMAN]

It's like Poverty has come back and left his Audi fanaticism for Toyota.

Ouch. Even I wouldn't throw that hat on him...

...But then again, that same car gets brought up, A LOT...