Honda Civic Type-R - Why Cannot We Have it in the U.S.?

bf109ace

Honda announced the Civic Type-R in Paris Auto Show. It's really cool-looking car! I browsed the UK site and it seems to have the same specs as the U.S. Civic Si.

However, the Type-R is much better looking! It looks tougher and very much a sports car with a classis dashboard. Whereas the Civic Si is 'soft-looking' with round curves with that 'stupid' digital dashboard for speedmeter.

When are we going to get the same offerings in the U.S. as the Europeans did? The European version of Civic and Accord all look better the U.S. ones. Are we 'discriminated' by the [non-permissible content removed]?

bf109ace

I guess nobody is interested in the Type-R in the U.S. Sigh! :mad:

midnightcowboy

I bet it will come after the RSX-S is no longer available.

bf109ace

Well, is the Civic Si the U.S. version of European Type-R? I compared the specs. both have about 200 hp and share a 2.0 VTEC engine. I don't see both Si and Type-R co-exist.

I heard Acura has discontinued the RSX Type-S and doesn't have a plan to replace it. What direction is Acura going in terms of competing with BMW 3 series? Sad. The TL with FWD is too big/heavy for good agility and handling. TL/TL Type-S sell good but I don't think it's in the same class in performance and handling as the Bimmer 3.

Why doesn't Acura just reintroduce the Integra Type-R with a bigger engine (i.e. 2.6-2.8 VTEC)that has more usable low-end torque?

midnightcowboy

Type R Civic not the same as T
ype Si Civic.

Concerning RSX Kind of silly marketing . The Integra hatchback and sedan were Acuras bread and butter. The 4-door was replaced by TSX at higher price; many people didn't buy because of 4 cyl. The two door was replace by RSX. Keep adding features to RSX to make it more luxurious and it became heavy and slower LOL. That also impacted handling. Now Acura think people don't want hatchback, but want a conversion vehicle so hence RDX. However, it is priced too high $32-36K.

Also Acura thinks the TL completes with BMW and Lexus at a bargain of only $33K. Many are being sold, but not enough to replace previous bread and butter Integra sales. Type S TL looks to be nice but ups price to $40k

The Integra Type R was very limited and didn't sell well. The took the Integra GSR ( sweet car I owned one) and took out everything to make it lighter including A/C cruise etc. Then only added 15 Hp to 195. It was fast,but spartan and didn't sell. My GSR had upgraded stereo, cold air and exhaust. Ran like a champ, nbut high insurance. Couldn't affor to give it to my son to drive.

MidCow

P.S. _ I think Acura needs a new marketing department.

bf109ace

Why cannot Acura come up with a RWD Integra Type sports car with VTEC and 6-speed? They have the know-how (Honda S2000) but just choose not to do it.

They cannot just add more HP to the TL Type-S and expect a jump in performance. Torque steering with too much power in FWD. It would be 'stupid' to pay $40k getting a TL Type-S when you can pay pretty much the same and get a BMW 335i with twin-turbo. None of the Acura offering is in the same class as the 335i not to mention the M3/M5/M6.

BTW, why not introduce a 2-seater coupe/convertible as Lexus did (SC430)? Acura simply has too little choices of models and varities. :confuse:

midnightcowboy

bf109ace,

Good Points and I agree. A quick small RWD VTEC would be a good seller. I have the S2000 and it is awesome! Got a really funny survey call about it last night, thet steered the converstion to why I bought it instead of a Cayman LO> Never considered Cayman.

If the TL Type S were switched to RWD maybe. But you are right even the Lexus IS350 out performs it for the same cost.

Again I say, Acura needs a new forward thinking strategy department ansd/or marketing department. Myoptic vision killed the railroads.

MidCow.

bf109ace

Good suggestions. Hopefully, Acura will listen to its potential customers and get some really nice products out.

Acura has a nice track record of reliability. They have the technological know-how. In order to compete with BMW even Lexus, they have to come up with some dramatic changes in marketing/models. Come one, Lexus has the GS since many years ago. Acura hasn't come up with a solution to compete tiwh BMW M series, Mecedez AMG, and Lexus GS.

Something doesn't make sense here. How about using their new turbo in a 'new Integrra' like the Audi A3/4 and BMW 335i?

eldaino

Back to the subject on hand....as much as i LOVE the way the euro civics and the type r included look, i don't think there is any real need for one here: our si is a superior machine. The euro civic type r has no real significant increase in horsepower over our si...i belive its only about 11 and maybe a pound or two of torque. Plus it's suspension is inferior, we have multilink independent, the type r has a TORSION BEAM of all things. And it still keeps the bi-level in your face speedo that all of our civics and all of the european civics currently have. The one thing it has going for is is this: in my opinon it looks awesome. But then again i don't think the current si is bad looking, i think it looks very very nice. (granted my favorite civic of all time was the 02-05 type r in the uk that looked like a meaner version of our 02-05 si with hid headlights, a six speed manual and the 2.0 k series that currently resides in our new si.) But this type r looks stunning. But i feel like it would be subject to the same critizicm that all si's in the past have undergone; it's a hatch, its too dramatic blah blah blah. I think its beautiful and i'd by one but i'd have trouble accepting its rear suspension. The other thing they have going for it is that there is a version in which various anemities have been taken out, a sort of stripper if you will, significantly reducing weight and allowing it to accelerate fairly briskly.

eldaino

They have. It's called type s. But it doesn't really cut it when compared to mercedes amg, lexus gs and the m series. I think honda/acura prides itself on the naturally aspirated engine and to put a turbo in a not-too-expensive vehicle would distinguish them less in the game.

eldaino

I just realized that the type r in the paris show that you referred to (and the one that i'm talking about) is completely different than hondas new type r. Although they do feature the new type r on the uk website, the one that you can read complete specs on is the older type r that resides in the chassis of OUR old civic si hatchback. I realized this because you said it has classic gauges. That type r does, but the brand new one has the same bi-level dash set up.

bfish1

I would by the Civic if it were a hatch back. C'mon Honda...put that forward looking machine on our Civic chasis. You better do some fresh research into what the new market here is.