The ultimate street-legal track-focused variant of Honda’s legendary Civic Type R

 

The lighter, faster and even more ferocious 2021 Type R Limited Edition will feature all of the 2020 model year Type R updates, plus additional enhancements designed to make it the ultimate street-legal Type R track machine. Only 600 units of the 2021 Type R Limited Edition, all in brilliant new Phoenix Yellow and each with an individually numbered serial plate, will be sold in the U.S.

The ultimate street-legal track-focused variant of Honda‘s legendary Civic Type R will arrive on American shores later this year.

2021 Civic Type R Limited Edition modifications from stock include specially tuned dampers, recalibrated steering for maximum control and feedback and lightweight, forged aluminum wheels from acclaimed manufacturer BBS (18 lb. total unsprung weight reduction).

Further weight reduction of approximately 28 pounds is accomplished via reduced sound-deadening materials and removal of features such as the rear wiper, tonneau cover, and rear heater ducts.

Paying homage to past Type R Limited Edition models, the 2021 Civic Type R Limited Edition will come in one model-exclusive color: Phoenix Yellow. Additional model-exclusive treatment includes contrasting gloss black paint on the roof, outside mirror caps, and intake vent on the hood, along with a dark chrome Civic badge on the rear hatch.

“Once upon a time, the Honda Civic Type R was the fastest front-wheel-drive car to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife, laying down a 7-minute, 43.8-second lap of Germany’s infamous track in 2017. But then Renault came along and broke the Civic’s record by four whole seconds with the Megane RS Trophy-R. Whether or not the goal is to try and regain ‘Ring bragging rights, Honda knew it had to eke more performance out of the Type R,” commented cnet.com.

The new Type R Limited Edition shares the 2020 Civic Type R mechanical and design updates. In addition, all Limited Edition models will feature an individually numbered serial plate denoting the vehicle’s original country of sale.

Like the standard Type R, the Limited Edition also receives the Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies as standard equipment, including Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) with Forward Collsion Warning, Road Depature Mitigation with Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, and Adaptive Cruise Control.

Under the hood, the 2021 Civic Type R draws power from the same race-bred 2.0-liter direct-injected and turbocharged 4- cylinder engine with VTEC valvetrain, putting out a peak 306-horseopwer and 295 lb.-ft. of torque (both SAE net), with power to the front wheels delivered through a close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission and limited-slip differential.

As with the “standard” Type R, drivers can choose between three driving modes – Comfort, Sport and +R – that vary damping force, steering assist and throttle mapping. The new-for-2020 Active Sound Control modifies interior sound in concert with chosen drive mode.