The
official announcement places the 3-Door hatchback with Type S badging, which
would make you think that this thing would come with some rather beefy
internals. It's a little sad to hear that it runs on a mere 140 horses, either
from a 1.8L i-VTEC or a 2.2L diesel. The sporty image is clearly intact,
however, complete with a six-speed manual transmission, aluminium pedals, and a
set of 17-inch wheels. The petrol-powered version is also available with Honda's
i-SHIFT automated manual gearbox.
Opt for the GT trim on the Civic Type S and you'll get a bunch of other cool
stuff like dual-zone air conditioning, cruise control, and a panoramic glass
roof. Look for the Civic Type S 3-door to go on sale in January, with a 200hp
Type R following in March. Unfortunately, both hot hatches don't seem destined
for North America anytime soon.