At the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) off-road test day at Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire, UK, Team Dynamics Motorsport and Ralph Hosier Engineering each debuted their respective Honda Civic Type R concepts. The two vehicles are meant to demonstrate the usually pavement-pounding Civic's potential as a rally machine.
The Team Dynamics Motorsport version of the car was conceived by the Honda British Touring Car Championship works team as a road-legal, but race-ready build. Modifications are mostly off-the-shelf with a few custom-designed changes also being included. The result is a 25 percent improvement in power output from the engine and a robust rally-ready build to take the beating a race can give.
"We're familiar with the race-winning FK8," says James Rodgers, team manager at Team Dynamics, "however, we wanted to showcase what can be extracted from the car with just a few light modifications."
These modifications include changes to the engine control unit (ECU), induction system, and intercooler, and an upgrade to the exhaust using Scorpion parts), which all helped in achieving the 25-percent power increase. This boosts the engine's output to 400 bhp (298 kW) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque.
The rest of the modifications are for racing safety, including Goodridge braided brake hoses, Eibach Pro performance springs, adjustable anti-roll bars and camber arms, Team Dynamics 19-inch Pro-Race lightweight wheels, and Dunlop DZ03G track tires. Of course, race-requirements like a roll cage, fire extinguisher, etc. are also added.
Civic Type R OveRland
The other concept is the Civic Type R OveRland created by Ralph Hosier Engineering. Production complications, however, have delayed its public unveiling. The concept is meant for full-time off-pavement use with a lift for clearance and mud-plugging tires. With influence from Rally Raid's Overland and Safari specs, the Civic OveRland is minimally changed from the production model.
The suspension raise, which adds more than 4 in (10 cm) for better clearance, still uses the factory Dual-Axis strut arrangement. A bespoke trailing arm mounting and modified transverse links were used for much of the lift. Also added are rally-derived, lightweight wheels clad in 255/55/18 BF Goodrich tires.
"These two wildly different interpretations of the Civic Type R showcase the standard car's attributes, but also reflect the advanced, sporty and playful nature of the entire Civic range," says Ralph Hosier, who owns the engineering business that bears his name "We have also had a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate what can be done with a road car."
Both versions of the Civic Type R are based on the 2020 production model being built in Honda's UK-based manufacturing plant in Swindon. The standard production model has a top speed of 169 mph (272 km/h) and a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) speed of 5.7 seconds.
Although Honda doesn't plan to put either concept into production, Team Dynamics Motorsport and Ralph Hosier Engineering will each create a one-off version of their respective concepts "for discerning customers."
Source: Honda UK