Honda Civic Type R MUGEN

British tuners Mugen Euro will build up to 20 units of Honda Civic Type R Mugen, a "road-legal super hatch." The car will receive 240PS from the 2.0-liter i-VTEC engine, a 20% gain over the untuned version.

"Each Type R MUGEN will be an exclusive, hand-built race car for the road," said Mugen Euro VP Hiroki Toyoda. "When we launched the Civic Type RR saloon in Japan, we sold out of all 300 units in just six minutes. Given the interest we have already had from car enthusiasts in the UK and abroad, we hope to repeat that achievement."

The car will be hand-built in the U.K., with engineers installing new camshafts, pistons, intake, and exhaust. The car has a limited slip differential, a nice feature for some of Great Britain's windier roads. Forged alloy wheels weigh only 7.85 kilograms per wheel, and cover four-piston racing caliper brakes. The company wrapped the wheels in "track-ready road-legal" tires.

Each Type R Mugen will be coated in Championship White, Honda's racing color. Exterior features include a new rear wing, and composite front and rear skirts. A custom grille, with Mugen badge, was also installed. Inside, Recaro seats were used for the driver and front passenger, while the rear seat bench was stripped out altogether.

To get your hands on one of these cars, prepare to spend £38,599. That price includes taxes, fees, and paperwork. You can read more about the Honda Civic Type R Mugen in the press release below.

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The Honda Civic is now available in Tafetta White

The Honda Civic is now available in Tafetta White, making it the third model in the Honda Malaysia line-up to offer the new colour. Both the 1.8 liter and 2.0 liter models will get the new colour. Tafetta White Civics are expected to be quite high in demand, accounting for 30% of projected 600 units sales per month.

“After conducting research and analyzing customer feedback, coupled with the positive response from the introduction of the colour for Honda Accord and Honda CR-V, we decided to incorporate the Taffeta White in the Honda Civic 1.8L and 2.0L as well,” said Honda Malaysia’s new CEO Toru Takahashi.

Mr Takahashi also revealed that the two CBU Civic models – the Honda Civic Hybrid and the Honda Civic Type R – have surpassed over 200 units each in Malaysia. The Type R is currently sold out for the moment and it’s not known when the next batch will come in. The last unit was sold by Honda Global Amity in Seri Kembangan.

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Honda develops twin clutch gearbox ...for bikes

The good news – Honda now has a dual-clutch transmission. The bad news (for most of us anyway) is that it’s a transmission for large sport bikes, so you’re not going to see a twin clutch in a Civic for now.

Honda claims this is the first fully automatic motorcycle dual clutch transmission for large-displacement sport bikes in the world. The transmission will make its production debut in a Honda VFR in Europe and North America in 2010, with Japanese sales to start later.

Like most twin clutch transmission, even gears are on one clutch and the odd gears are on the other. This twin clutch has a total of 6 forward gears, and you can either leave the gearbox in full auto mode (two available – regular D and S for sporty) or change to a 6-speed manual mode.

Honda VFRs are currently in use by our Royal Malaysian Police for some of its big bikes. Perhaps they can upgrade to these sometime in the future so the cops can focus on maneuvering their bikes in a chase and take their minds off clutching and shifting.

Look after the jump for more images of the twin clutch.

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Honda Launches Special GT Package for five-door Civic

If you're a German buyer looking for a five-door Civic with a sportier appearance, then you may want to tick the option box for the new GT package that is available on the 100HP 1.4 Sport and 140HP 1.8 Sport petrol models. Similar to the Si grade offered in the UK, the GT sport package includes a painted bumpers and side skirts, mesh front grille and dark chrome door handles and fuel cap.

The half leather upholstery inside and the dark finish alloy wheel round off the changes. Priced at €500, the GT sport package can be combined only with four exterior colors - Milano Red, Alabaster Silver Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl and Deep Sapphire Blue Pearl.

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Honda Introduces New Sportier Si Trim for Civic 5-Door

Beginning from September, British buyers interested in the 5-door version of the Honda Civic will have one more grade to choose from as the Japanese automaker announced the launch of a new Si trim level. Available across the entire 5-door Civic range, in all engine variants and transmissions, the Si grade package includes colour-coded bumpers, front fog lights, a Type R-style mesh front grille and dark chrome door handles and fuel cap.

Furthermore, the 1.4-litre Si model gets Graphite colored 16-inch alloy wheels while the higher-powered 1.8 petrol and 2.2 diesel Si Civics will ride on 17-inch Graphite colored alloy rims.

Interior treats include half leather upholstery along with a USB port for iPod connectivity.

According to Honda, the Si variants of the Civic priced at £850 over the equivalent SE grade models.

Pricing

Civic Si 1.4 i-VTEC Manual - £15,800 OTR

Civic Si 1.4 i-VTEC i-SHIFT - £16,600 OTR

Civic Si 1.8 i-VTEC Manual - £16,835 OTR

Civic Si 1.8 i-VTEC Automatic - £18,160 OTR

Civic Si 2.2 i-CTDi Manual - £18,305 OTR

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European Honda Civic Type R Hatch to be Sold in Japan

Following Australia and South Africa, Japan will be the third country outside Europe to receive the British-built Civic Type R 3-door hatchback. The model, which will be called the Civic Type R EURO to distinguish it from the Japanese-market 4-door Civic Type R saloon, will go on sale in Japan from 2010 in limited numbers. The European-spec Type R is powered by a high-revving 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four that makes 201 HP at 7,800 rpm and 142 lb-ft of torque at 5,600 rpm.

The 3-door Type R can accelerate from zero to 62mph (100 km/h) in 6.6 seconds and achieve a top speed of 146mph or 235 km/h while returning a combined fuel economy figure of 31mpg UK - that's 25.8 mpg US or 9.1 lt /100km.

Japan also imported the previous-generation Swindon-built Civic Type-R (EP3 model) in 2001.

Honda's decision to import the latest Civic Type R from Europe also suggests that the 240HP Mugen Type R concept, teaser photos of which were released in July, will most likely make it into production.

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