cars news 10: 2017 Honda Civic Type R Dons Championship White Paint for New York

After its official world debut at the 2017 Geneva auto show, the 2017 Honda Civic Type R has started making its auto show rounds in North America with an appearance at the 2017 New York auto show. Available exclusively as a hatchback, the 2017 Civic Type R will round out the Civic family this year and it will be the first Honda Type R model ever sold in the U.S.

The car that debuted in Geneva was finished in an eye-catching shade of pull-me-over red, which gave it an aggressive look. This Type R, however, is painted in what we can only assume is Honda’s storied Championship White color (it’s difficult to tell in the harsh auto show lighting). That paint code has appeared on such celebrated high-performance Japanese-market Honda models as the EK9 Civic Type R and NSX Type R, but we haven’t seen it on these shores since the Acura Integra Type R left production in 2001.

Powering the 2017 Civic Type R is a 2.0-liter turbo-four with 306 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, if this sounds familiar it’s the same unit used in the outgoing ninth-generation model that was exclusive to the European market. A six-speed manual with an automatic rev-matching feature that can be turned off is the only transmission available. Adjustable suspension with a Dual Axis front setup and aluminum lower arms and steering knuckles comes standard with three-chamber dampers, along with 20-inch alloy wheels shod in Continental ContiSportContact 6 performance tires. The Type R also comes standard with an adaptive steering system, Brembo brakes, a helical limited-slip differential, and a full aero kit complete with a gigantic rear wing.

Honda is expecting the 2017 Civic Type R to start in the mid-$30,000 range with the same level of equipment as the range-topping Touring trim of run-of-the-mill Civics. Standard features include a seven-inch touchscreen with navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, a 540-watt premium audio system, sport seats with more aggressive bolsters, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift gate. The Civic Type R will slot above the recently revealed Civic Si in the performance hierarchy.

Source: Honda