It’s been nearly two years since it was launched, but the frenzy surrounding the Honda Civic Type R hasn’t waned. If anything, it’s growing more interest thanks to aftermarket companies.
Of course, Honda doesn’t want to miss out on the fun, either. After all, they make the hot hatch, so might as well come up with spicier models themselves, right? And that’s exactly what the folks of Tochigi did. Well, sort of.
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Set to make a debut at the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon are a pair of fettled Civic Type Rs. What’s the big deal, then? Well, those Civics get a little TLC from Mugen. Honda fans will know exactly what that means.
Mugen will roll out two versions of the Type R, namely the Group A and Group B. The Group A receives carbon fiber kits on all sides, along with a deeper front splitter and several aerodynamic enhancements. And for those who miss the ‘in your face’ rear wing from the previous Type R, the (semi) in-house tuning company has rectified that.
Moving to the Group B, it gets an even more aggressive exterior treatment. On top of all the carbon kits from the Group A, the Group B gets a lighter carbon fiber hood with additional slats for cooling. On top of that, the front fenders get air outlets and a wider set of side skirts. Both cars wear wheels that were designed in cooperation with BBS.
It’s easy to say that it’s all cosmetic, but the tuning company says extensive fluid dynamics was applied to the aero package to combine form and function. There are also enhancements made to the FL5’s already capable chassis.
It includes a performance damper for the chassis, as well as an upgraded set of brakes. For those who want to make more noise, Mugen is also developing a lightweight titanium exhaust system for the car.
The Honda Civic Type R Mugen models are concepts for now. However, expect some (if not, most) of the parts fitted to these prototypes to be applied to the production model. Who knows, these might even spawn a full, complete Mugen model down the line with even more hardcore upgrades.
