Disappointed with the current FL5 Honda Civic Type R’s sensible new suit? Well, the carmaker’s resident tuning arm Mugen has fixed the fix with a new range of motorsport-derived parts available in Japan.
Christened the Type A, the package includes a more protruding front splitter and enhanced profiling of the adjacent air intakes. These sit just ahead of new 19-inch forged BBS FR10 alloys, and there are more aggressive side skirts behind.
The theme continues around the back, where the rear splitter uses a four-section setup with a single mid-mounted exhaust. We like. It’s also difficult to ignore that carbon-fiber wing, which ditches the carefully curated design of the original in favor of a much stockier, taller, and wider option. Looks mean, right? Oh, and there are new LED rear lights to complete the look.
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But in case you think the Type A merely involves bits of unnecessary garnish, Mugen says the new parts combine to result in a 25% downforce increase over the standard car. The interior also gains MS-C bucket seats, a carbon-clad center, console and an alcantara-topped gearstick to replace the standard metal one.
Mechanically, the Type R benefits from reworked performance dampers and...that’s about it. But while the K20C1 turbocharged in-line-four remains untouched, the weight reduction and the aerodynamic improvement from the Type A parts should coax a bit more speed from it.
Mugen also says a Type B alternative kit will be revealed in due course. If it’s anything like the Group B concept kit that the tuner showed off in January, that could be quite something...
More photos of the ‘Mugen Type A’ Honda Civic Type R:
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
