| Honda Civic Type R - oxygen not supplied | | | | Civic really delighted with the Japanese |
| The hatchback brings with it two main | | | | firm clearly utilising their Formula One |
| demographics that tend to part with | | | | programme for the good of their hot |
| their cash more than anyone else in | | | | hatch. The Civic Type R became the |
| society - the very young and the very | | | | biggest selling performance hatchback in |
| old. For the old, a shiny hatchback | | | | the noughties - with over 35,000 units |
| represents an economical, safe and | | | | sold - so it was no surprise at the 2006 |
| pleasant way to get to and from the | | | | British Motor Show when everyone's legs |
| shops, bingo and church. The Honda Civic | | | | turned to jelly when they clasped eyes |
| range has been king of the grey-haired | | | | on the new one. |
| brigade for decades and brings with it | | | | The new Civic is all triangles and |
| an unassuming, sensible and reliable | | | | space-age - a highly risky direction |
| transport solution for getting from A to | | | | change for a company happily catering |
| B. | | | | for such a diverse range of customers. |
| For young people - mostly males with | | | | However Honda have always wanted to shed |
| fluff stuck to their upper lip, the | | | | their image of being an old-persons car |
| Honda Civic and it's hatchback rivals | | | | maker and the newest Civic is a styling |
| represent the cheapest way of getting a | | | | exercise with the sole intention of |
| car, insuring it and then thrashing it | | | | keeping its young fan base and stealing |
| to within an inch of it's life every | | | | the middle aged away from their |
| night in a McDonalds car park. The fun | | | | Volkswagen Golfs. The Type R for the |
| doesn't stop there either. Since the | | | | record didn't just turn my legs to jelly |
| initial conception of Max Power magazine | | | | at the motor show - I needed a crash |
| in the early nineties, car modification | | | | team and some oxygen. |
| has gone through the roof. Even | | | | The production model is only a tad |
| Hollywood has got in on the act with the | | | | watered down from the final concept in |
| Fast and the Furious trilogy seeing more | | | | 2006, with the body kit identical. That |
| neon lights in cinema car parks than an | | | | means that unlike the previous Civic |
| Ibiza club. | | | | Type R, you don't need to check the |
| Much like the punk movement, it's the | | | | badge to know this isn't the base model. |
| DIY aesthetic of personalising your car | | | | I don't know where to start to be honest |
| from a million different options and | | | | - seeing one will say everything I need |
| standing out from the crowd that | | | | to, as you'll either love it or hate it. |
| appeals. With its bullet proof | | | | It looks as though a spaceship has |
| reliability and extensive catalogue of | | | | crashed into the Pyramids and driven off |
| performance and styling parts, the Honda | | | | - but for me, it works. |
| Civic has simultaneously become the | | | | Crucially Honda haven't messed with the |
| favoured choice at both ends of the | | | | engine, so the new Type R retains the |
| circle of life - but for very different | | | | 2.0 litre, 197bhp engine from its |
| reasons. | | | | predecessor. Although this will of |
| Honda aren't stupid and having seen the | | | | course save on Honda's design costs, |
| mass market appeal for 'hot hatches' | | | | it's a clear case of 'if it ain't broke, |
| thought they'd better produce one for | | | | don't fix it'. Honda say they have made |
| the British market - and thus was born | | | | this new model more refined, with a |
| the Civic Type R in 2001. Top lip fluff | | | | suspension that isn't as racy the |
| brigade were beside themselves with | | | | previous model, yet it's somehow firmer |
| excitement. Grey haired brigade were | | | | and unfortunately not refined in the |
| happy with the standard issue model. | | | | slightest. This criticism aside, the new |
| Either way, Honda was onto a winner with | | | | Type R has every reason to feel |
| a huge percentage of the population. | | | | confident in an already crowded market |
| The Type R was an exceptional car too, | | | | place most notably featuring the Ford |
| with a 0-60mph time of 6.6 seconds and | | | | Focus ST, Renault Clio 197 and |
| the ever-eager VTEC engine revving to | | | | Volkswagen Golf GTi. |
| 8,250rpm. Stylistically it wasn't too | | | | Brand loyalty counts for a lot and when |
| different from the standard model, with | | | | the last model sold 2333% more than |
| 17 inch alloy wheels and a spoiler | | | | anticipated, the fluff brigade are |
| adorning the rear the main differences. | | | | surely going to be reaching for the |
| It was on the road that the little Honda | | | | oxygen and their cash too. |