Type R Road Test

[Accord Type R]

Originally Posted by Pottsy

Gaz - thanks for that, and I take your points. It's a great shame you didn't get the second drive (or even a better first drive). The car has short gearing owing to it's high revs, so it can't really be compared to a car that tops out at 6000 rpm. Top is very much overdriven - peak power comes at 165 mph.

I did some graphs here:
Performance / gearing comparison between EP3 and FN2

In case anyone is interested, the gearing of my ATR is such that you HAVE to reach the redline EXACTLY and then change up in order to be right at the bottom of the VTEC zone in the next gear.

This is a very skilful manoeuvre (as you are supposed to be looking out of the windscreen!) and yet, after a few months of driving it brings a great sense of accomplishment when you do so, since you almost KNOW that is what a very talented group of engineers in Japan had planned for you to do in the first place!

But yes, I can see why drivers/reviewers who haven't got the time, inclination or even ability to drive like this will see Type R cars as 'too much work'.

Perhaps it is a Zen Buddhist thing in that simple pleasures takes years to master!

[Gazboy]

Originally Posted by Pottsy

Gaz - thanks for that, and I take your points. It's a great shame you didn't get the second drive (or even a better first drive). The car has short gearing owing to it's high revs, so it can't really be compared to a car that tops out at 6000 rpm. Top is very much overdriven - peak power comes at 165 mph.

I did some graphs here:
Performance / gearing comparison between EP3 and FN2

If it was a BEC I wouldn't have a gripe, if it was a stripped out trackday special, I wouldn't have a gripe, but the FN2 (whoa the boost junkie got hold of the lingo!) is a quick hatch that you'd do the groceries in, take the kids to school then go to work the long way. 6th at 90 is 4500rpm in the FN2, 4000rpm in the EP, and 4000rpm in 5th in the Getz. In 5th @ 4000rpm the FN2 is only doing 65mph so I stand by my comment of the new car having six second gears.

Regarding incomparable cars- ultimately people will still be looking at their tachos & seeing very high numbers for their road speed. Looking at your car-test data (which is a brilliant piece of kit btw) it does confirm my thoughts that the gearing is to make the FN2 look very fast in gear- I'd be interested to see how the VXR compares, both in-gear and 0-150 in 10mph increments.

[damianscott71]

Pottsy,

Good review, nay, GREAT REVIEW.

In light of your comments regarding Type R vs Chipped Diesel, I can't wait to see the look on a new Type R owners face as it gets smaller and smaller in my rear view mirror. Ahh.... Life is great, especially when you're driving a remapped diesel!

I think I might just debadge my car over the weekend. So that the Type R owners don't know what beat them!



Damian

[TTDegs]

Originally Posted by damianscott71

I think I might just debadge my car over the weekend. So that the Type R owners don't know what beat them!



Damian

errrr.

Not wanting to be pedantic Damiam - but wouldn't that just make them think they'd been left by a Petrol, rather than a Diesel, Civic?


I do like the way you're thinking though

[damianscott71]

Best to keep 'em guessing TTDegs, had a great compliment in my remapped Golf 2.0TDI when a guy in a pretty decent BMW 3 series pulled up next to me at traffic lights and asked what it was... He just couldn't keep up!

When I told him it was a 2 Litre diesel, he said "f*ckin' hell!" and shook his head!

D

[Balex]

anybody knows about front seats in TYPE R - Have they got heating?

[Harps]

Originally Posted by Balex

anybody knows about front seats in TYPE R - Have they got heating?

No sorry mate they have not got heating! Its only the leather seats that are heated (One thing im going to miss)

[Balex]

Oops It`s a pity. M3 MPS and focus ST have got heating of front seats...
I am from Russia and we still haven`t got any information about TYPE R...may be official selling will start on May or later.

[Harps]

Originally Posted by Balex

Oops It`s a pity. M3 MPS and focus ST have got heating of front seats...
I am from Russia and we still haven`t got any information about TYPE R...may be official selling will start on May or later.

hello, as you are from Russia, the CTR may have heated seats!!! I know that the UK spec doesnt have them

[Balex]

may be may be
But I can`t find any mention of it at any dealers (deferent countries)

[Jim B]

Swedish model has heated seats (not a luxury item here since even base model cheapies have it)

[Balex]

Originally Posted by Jim B

Swedish model has heated seats (not a luxury item here since even base model cheapies have it)

Thank you for information.

[THX1138]

I'd much rather have cooled seats with all this Global Warming. We haven't had a drop of rain over here since march and it's been around 23 degrees solid for 2 weeks now. And it's only april. Summer hasn't even begun.

[Balex]

Originally Posted by THX1138

I'd much rather have cooled seats with all this Global Warming. We haven't had a drop of rain over here since march and it's been around 23 degrees solid for 2 weeks now. And it's only april. Summer hasn't even begun.

Yes global warming is everywhere but in Russia were 3 weeks this winter when was about -25 (day) and -30-32 (nigth)

[THX1138]

Originally Posted by Balex

Yes global warming is everywhere but in Russia were 3 weeks this winter when was about -25 (day) and -30-32 (nigth)

Ok, so 2 switches for the seats then would be great. One for warming and one for cooling

I also wonder how the gearshift knob feels at -20. It's the coolest (temperature and style wise) part of my car for sure. I bet the thing's too cold to touch in winter

[Balex]

Originally Posted by THX1138

Ok, so 2 switches for the seats then would be great. One for warming and one for cooling

I also wonder how the gearshift knob feels at -20. It's the coolest (temperature and style wise) part of my car for sure. I bet the thing's too cold to touch in winter

As ussually we use nokian tires

[thespacecowboy]

Fantastic review, enjoyed every word.

[WavyD]

Originally Posted by Pottsy

2007 Civic Type R

So it's sold - to the old fart (40) who grew up on 205 GTis, went through the Porsche/M3 stage (so knows about well made and well designed cars), and who now still can't give up having a slightly mental car even though it's also the family hatchback runaround. A diesel Type S would give great handling with a vast amount of silky smooth and usable mid range power, but it's not a mini racing car - so although it may be suitable for most keen drivers, it just won't give the ultimate satisfaction that the R can deliver to an old fashioned petrol head. If I were buying now (I'm stuck in my Civ for the time being) I'd be weighing up the Diesel S and the R, but I don't think I could resist the R despite the obvious logic of the S

Fantastic review, but the paragraph above is a little too close to be comfortable! The only difference is that "In the day" I was smoking GTI's down the lanes in my Diesel Fiesta, by keeping the revs high and bouncing off the limiter! Ford Fiesta XR2 (with diesel engine transplant), Front wheel drive with diesel engine weight upfront and no weight in the rear. It could drag itself around any corner on its Pepper Pots and Pirelli P6's. It was nice to drive the throttle and ignore the break for all but the most radical cornering! (that was some 13/14 years ago)

Sounds like the Type-S GT i-CTDi could be the car for me after all!

[Munro]

Does the CTR have magic rear seats ?

I found these pictures in an Auto Express test

[PTR]

come on CTR owners! tell us if it is true!!