The Honda Civic Type R TC may look extreme, but it’s not the most hardcore race car based on the production Civic sedan. That credit goes to the Type R TCR with 340-horsepower and an Xtrac 6-speed sequential gearbox.
But the Type R TCR is not exactly cheap at $173,000. And if you go for the Civic Si TCA based on the Civic Si coupe, the 1.5-liter motor only produces 170 to 220 horsepower depending on the racing series. Priced starting at $53,000 the Civic Si TCA is a more affordable way to compete in the Touring Car Americas competition.
The Civic Type R TC is built by Honda Performance Development (HPD)
On the other hand, HPD recently unleashed the Civic Type R TC. It’s perfect for those who wish to transition from a stock Type R into a fully-built racing car. The Type R TC is eligible to compete for SRO TC Americas Touring Car Competition and was developed and tested in-house by HPD.
“The successes of Honda Racing Development’s TCA Civic Si and TCR Type R in North American touring car championship series have generated a strong interest in more ready-to-race Honda Touring Cars for North America,” said Ted Klaus, President of Honda Performance Development. “With the introduction of the new Type R TC-class race car, we now offer a complete lineup of turn-key, Civic-based race cars for registered racing customers in North America.”
Of course, it’s based on the current Civic Type R
The Honda Civic Type R TC starts as a stock white Civic Type R supplied by Honda’s manufacturing plant in Swindon, England. The track-worthy 2.0-liter VTEC turbocharged engine is courtesy of Honda’s engine manufacturing plant in Anna, Ohio.
Honda claims the retuned motor is capable of churning out 270 to 330 horsepower depending on the series application. The motor is bolted to a 6-speed manual transmission with reinforced third and fourth gears. Turning the front wheels courtesy of a limited-slip differential developed by HPD and Cusco, the Civic Type R TC is born to conquer the racetrack.
The final assembly of the Type R TC is courtesy of Gradient Racing in Austin, Texas. In short, this race-ready Type R is a product of Japanese, British, and American engineering.
It’s a racing car, so it also comes with a bevy of luscious racing components
Even though the Honda Civic Type R TC retains the production vehicle’s exterior sheet metal, HPD partnered with selected suppliers to develop specific racing components. The Type R TC now has a high-flow front grille, a vented hood from J’s Racing, a CSF-designed radiator and oil cooler, and downpipe and turbo-back exhaust developed by HPD and Borla.
Also included are HPD Girodisk 2-piece front brake rotors and HPD brake inlet ducts, an FIA-approved 16-gallon fuel cell by HPD and Pyrotect, a welded multi-point racing cage, and an OMP racing seat with a six-point harness.
The Civic Type R TC starts at $89,900
Starting at a base price of $89,900 the Honda Civic Type R TC is a more affordable way to jumpstart your racing career. The Type R TC is available to all registered North American racing customers with racing licenses via HPD’s Honda Racing Line program.
Worried about reliability and spare parts? Don’t be. HPD ensures all racing customers can take advantage of trackside factory engineering and parts support. The car also includes an exclusive technical support line that connects you directly to HPD engineers.