Honda Mugen Civic Type R for Europe?

Let's talk hot hatches for a minute. Here in the USA, we get a handful.  Subaru WRX, MazdaSpeed 3, VW Golf GTI/R32, and local homegrowns like the HHR SS and Caliber SRT-4.  In Europe, the selection is much more plentiful - after all, it's where the hot hatch was born, and it's where the hot hatch has (at least for the most part) prospered.  So while in the US, we pretty much get one variety of hot hatch - turbocharged - in Europe, there is more variety.

Want a metric ton of horsepower?  How about the 300bhp Ford Focus RS, which we're all huge fans of?  Maybe the 265bhp VW Scirocco R?  Want a tiny hot hatch?  Suzuki Swift Sport, Fiat 500 Abarth, Alfa Romeo MiTo, or any number of other choices.  But one thing Europe's got that we don't get a taste of is the stripped out, hardcore track special hot hatch.  And currently, the king of stripped out track special hot hatches is the Renaultsport Megane F1 Team R26.R, a limited-production version of the 230bhp hatch that's 271lbs lighter than normal.  It's also got carbon-shell Sabelt seats with 6-point racing harness, an optional full roll cage and a titanium exhaust, reworked suspension, improved brakes, and sticky Toyo Proxes 888's.

Well, Honda - who previously was the star of this segment with the hardcore Integra R - has decided it wants it's share of the market back, and they're readying a hotter version of the Civic Type R with in-house tuner Mugen to do battle.

The primary differences will be under the hood and on the body.  First, under the hood.  The stock Civic Type R comes with the excellent K20 2.0L naturally-aspirated inline four, which makes 201bhp and 142 lb-ft of torque, with an 8200 rev limit.  The Mugen Type R will take the Japanese market Civic RR engine, which is a hotter version of the K20.  It delivers 237bhp@8000rpm, before hitting a rather astronomic redline of 8400 rpm.

Obviously, with this peaky of a powerband, the Civic Mugen Type R will come with a close-ratio six speed manual transmission, as well as a limited slip differential to help put the additional power down.

In addition to this banzai powertrain, the Mugen will get a stiffer, tighter suspension and bigger wheels with stickier tires.  Brake hardware upgrades are expected, with a focus on fade resistance.  And in typical Mugen form, the hotter Type R will resemble a hostile UFO preparing to launch the final attack on the human race.  Or, I mean... slightly more like a Vauxhall VXR model.

The first official pictures of the Mugen show a rather outlandish body kit, but I suppose that's par for the course these days.  I won't bore you with the details: expand those pictures and observe the futuristic horror!

Expect the Mugen Type R to hit European shores (sorry, America) some time this summer.  In the mean time, check out this video that Mugen prepared to show off this prototype.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAX4gfLvnvs

Meanwhile, America continues to get the useless Civic Si 2-door coupe.  Life's not fair.