Way out of my league, but that sure would be a nice way to go racing!
Honda just announced a third race-ready, factory-developed Civic: Meet the new Type R TC. This is, as the name suggests, a race-ready version of the latest Honda Civic Type R. It slots between the Civic Si TCA and Civic R TCR.
The new car is eligible for SRO TC Americas Touring Car competition and comes ready-to-race, down to the full cage, six-point harness and fire system. It even includes the window net. Price: $89,900.
Here's the full release:
SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – Honda today took the wraps off the latest iteration of the Civic Type R, the race-ready Civic Type R TC race car from Honda Performance Development (HPD). The Type R TC is designed as a turn-key solution for professional racers, and for skilled Type R enthusiasts who wish to transition from track time in a stock Type R to a fully built race car. Eligible for SRO TC Americas Touring Car competition, the all-new Type R TC race car is available to Honda Racing Line members with racing licenses exclusively through HPD at a manufacturer's price of $89,900. The specially outfitted Type R joins the TCA-class Civic Si and TCR-class Type R in HPD's portfolio of Civic-based, turn-key racing machines.
"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."
Designed specifically for TC-class competition, the Civic Type R TC was developed and tested in-house by HPD engineers as a modified version of the production Civic Type R designed exclusively for track use, with final assembly done by Gradient Racing in Austin, Texas. HPD engineers developed and tested the Civic Type R TC race car in-house, drawing on experience gained from production car and race vehicle engineering, including development of the HPD Civic Si TCA race car. The HPD-developed Civic Type R race car begins life as a body in white from Honda's Swindon, England, plant, and uses its road- and track-proven 2.0-liter VTEC Turbo engine supplied by the Honda of America Mfg. engine plant in Anna, Ohio, producing between 270 and 330 horsepower, depending on the series application.
The Type R TC retains the stock vehicle's exterior sheet metal, but adds racing components developed in-house and in partnership with select suppliers to build a ready-to-race vehicle that saves racers the time and money of doing it themselves. Major modifications to the production Type R include a high-flow front grille, a J's Racing FRP vented hood, CSF-designed radiator and oil cooler; an HPD/Borla downpipe and turbo back exhaust; a 6-speed manual transmission with high-strength 3rd and 4th gears; an HPD/Cusco limited slip differential; HPD Girodisk 2-piece front brake rotors and HPD brake inlet ducts; an HPD/Pyrotect bolt-in FIA 16-gallon fuel cell; a welded multi-point racing cage; and an OMP racing seat with 6-point harness.
The Civic Type R TC-class race car will be available to registered North American racing customers with racing licenses through HPD's Honda Racing Line program for competition in SRO TC Americas competition, along with certain SCCA and NASA classes. In addition to a fully outfitted race car, HPD supports all of its racing customers with trackside factory engineering and parts support, and an exclusive technical support line that can connect racing customers directly with HPD engineers when they're not at the track.
L.A. Honda World Racing
HPD also announced today that L.A. Honda World Racing will be its first customer for the new Honda Civic Type R TC, entering two cars in the 2020 SRO TC Americas series competition. No strangers to Civic racing, L.A. Honda World Racing campaigned three Civic Type R TCR race cars in IMSA's Michelin Pilot Challenge in 2019 and will again in 2020. The team battled for a championship title, with multiple wins from drivers Tom O'Gorman, Shelby Blackstock, Mike Lamarra and Matt Pombo.
"After a remarkable first year with our TCR program, we are excited and confident to expand our Honda racing endeavors with this Civic Type R in the SRO TC Class next year. With our veteran team and competitive race cars, we expect to challenge the front-runners in 2020," said Mario Biundo, President, L.A. Honda World Racing.
"With its clear tie-in to the production car, and the racing lineage of the entire Honda Civic line, we know that it will elevate awareness of Honda as a motorsport brand, and how our employees focus on this mindset at the customer level in our dealership. We plan on making 2020 an even more successful year for Honda and L.A. Honda World Racing in both series."
HPD Touring Car "Ladder"
What Honda calls its "Racing Spirit" is an essential element of the company's DNA, and Honda is a first choice for more professional and amateur racers than any other brand. For those racers, HPD offers a clear "ladder" of turn-key touring car solutions, from entry-level TCA all the way to pinnacle TCR series. While all three vehicles are based on showroom-stock counterparts, they also feature distinct modifications to allow them to compete successfully in a wide variety of touring car race series in the U.S. and around the world, fitting a variety of different budgets.
HPD Civic Si TCA: A turn-key race car solution based on the popular Civic Si Coupe. With significant modifications including an SRO-homologated roll cage and competition-specific suspension, electronics, and brake components, the Civic Si TCA race car is an affordable way to begin racing in Touring Car Americas competition.
HPD Type R TC: With more power and performance capability than the Civic Si TCA, the Type R TC combines HPD-designed components with specifically selected and tested partner racing parts to create a modern track weapon worthy of the legendary Type R performance heritage.
HPD Type R TCR: At the pinnacle of the Touring Car racing program is the Type R TCR, a joint effort with long-time Honda partner JAS Motorsport in Milan, Italy. Designed for worldwide TCR-class competition, the Type R TCR features special body work, a seam-welded body, a sequential transmission, and additional high-end racing modifications for the ultimate in Civic Pro Racing competition.
Way out of my league, but that sure would be a nice way to go racing!
Keep the car.....I only want the motor.
$90k for the ugliest Honda Civic ever made?
Pete Gossett said:Way out of my league, but that sure would be a nice way to go racing!
We reviewed the Civic Si TCA car recently, and I just got to drive it myself. It's totally dialed in. It has all of the race car bits but idles like a street car--best of both words. I can only see this being a similar experience but with more performance. Rumor has it that we'll get to drive the Type R race car soon. 
That's really cool. Not for me. But really cool.
Even if it's not for you, yeah, it's cool. Here's how I seee it: Holy cow, here's another example of a car company selling a turn-key, race-ready car. And in this case, it's not the more common GT3/GT4 car, but something aimed at a rather American nitche.
Good times, people, good times.
Since I have never personally shopped $90K race cars I can't say how competitive that is, but I do know this. GRM recently ran a story about the Real Time Racing Integra, and that thing was basically stock with some race car bits and it DOMINATED.
There seems to be a golden-age of factory-offered Touring Cars for sale, maybe they will all offer sub $100K versions to compete? Will we see a Mazda 3 TC?
A Veloster N TC?
Perhaps a lite version of the Audi TCR?
Maybe a VW GTI TC?
Something from Ford? (Although it would have to be an Explorer TC in the US)
Could BMW price anything within reason?
Perhaps Volvo will give us what we all want.
In reply to pinchvalve :
I'd say we're in a golden age of factory offered racecars, period. Racing is getting less popular and in many cases is turning into a customer-driven sport. Look at SRO dropping the pro category (or Blancpain dropping as sponsor and not being replaced). There's literally nobody in the stands at SRO races but the series is thriving! Customers want to go race, and they want a turnkey solution.
In reply to pinchvalve :
I think we're already seeing that: Witness the TCA Civic Si. I know that not everyone can afford a $52,000 race car, but I also don't think you can build a brand-new race car for less. Also, Hyundai is offering a TCA car as well. That might "fill the gap" for those seeking a less expensive yet still new touring car. Maybe we'll see a few more factory-developed TCA cars in the near future.
It is something that Honda is offering not one, but three variants for different budgets and skills. That is encouraging. Hoping they stay in F1 as well.
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