Coals to Newcastle – British-built Honda Civic Type R heading for Japan

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Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo has announced that the British-built Honda Civic Type R will be exported from the UK to go on sale in Japan by autumn 2015.

Just a year ago, Honda’s UK Plant in Swindon was cutting jobs, but since then Honda revealed it is getting a £200 million investment to become the global centre for Civic 5-door production, and now it gets another boost with the news that the Honda Civic Type R – built in Swindon – is being exported to go on sale in Japan.

Revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March – with production starting just last week – the Civic Type R is a properly appealing hot hatch, with 306bhp from its 2.0 litre turbo engine – enough for 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds – an aggressive body kit with big front bumper, big rear diffuser, big wheel arches and four tail pipes.

Honda has also fitted the Type R with Dual Axis Strut front suspension with a limited slip diff to keep torque steer under control, torsion beam rear suspension with a new crushed pipe to improve roll rigidity and a nice appealing ‘+R’ button to turn the volume up to 11. It all cost from £29,995.

Philip Ross, Honda’s Senior VP for Europe, said:

We’re delighted that the European Civic Type R will be sold to customers in Honda’s home country of Japan. Customers are really excited about this car and we’re developing a significant order bank here in Europe. Exporting the car to Japan will only serve to increase demand further, which is great news!

Yet another shot in the arm for the UK’s car manufacturing industry.