One You Can't Buy Here III...

I like Hondas. I like most of the cars they've turned out over the years, from the first S500 (Ok, I've only seen Hondas as far back as the S600, stay with me), to the S200 my 70-something mother just bought this year (I love my mom). I think I might like Civics most of all though; truth is, they're my kind of car. I like my cars small, light, quick, nimble, and stylish; and for every era it's been on sale, the Civic has been those things, until lately anyhow. The new Civic embodies very few of the above features, in fact, maybe only one, and then only the Si version. The Si is at least quick; as quick as any US market Civic has ever been, but it's not the quickest Civic there is, or was.

For almost every generation of Civic there has been an Si. First introduced in 1984 for the Japanese market, the Si came to the US in '86 following on the heels of its CRX sister with which it shared its drive-train and suspension. Even at this point there were discrepancies between the US and Japanese cars in equipment and performance. While Japanese Civics and CRXs enjoyed the advanced specification of a fuel-injected, DOHC, 1.6-liter 4-cylinder putting out 130bhp, the US got a carburettor ff\ed 1.5-liter SOHC motor with a less inspiring 91bhp. Still, that didn't compare badly with the competition in the form of Volkswagen's Rabbit GTi (1.8-liters, 90bhp), though Toyota's Corolla FX-16 nuked it with its then new 4A-GE twin-cam (1.6-liters, 115bhp). It was enough, combined with the Civic's small size to produce what passed in the day for a warm-hatch. The real sports customers had the lighter, shorter CRX to cater to them.

As the years progressed the Civic put on size and weight with every revision, but gained in power and sophistication as well so that by the time the 1992 rolled around the EG Civic Si was putting out 125bhp and sported what functioned as double-wishbone suspension, as well as four-wheel disk brakes. Once again the Japanese cars were allowed to out-run the American market. The Civic Si in Nippon sporting the first version of the DOHC VTEC 1.6-liter B16A putting out 158bhp, and if that weren't enough for the island nation an upgraded B16 putting out 168bhp was contained within the new Civic SiR. The US market would get the B16 in 160bhp guise in the CRX replacing Civic Del Sol. I owned one of those cars and the motor was terrific, but the targa roof that indirectly gave the car it's name robbed the chassis of anything like rigidity and spoiled the handling.

It would take the introduction of the EM Civic Si in 1999 to give the B16A the home it deserved. By this time the Si badge had moved to the more popular coupe body. It was a great package for around 17 grand; the B16 motor was smooth and revved to a stratospheric 8,500rpm, delivering its power in a rush at the top. But even then, the Japanese held the best in reserve. The original (EK9) Civic Type-R was a factory racer in the best tradition. Some say that it loses out the the legendary Integra Type-R which was slightly more stable, but by any standard the Civic was fast and sharp. Gone was any remnant of base-model Civic chassis, only the body and interior had any connection. The shifter was one of the quickest in FWD history, the suspension, combined with a well judge LSD (Limited Slip Differential), allowed the rear wheels to whip into a drift at the merest hint of a corner, but the best part was the motor.

In the US the B16B is a myth, a motor imported under the nose of customs and quietly slipped into the engine bays of lesser Civics in attempts to create something resembling the Civic Type-R. In Japan, it was a motor that could be bought off dealers lots in a light weight factory hot rod and driven up canyon roads the same afternoon. It produces no less than 185bhp from the same 1.6-liters as the B16A, but it does so at a truly racer like 8,200rpm, before maxing out at an ear-splitting 9,000rpm. In the lightened chassis of the already lighter Civic Hatchback it made for a 0-60mph time under 6-seconds. It was fast by any standards.

And it never came to the US. For reasons best known to themselves (The Integra Type-R was already on its way to becoming THE tuner car of the 90s) Honda decided that only the Japanese market would support the Super Civic. the second generation (EP3) car made it to Europe with 200bhp and a six speed. The US got another, heavier Si sporting only the same 160bhp from a much lower-revving and less charismatic 2.0-liter engine. Even worse, Honda decided that the double wishbone front suspension wasn't pulling tis weight and replaced it with cheaper, and crappier struts. US drivers learned to salve their wounds with the phrase, "Well, at least this one has more torque."

This time around though it looked like the US was finally through with the short end of the stick and ready to hand it to Europe. The current Si has a 198bhp motor that revs all the way to 8,000rpm. And while the front struts seem to be here to stay, at least were not saddled with the European Type-R's solid rear axle. We even got an LSD, which the Type-R had given up in Europe with the last generation and hadn't re-grown. Sure it's improbably large for a small coupe, but at least the US could hold its head high, at last Japan gave us the good stuff.

But good though our stuff is, the Japanese have saved the best for themselves. The current JDM Type_R is a monumental machine with 220bhp and a modified chassis that seems nearly immune to either under, or over-steer; it simply grips, and grips, and goes, like a rocket. And with their amazingly cool Single Vehicle Approval process, EU residents can import their own. Damn.

I want one. I'd save and buy one if only Honda would bring it in. It's lightened and hardened and exactly what I like a car to be. I want the MOMO wheel, and the Recaro seats, and the steering precision. I think some of you would buy one too, enough of us that there's a market for a fuel efficient, small performance sedan. It's just too bad we'll never find out what could be, or what might have been.