Just 20 of these very special lightweight Civic Type R cars will be coming to the UK. We grabbed the keys to the 316bhp hot hatchback to find out what it’s all about.

The current FK8 Honda Civic Type R has seen huge success in the hot hatchback arena – a ruthless battleground. It took the punchy turbocharged 2.0-litre VTEC recipe of its predecessor and improved it in every measurable way. While its looks remain divisive, there’s no denying that it is one of the best cars in its class. The new Type R Limited Edition is a lightweight special that aims to take the crown once and for all.

Honda’s Type R went from one model to three earlier this year, introducing the more subtle Sport Line along side the regular GT, as well as this vibrant Limited Edition. How limited? Well, just 20 examples will be produced for the UK, 100 for Europe (inclusive of the UK), with 600 going to other markets. The UK allocation sold-out within an hour and long before a price was announced, while globally every-single-car was spoken for within a month. So what makes this Type R so special that people were climbing over one another to get a build slot?

Visually speaking, the Limited Edition car receives all of the recent updates that the regular FK8 cars got such as larger intakes and a reprofiled front bumper. Unique to this model is the Sunlight Yellow paint, contrasting roof and mirrors, black bonnet scoop and lightweight forged 20-inch alloy wheels. The car is just as menacing as before, wielding an aggressive aerodynamic package that includes that enormous rear wing. While many performance hatchbacks brag about downforce, most only produce enough to counter the car’s natural lift. The Type R generates some real downforce, something that helps stability at speed in particular.

Most of the Limited Edition’s changes occur under its skin, a metamorphosis that Honda hopes will result in a return to the top of the Nuburgring’s lap time list. Under the bonnet you’ll find the same 2.0-litre turbocharged VTEC engine as in the GT. That means there’s 316bhp and 295lb ft of torque. The headline performance figures are also the same with a 0-62mph sprint of 5.7 seconds and an impressive top speed of 169mph. This rarified car comes into its own with a unique suspension setup, stickier Michelin Cup 2 tyres, and a 47kg weight saving – 2.5kg is saved from each corner via the new forged wheels alone.

I have to admit that I was a little skeptical as to how different the Limited Edition would really feel over the regular car, or if it could justify its £39,995 price tag. My reservations were laid to rest when I found myself on a race track, rocketing towards a very tight right corner at close to 100mph. Firmly applying those 350mm Brembo brakes immediately revealed that this cars reduced mass allows for much later braking. As always, this setup provides great braking feel with the comments now even more resistant to fade.

Using the forward weight transfer, you can pitch the car into the apex with total confidence that the frontend will stick, and that the unloaded rear will pivot neatly around the bend. Being 47kg lighter also gives the car greater agility, something exploited via a precise weighty steering setup. I know what you’re thinking, but this potent front-wheel drive car has to be really provoked before it starts to understeer. Even when applying heavy throttle out of corners, the combination of clever dual-axis suspension and a limited-slip differential keeps wayward torque steer to a minimum.

As great as the weight saving is, and clever the engineering that prevents this car from being a 316bhp front-drive mess, it’s the tyres and suspension that are the biggest contributors here. Get a bit of heat into the Cup 2 rubber and the car’s willingness to stick is truly remarkable. The standard FK8 is is happy to clock-up the Gs through fast corners, but the Limited Edition uses its switch from Continental to Michelin to great effect. Combine the car’s greater adhesion with a suspension setup that reduces and resists roll even more, you have a machine genuinely capable of setting faster lap times.

Being less analytical for a moment, this Type R also makes those who love driving feel good. The new counter-weighted manual transmission has a precise mechanical motion to it, the pedals are firm, and the car is exceedingly responsive to inputs. There’s a great man-machine connection here as, unlike many all-wheel drive hot hatchbacks, you feel like your contribution behind the wheel is essential, not optional. We’d swap a Top Trump 0-60 time for greater driver satisfaction any day of the week.

This was just a taste of what the lucky 20 UK buyers of the Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition can expect on track in +R mode. We hope to spend some more time with this rarified car on the road to further explore its various other settings – highlighting how this little sample has left us wanting more of the overnight collectors item.

Facts and figures

Model tested: Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition

Price: £39,995

Engine: 2.0-litre VTEC turbo

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Power / Torque: 316bhp / 295lb ft

0-62mph: 5.7 seconds

Top speed: 169mph

Seating: 4

Boot space: 420-litres

MPG: TBC mpg

CO2: TBC g/km

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