The new Honda Civic Tourer has the largest boot volume in its class – 624 liters or 22 cubic feet, but that doesn’t qualify it for touring car racing, does it? Think about the big picture though. The Civic Tourer is only 235mm (9.25in) longer than the Civic 5-door, which makes it one of the most compact wagons in the C-segment, at 4,535mm (178.5in) long.
Add to this the fact that racing’s fundamental purpose is to sell cars, and Honda Yuasa Racing’s decision to run the Civic Tourer in the 2014 British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) doesn’t seem that odd.
It won’t be the first wagon racing in the BTCC either – Volvo did it in 1994 with the hearse-like 850 Estate. Compared to that, the Honda Civic Tourer looks like a coupe. It’s a brilliant marketing decision in my view, as many eyes will be on the Honda wagons next year. All Honda Yuasa Racing needs to do now is to make it a competitive car.
The team will use two Civic Tourers that will replace the Civic hatchbacks used this season in the BTCC. At their debut in March, the estates will be driven by Matt Neal and Gordon “Flash” Shedden, the same lineup of drivers that brought Honda the teams’ and manufacturers’ titles this season.
Technically, the Civic Tourers are identical with the hatchbacks used this season: they weigh the same and share the wheelbase, layout and suspension, with the only difference being the added length of the car, due to the larger tailgate.
“It might be a Tourer, but it’s still a Civic, the car that has won every championship in BTCC for the last three seasons. I’m really looking forward to the challenge of next season, and to seeing what the Tourer can do on race day,” said Gordon Shedden.
Testing begins in January ahead of the car’s race debut at Brands Hatch on March 29-30, 2014.
By Dan Mihalascu
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