We know Honda fans (and our web traffic analysis tool…) would have preferred if our title stopped at ‘Four-Banger’, but unfortunately, the new 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol engine with direct injection technology was designed to be used only for the Civic that will compete in the FIA World Touring Car Championship.
The engine codenamed HR412E was developed at Honda’s R&D center in Tochigi, Japan and has already been delivered to the Honda Racing Team JAS workshop in Milan, Italy, where the Civic WTCC is being developed, successfully passing all initial tests.
“We believe the innovations that have led to this revolutionary engine will also lead to benefits beyond the race track, helping us to further increase the efficiency of our road car engines,” commented Daisuke Horiuchi, WTCC Development Project Leader at Honda R&D.
Horiuchi did not elaborate further, and in particular, whether the Japanese company has any plans for a production turbocharged petrol engine.
Honda said it would field one Civic at this season’s WTCC driven by ex-Formula One driver Tiago Monteiro, who will compete in three races, starting at Suzuka in October 2012.
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