Here’s How Honda Builds The New 2023 Civic Type R In Japan

The Honda Civic Type R is one of the most sought-after hot hatches in the market, with owners waiting in line for deliveries. Honda treats their anticipation with an 11-minute-long video from the Yorii Automobile Plant in Saitama, where the Type R is being produced.

The video takes us through every step of the production process, showing the molds of various body panels, the paint application, the assembly of mechanical components including the engine, and the fitment of the interior trim. Like in every modern vehicle, the Type R’s production is streamlined with the help of technology, although the human aspect also appears to be crucial.

See Also: Honda Prices Civic Type R’s Accessories In Japan, Including That Wing

It is interesting to see so many examples of the Civic Type R one in front of the other in the production line. Despite sharing the main structure with the Civic hatchback, the Type R features many uniquely designed panels making it easily distinguishable from an early stage of assembly. These include the wide fenders, the sporty bumpers with larger intakes, the vented bonnet, and of course the signature rear wing.

The Civic Type R also gets a special color palette including Championship White, Rallye Red, Boost Blue, Crystal Black Pearl, and Sonic Grey Pearl, with all of them appearing in different parts of the video. Another highlight is the exhaust system featuring triple tailpipes, with two workers required to put it on the car. As for the interior, we get to see the fitment of the red carpet, the bucket seats, and the screwing of the metal gearknob.

The video ends with the Type R rolling off the production line and going through a series of tests on the engine, suspension, etc. to ensure that all systems work well. After that, the models are loaded on trucks, heading to the dealerships. The Honda Step WGN e:HEV and the Honda Freed are among the vehicles built in the same factory, which is why we can see some examples in the background.

Every corner of Honda’s factory looks clean and tidy, with the employees wearing full-body suits and gloves. The Yorii Automobile Plant in Saitama has an annual production capacity of 250,000 cars, although the hot hatch only takes a very small portion of it. Honda will initially produce 400 units of the Civic Type R per month, which means that Japanese buyers will have to wait for up to six months to take delivery. Last month, Honda was forced to temporarily slash the output in Saitama by 40 percent due to supply issues.

The sixth generation of the Honda Civic Type R was unveiled in July 2022 following a lengthy teaser campaign. The model retains its non-electrified nature with a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine producing 315 hp (235 kW / 319 PS) and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) of torque in its latest installment. Power is transmitted to the front axle through a six-speed manual gearbox with the help of a limited-slip differential. The hot hatch also gets a more aggressive chassis setup with version-specific suspension tuning and larger brakes.