Honda has revealed that it decided to develop the new Civic Type R exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission because an automatic would have been too heavy.
Discussing the fiery new hot hatch with Car Advice at its international launch, assistant large project leader for the 10th-generation Civic, Yuji Matsumochi, admitted that an auto or DSG were considered to broaden the car’s appeal but that neither would have worked.
“We produce just the six-speed manual transmission only for the Type R, because our powertrain has achieved 400Nm and 320 or 310PS – so, big performance.
“The Type R needs a lightweight powertrain because it is front-wheel-drive, and needs lightweight powertrain systems. So, the engine is a little bit heavy, so the transmission side needs to be more lightweight. If we applied an automatic transmission, or dual-clutch transmission, for a 400Nm engine, it would be very heavy weight, and very big. The front weight would be very heavy,” he said.
In recent years, the hot hatch game has shifted from front-wheel drive and manual to all-wheel drive and dual-clutch and while some still offer stick-shifts (think Focus RS and VW Golf R), front-wheel drive hot hatches are a dying breed.
Off the line, this means that the Civic Type R cannot compete with its rivals, but reviews have indicated it offers a driving experience unlike its all-wheel drive counterparts and ultimately, we don’t think hot hatches are defined by their 0-60 mph times. Evidently, it doesn’t seem Honda enthusiasts are too worried anyway.
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