II RACC EcoRally: we are taking part with a Civic 1.6 i-DTEC Honda

Today, Saturday 29 June, the II RACC EcoRally will take place in Barcelona, organised by the Catalan club which, in its last edition, managed to gather 42 participants across several categories, and according to yesterday’s press release, close to 50 this year. It is a joint regularity and consumption event, with each category scored independently but all taking part together on the same route, except for the electric vehicles, which compete in regularity only.

In this event, which counts towards the ECOSeries Championship of the Federació Catalana d’Automobilisme, there are a total of 6 categories, differentiating electric vehicles, hybrids, petrol engines under 1600cc and 120 g/km of emissions, diesel engines under 2200cc and 120 g/km of emissions, alternative-energy engines such as LPG and CNG under 130 CV, and other vehicles. Our Honda Civic is in the Eco3 category.

Drawing on last year’s experience at our debut in the IV EcoRallye Vasco Navarro, the hardest part is maintaining pace on some sections, even those marked at 30-40 km/h, given the geography and the road layout. To make matters worse, geographical features or animals can play a nasty trick, forcing us to wait for the herd or the cow to clear the road.

Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC

On this occasion there will be 2 stages, although only 170 km in total and one long day that starts at 8:30 in the morning with checks and technical inspections, setting up the car and filling the fuel tank. The tank will be sealed until the end of the event to verify total consumption. Whoever consumes least wins, it’s as simple as that. In total, 8 sections, split into 4 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon.

And with the Honda Civic we believe there are options, since it offers a homologated extra-urban consumption of 3.6 litres per 100 km, very much in line with some hybrids. Basically, the secret of this low consumption lies in the engine’s low friction and weight reductions, along with the incorporation of new technology and compressors, which optimise the transmission and fuel injection far better.

You can read all about the benefits and the reasons behind this low consumption in the presentation of this engine in Nice.

We will tell you everything from the Rally itself on our Twitter account, where we will post photos and share anecdotes between sections.

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackHonda Civic3 versions · from 36,300 €