The European regulation is taking out another icon: Honda announces the end of production for Europe of the Civic Type R

Today is without a doubt a sad day, no matter what your favourite brand is, if you are a true lover of real sports cars, the kind that are already becoming scarce and are being replaced by bland electric models that offer nothing more than cinema-sized screens on the dashboard and meaningless straight-line acceleration. All because the European Union has set itself up as the champion of a green agenda that makes no sense at all, an agenda that so far has only succeeded in destroying jobs and industry, and in allowing brands that nobody knows even in their own home to carve out a big niche in the market with products of questionable quality.

And that is not all: it is taking with it models, especially sports cars that no longer have a place exclusively in Europe, because yes, on our continent we will once again have to add another one of the legendary and iconic models to the list of extinct ones, while the rest of the world will continue to sell it and it remains the dream of many drivers. This time it is the Honda Civic Type R, a model that no longer has a place in the brand’s European lineup because, as Hannah Swift, Director of European Strategy and Product at Honda in Europe, says, “our model range has to evolve in line with European regulations”.

The Honda Civic was born back in 1972, but it was not until its sixth generation in 1997 that its most extreme version, the Civic Type R, began to be sold. Since then, five more generations have been sold, accompanied by numerous special editions, and together they have created a legend around a model revered all over the world. Its main characteristic was offering high performance inspired by the spirit of competition. If we add to this the culture of modifications or tuning, particularly in Japan, the Type R becomes a true masterpiece.

Not only that, the Honda Civic Type R has also been a benchmark for front-wheel-drive compact sports cars in the world of motorsport, with great success on track in competitions such as the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) and the World Touring Car Cup (WTCR), not to mention regional series. It has also set lap records on several occasions at the always demanding Nürburgring, most recently in April 2023, once again crowning itself the fastest front-wheel-drive car on the Green Hell with the latest generation of the Type R, a feat it has also replicated on numerous European speedways.

Honda will continue to sell the Civic Type R in both Europe and Spain until December 2025, the date on which we will say goodbye for good. The Japanese brand wants this farewell to be spectacular, launching as its final dance the limited “Ultimate Edition”, of which only 40 units will reach the entire European market, which will undoubtedly make it a highly sought-after model. It will stand out for being available in the colours Pearl Sonic Grey, Pearl Crystal Black, Rally Red, Championship White and Pearl Racing Blue and, inside, it features seats upholstered in red suede, while the gear lever and pedals are stainless steel.

Under the bonnet we will still have the exceptional 2,000 cc VTEC turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which delivers a power output of 329 CV and a torque of 420 Nm, sent to the front axle through a six-speed manual gearbox. The engine also emits its characteristic sound through the eye-catching three central exhaust outlets. And let us not forget the braking, handled by a system signed by Brembo.

The Honda Civic Type R is available in Spain at a starting price of 58,850 euros if you buy it new. And if you already have one of this generation or an earlier one in your garage, take great care of it, because in a few months you will be the owner of a true gem.

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackHonda Civic3 versions · from 36,300 €