New Honda Civic Type-R and Civic Hybrid Coming Soon!

Honda Malaysia has been busy training its dealers' sales advisors of late, for two new products to be launched in the near future. Details are sketchy and kind of 'classified' at this stage. But For Wheels do know that the new Civic Type-R slated for official introduction to the local market is the sedan version. Thank goodness it's not the odd-ball hatch shape!

Meanwhile, the new Civic Hybrid is also reportedly being planned for mainstream sales, unlike the last 7th gen Civic. It would be interesting to see how well the electric airconditioning works at traffic stops (when the petrol engine shuts down).

Honda's IMA electric motor together with its 1.3L 8-valve SOHC petrol engine produces 116bhp at 6000rpm and 170Nm of torque at a low 2500rpm. All these are transmitted to the front wheels via CVT. No 5-speed torque converter 'box here.

Update: Prices are guess-timates at this stage, with the Civic Type-R ranging from RM200k to RM210k. The greener Civic Hybrid is rumoured to be circa RM160k.

Related post:

http://autocarsp.blogspot.com/2007/03/new-honda-civic-type-r-sedan.html