Temple Run: 2000 Honda Civic Type R
For most people this might look like just a small white car, nothing more and nothing less. Yet, mention EK9 Type R and some people begin to salivate and pound their chests with excitement like King Kong in heat. In '97 Honda designed the first EK9 Type R as a seemingly unassuming fire breathing monster to be raced on tracks. Back then I was an adrenaline fueled teenager who thought handbrake turns and big spoilers were the bomb. This car changed my mind. It delivered power and performance unmatched by any other in its category. I was smitten but I also had no hope of really getting a taste of it in Bangladesh. Turns out only two were ever brought into the country, the other painted black. I got close with a handful of DA8 Integras and EK Civic Vi-RS. Then one fine day last month I get a call from a friend who arranged the white one for me to try.
There's a saying: never meet childhood heroes. There's disappointment waiting in the bag. This is a hero car for me in the sense it offered subtle yet seductive styling that you don't see in high performance cars of today. The unassuming headlights grace the business end of the proportionately long nose with the rear rounded off in a sharp, timeless, unbroken curve. After almost 15 years this design still looks fresh.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. No silly race-track only diffusers, no oversized wing and no one in the designing team back them deemed it fit to put the entire supermarket's stock of LEDS on the car. That doesn't mean this is bland. Far from it. Open the door and you get a refreshing slap in the face, if there's such a thing. Red Recaro seats with matching door trim and floor mats. In the midday sun the aluminum shifter reflected the sun back at me. If that's not an invitation I don't know what is.
I couldn't contain my excitement at seeing this car. I almost hugged it but professional decorum suggested otherwise. The car now belongs to Jewel, who runs a reconditioned-car showroom. He bought the EK9 from its previous owner several years ago and restored the shocks and brakes to factory specs. It's a loved child but now he feels he needs to let go of the hard riding, lightweight hot hatch in favor of something demure: a BMW 3 Series. I remember the Spoon N1 exhausts in these cars being loud as experienced via Youtube. The current 5Zigen Jazma full exhaust is even louder, freeing up those all-important ponies. The car now sports an aftermarket Fidanza flywheel paired to an Exedy Stage 1 clutch and pressure plate. What this means in simpler terms is, when the car delivers the power from the engine, it is brutally forced upon the drivetrain so that magic happens in one glorious explosive burst while your head remains glued to the headrest. The demonstration run provided by Jewel showed the car hitting triple digits in very short order. We picked an empty hour on an empty day but this car is asking to be taken to a track. He loves his comfy 3 Series but I could see him grinning like a maniac, enjoying the feral thrust of the Type R.
I remember the Spoon N1 exhausts in these cars being loud as experienced via Youtube. The current 5Zigen Jazma full exhaust is even louder, freeing up those all-important ponies. The car now sports an aftermarket Fidanza flywheel paired to an Exedy Stage 1 clutch and pressure plate. What this means in simpler terms is, when the car delivers the power from the engine, it is brutally forced upon the drivetrain so that magic happens in one glorious explosive burst while your head remains glued to the headrest. The demonstration run provided by Jewel showed the car hitting triple digits in very short order. We picked an empty hour on an empty day but this car is asking to be taken to a track. He loves his comfy 3 Series but I could see him grinning like a maniac, enjoying the feral thrust of the Type R.
And then just like that I'm handed the keys. Mouth goes a little dry, heartbeat rises in anticipation. Moment of truth. I slide into the seats and the bolstered paddings hug my not-too-wide buttocks. This car feels like a jacket, a sexy, white, James Bond type of jacket.
I twist the keys and the engine fires up with a smooth, deep hum. Clutch is obviously stiff despite the hydraulic conversion; my friend Farhan Faiz thinks I'll be missing the clutch. There's bets being laid but I don't lose. I drove manuals in various stages of breakdown including a brief stint with a five-ton truck. It could get tiring but I'll put in some extra leg workouts just to be able to run this car everyday. Typical of Honda, the short shifter assisted shifts are quick and er, short. You want to change gears on this car even when it's not moving just to hear the snick-snick-snick precision. Why would anyone want an anesthetized auto?
The 1.6 litre B16B engine produces about 185bhp from factory, making it one of the most high output normally aspirated engines of all time. Coupled with a nearly silent helical LSD, this thing delivers power to the front wheels without manic torque steer. This is technology from 15 years ago and it was way, way ahead of its time that could go all the way up to 8500rpm.
The car is lazy because the torque isn't really there all the time in low rpm. But the crazy magic happens in second gear, above 5000rpm. That's the range this car loves to be in. And it's a moment that sticks in your mind as the engine screams and rasps. I get the point of the whole VTEC meme. You need to keep the engine singing to get the most out of it and each time it kicks, you need to scream out 'YO!' But then, this car isn't one that asks to be driven slowly although the looks suggest a little tameness. Although it is primarily a track setup, the joy is there to be felt every single damn day. The car stayed level through the moderately quick turns and it went exactly where I pointed. Being front wheel drive has its advantages. Being light like a starving supermodel gives it even more knife-like sharpness. A subwoofer bigger than most wardrobes is in the back but the handling remains poised. I've driven newer cars that were faster and more powerful. But this felt like it was an extension of my spine. I'm older, I like my cars older, without too many electronic nannies governing my every move.
The car in factory tune is supposed to have a 0-100kmph in under six seconds. And it's got air conditioning. Turns out meeting a hero isn't always bad. The EK9 Type R is a brutal icon. It's fast, quick, nimble and there's only two in the country with this being in immaculate condition. This first gen Type R Civic is the second finest example of four-wheeled motoring to come out of Honda in the 90's. The first distinction goes to the NSX no doubt. But what a contender.
The immaculate Type R is for sale. Check our Facebook page for details.
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