The '58 Lincoln put up a good showing, but in the end the Porsche 928 takes the prize, with 56% of you choosing Polyester-Clad White Powder Distributor over Chain-Smoking Rat Pack Player in Monday's Choose Your Eternity poll. But with a Datsun nearly beating a Peugeot last week, not to mention an Acura winning the 24 Hours of LeMons, we felt the need to turn Japanese for today's challenge. As always, the challenge with finding good candidates for Japanese Project Hell is that damned Japanese build quality and reliability, not to mention the ease of finding parts... but we've managed to find a couple of potentially-fast-yet-nightmarish Hondas to make your tools burn right through your flesh!

We'd sure love to have an NSX, but it's pretty tough to find an example that's really a low-cost-of-admission project, for the same reason it's tough to find cheap project Ferraris. But how about that sweet DOHC NSX V6 engine in a more affordable car? Like, say, this Legend with a '97 NSX engine (go here if the ad disappears), which 500 bucks plus a trip to the bustling desert metropolis of Bullhead City will make your very own nightmare pride and joy. Five hundred little dollars! That's a 290-horse C32B in there, friends... well, it had 290 horsepower when it left Honda's hands; we're guessing a few of the ponies may have fled by now. The transmission is bad, and the condition of the body suggests that the car may have been hooned to oblivion driven enthusiastically prior to the transmission failure, but: cheap! Oh yes, the statement "in rage of tranny going out the windshield with need replaced" seems to indicate that the owner of this car has had enough... but you won't feel that way when it's your punishment dream car!
Thanks, and a half-credit towards a PCH Tipster T-shirt, to EMPM Esq for the tip!

Maybe you're hoping for something a little more sleeper-ish than a Legend, since everyone knows even the stock Legends are fairly quick machines. How about a Civic sedan stuffed with lots and lots of boost? You can probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of turbocharged Civics that look like plain-vanilla commuters, so imagine the fun you'd have smoking the front tires through all the gears in a fourth-gen Civic sedan (and nuking your third transaxle in a week, but you'll deal with that later). Now, the cheapest and easiest way to dive into Blown Civic Hell is to take on someone else's unfinished project, and we've found a real screamin' deal for you: this '90 Civic with turbocharged D15B VTEC engine (go here if the ad disappears) for only $1,500. Normally, we'd say the first thing you'd need to do with such a project is finish the running gear setup, but with this car we need to declare a 27-alarm emergency on the paint job, which appears to be a sort of Yakuza Police black-and-white deal. Once you're done making it look like Grandma's commuter econobox, you can do something about the fuel-delivery system; looks like the current owner installed a turbo kit without upgrading the fuel injectors... and has been driving it that way, which means the engine is getting fed a cutting-torch-lean fuel/air mix every time the turbo takes effect. Don't worry, though, because the seller has only "taken into boost 1 TIME YES IT WILL BOOST" What could go wrong?

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With only 300 examples planned and a Japan only audience, the Honda Civic Mugen Type-RR is a rare bird indeed. Somehow, those crazy Frenchmen over at Nihon Car managed to get their hands on one for a review of the 236 HP little beast. There are things we like and dislike about this car; foremost in the "like" category is the combination of an adjustable suspension, a 220 lb slimmer waistline, quicker steering ratio, and the guts to chuck the radio out the window.

On the "dislike" side, a measly 15 HP boost over the standard Type-R and no additional torque has us scratching our heads, as does the 100 MPH speed limiter. We're assuming since the cool new trend in Japan seems to be unlocking a performance car's true potential only at a racetrack, there's some sort of GPS enabled cheat code system for race days. Anyway, head on over for the full review and some nice video. [NihonCar]

No car illustrates the concept of Long Term Model Bloat better than the Civic (for a good example of Short Term Model Bloat, compare the 1970 Mercury Cougar with the 1974 version). Here's Honda boasting about the ability of the '78 Civic hatch's ability to swallow four shopping bags. The '78 Civic hatchback weighed 1,708 pounds... about 1,000 pounds less than the '08 Civic sedan.

When we had the Favorite Example of Caminoization poll, reader Buckyworld stunned us all with his description of El Civico, a 1999 Honda Civic converted to motorcycle-haulin' cartruck. Well, anything that cool is sure to trigger weeks of relentless hounding from us for the whole story, and Buckyworld was kind enough to oblige. Make the jump for the astounding saga of the mighty El Civico!

I'll get to the car: hold your horses. This pertains.

I bought my motorcycle new in 2003: a Honda 919, aka Hornet in other markets. Most of a CBR900RR performance and mechanical foundation, but with EFI and as is common with "naked bikes" a fatter midrange and slightly emasculated top end. 105 hp at the rear wheel, 65-ish ft. lbs of torque.

Within 3 months of purchase I had my most expensive speeding ticket ever ($455) and was leaving every stop light on one wheel. Often riding in jeans, a tank top, and shades. Stupid at any age, stupider at 39. It wasn't my first bike, but it was the most liberating to my inner hooligan of any bikes I've owned.

My dad died that autumn and left me a little inheritance. Although I had never seen photos and he never owned a bike after he "settled down" I just know that he passed on his love of bikes to me. He had owned a 1928 and a 1935 Harley when he was in his twenties. They would have been WELL used ratbikes by the time he got them. I think he paid $5 for the '28.

I decided that I was going to go drag racing, partly in homage to my dad. After all, I could never have afforded to do it properly without his parting gift to me. I first commissioned an extended swingarm: if I'm going drag racing, I'm NOT going to be "the guy who looped the bike off the line that time." Because Honda never sold a large number of 919's in America and the 919 is not a design that lends itself to modifications, increasing the engine output in any significant way is difficult. VERY restrictive porting, very limited availability of big bore kits, high lift cams, NO turbo kits whatsoever on the market...I was running out of options for achieving my goal of a nine second quarter mile on this bike. If I knew I was going racing when I bought a bike, I certainly wouldn't have started with this one. A CBR1000 STARTS with 50 more h.p. , and has many options for pursuing greater performance.
After engineering and installing what I believe is the world's only wet nitrous system in this application, as well as a few other little mods, I was ready to take it to the track and see what The Tinman could do. I'd rarely ever finished off a can of whipped cream, never mind tuned a nitrous system in my life. And after getting caught in the rain and nearly ruining the most expensive suit I'd ever own (Alpinestars) I HAD to come up with an alternative way of getting to the track.

In my driveway sat an unused 1999 Honda Civic HX; the VERY tall-geared, 43 mpg rated, lesser-engined version of their coupe that I had bought new. It had served me well, ferrying me across Alaska for my inspection business to the tune of 147,000 miles in the first two years of ownership. I got mine back from the insurance company virtually for free after totaling it in 2002, and band-aided it back together with a plywood front bumper and some judicious tugs on the "frame" from a come-along anchored to a concrete parking garage support. I drove it for a few years before I found a clean old BMW 320i and parked the Civic. Because it had 210,000 miles nobody would be too interested in salvage parts, and because it had been totaled and was still not titled, it was unsellable as a car.

I began thinking of cutting the car up and making it into a trailer before I got the brilliant (ahem) idea of making it into a self-propelled trailer, or "truck" as they are sometimes called. I took a few measurements, checked my stock of Sawzall blades (if only I'd had my air compressor and die grinder/cutter then!), bopped down to the liquor store for a rack of Alaskan Amber, and got to drinking...I mean, re-manufacturing.

I started by removing the trunk lid and gutting the interior of carpeting and basically everything but the driver's seat. I removed the back glass, cut out the package shelf, and sawed out the center of the rear bumper and everything between the taillights. The floor was poorly shaped for truck duty, and a hump for the fuel tank was going to cause my bike "deck" to sit much higher than I wanted. I hacked out the floor above the center of the gas tank, and quite proudly only sawed through one vapor return hose/valve assembly in the process! I got skills! Somehow, the fuel tank still held fuel and I was still not engulfed in flames at this point. But I was pretty s-faced now, so really, I was amazed that I hadn't wound up in the E.R. yet nor spilled any...okay, MUCH blood. There is a high-strength steel crossmember in the area under the former back seat, so this served as the main anchor of the ramp/deck for the bike and provides a surprising amount (ANY is surprising, right?) of structural integrity.

Because The Tinman is stretched and slammed he cannot negotiate much of a ramp without high-centering, so the deck is mounted nose-high and El Civico is MUCH more accommodating than would be a pickup truck or trailer. This car, albeit somewhat odd, is the best way I could hope to transport the bike without spending an arm and a leg. Or really, more than $50, as is the case.

As you can imagine I get some looks on the highway on the way to the track. I'm simply amazed that with the dozens of cameras that I've seen hanging out of passenger windows, I've never come across a picture of my rig on the internet.

After a passing rain shower last year, track management allowed spectators to take their cars down the track to assist drying. Slapped on my helmet, fired up El Civico (sans Tinman in back) and high-tailed it to the staging lanes. With 216,000 miles on the original clutch (and everything else but the front brakes and timing belt) I bounced it off the rev limiter in the burnout box for 15 seconds, released the ebrake, and sidled up to the tree. My reaction time wasn't great; this WAS the first time I'd ever drag raced a car, but I left the line around 6,000 rpms with a taste of equal parts clutch slip and tire spin: exactly what this tall-geared car wanted. Second gear is good for 72 mph, a quick slam into 3rd and we crossed the finish line with a 16.84: one hundredth quicker than I'd just seen for a new Mini !

El Civico has no problem keeping up with highway traffic, or any other kind really. I had it up to 95 on the Old Glenn Highway, a lovely meandering old two-lane, following a WRX on the way home from the track and all hopped up on adrenaline and Diet Rockstar. Thankfully the peace officers up here don't seem too concerned about the car and technically, they don't need to be. It has all its safety equipment besides a license plate light, but thanks to the late sunsets of summer here that's not really an issue.

Okay, so El Civico ain't too fond of washboard bumps: the torsional rigidity obviously does leave something to be desired. But I seriously doubt it's less safe than just riding the motorcycle. Granted, once I get into an accident in this car I'll be in for a world of hurt. Do I have any other mods planned? Probably an ejection seat for just such an occasion. I'll want to get some distance between me and the bike should the 's' hit the fan.

But until the doors stop working due to body flex, or the front half says 'Adios' to the back half, El Civico will remain the workhorse that keeps me in the racing game. In fact, working as a team last year, The Tinman, El Civico, and I took home the top trophy of Alaska drag bike racing.

My apologies to DeWalt, but their heavy duty reciprocating saw turned out to be less heavy duty than a drunk with an old Civic. May it rest in peace.

Thanks to the magic of the CVCC engine, Honda was able to meet emission requirements for '78 without using a catalytic converter. Oh, sure, cats were installed and the CVCC's smog gear got insanely complicated a few years later, but in 1978 you could experience the Joy of Lead in your new Honda.

These cars are so green they're covered in grass. Well, fake grass, anyhow. Some kind of Astroturf. We're not sure why these people are covering their cars in grass, but it is amusing. Our main questions is, How do they make the turf adhere to the car? It's not like automobiles are the greatest planters in the world. Some of the rides are easy to identify: VW Beetles (surprise, surpirse!), a Citroen 2CV, and a Honda Element. But what about the others? Here's an idea: How about the opposite of Winter Guessing Game for this one? How about Grass Car Guessing Game?

We'll admit it, we've been teases this week. Two forbidden diesels and nary a whisper of fuel economy. Well, today you get the goods. We aren't going to give you the standard "this is what we got in the city and this is what we got on the highway" spiel, because you can find that anywhere. Officially, the Civic does about 41/56, Q7 does 19/21. Booorrr-ing. What we're going to do is hypermile these cars. Although, much like Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men, we're not sure you can handle the truth. To be perfectly honest, we were shocked ourselves. Shocked and giddy, like a bunch of little girls splashing around in a pool of glistening diesel. Before you click through and watch the video, we need to lay down some facts. What we did can be repeated by anyone. There were no tricks, no cheats. Hell, we didn't even make that much of an effort. The footage you're about to enjoy isn't necessarily exciting, but from an engineering standpoint, it's smack-you-in-the-mouth amazing.

Stop! Stop the video right now. I know it's tempting to run it, but we need to tell you exactly what we did first, by the numbers, so you can fully grasp the dramatic results. On the way to and from the Chicago Auto Show—overlooking the comedic jackassery Ray provided—our mission was to see how high we could push the mileage on these cars while driving them in the manner of a your average skinflint consumer. We hacked nothing off the cars to reduce weight, and we added no special taping or streamlining to enhance the aerodynamics. In fact, we really didn't do nuthin' to enhance the mileage capabilities of these rides. As for go juice, the newly de rigeur low-sulfer diesel fuel, as sanctioned by the EPA, was used in all tests. Same stuff you get when you pull up to the pump.

The 2007 Honda Civic 2.2 i-CTDi was tested under what we considered a "normal use" situation, one occupant (myself), with a weekend suitcase and a computer bag. The 2007 Audi Q7 4.2 TDI was tested with myself as the driver and the same cargo setup, but with the addition of our esteemed videographer, Mr. Mark Arnold, and his gear. Again, we recognize we didn't subject these vehicles to precisely the same conditions, but to conditions we consider the average load for each.

The route to Chicago we chose testing the Civic was notably unexciting. We set aside a roughly 105 mile path between the easternmost convenience plaza after the I-69, Toll Road 80/90 interchange, and the Portage convenience plaza. For reasons of personal incompetence, the eastbound return trip occurred between the same Portage convenience plaza and the first northbound I-69 exit after the the 80/90 to I-69 interchange. The only techniques in play where a judicious use of the gas pedal, coasting (for the manual-transmissioned Civic), and drafting behind semis, which was done at a safe but useful two-to-three car lengths. Jalopnik and Gawker Media in no way endorse tailgating semis, so copy this experiment at your own risk.

Now, restart the video.
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Yes, we know, 72.4 mpg is batshit cazy, but settle down, 'cause you haven't heard the Q7 numbers. Would you believe that a power plant capable of 550 lb.ft. of torque and a 6.4s 0-62 mph time, lugging around 5100 lbs and two svelte bloggers, returned 33.2 mpg? What was that about not handling the truth? Below are the conditions and calculations:

We are aware the gallons of fuel on the video for the Civic doesn't match with the calculation above, but we gave it a second squeeze and the final result was what you see. We have the goddamn receipts, skeptics. Soooo, the upshot? Here we have two stock vehicles you can't get in the US, delivering what everybody in their right mind would call impossible mileage, with little effort under less than ideal conditions. What does that mean to us? Well, it means all that bellyaching from automakers about unachievable CAFE targets and the less competitive, unsafe vehicles that would come from high targets is total, unadulterated bull-pucky. The solution to this pressing mileage-target legislation is an absolute no-brainer: Drop a diesel in everybody's lap and call it a day. 35 mpg from a passenger car should be child's play, if done right. This test only confirms—and frankly stokes—our burning desire for good, fun-to-drive, economical diesels on American roads. So where are they? They're elsewhere in the world. But here in the land of freedom and opportunity, the righteous and patriotic boosters of decent mileage numbers are forced to make do with runty gas-burners and do-gooder hybrids that don't exactly reward on the performance front. The times, they gotta change, and there's no reason they can't change like, um, right now.

Video production and voice over credit to Mark Arnold

While the 2007 Audi Q7 4.2 TDI admittedly lived at the higher end of the impossible-to-get-in- the-US diesel market, todays review subject is a far more attainable unattainable. The 2007 Honda Civic 2.2 i-CTDi doesn't just have a power train we all lust after—it's a platform we don't see in the domestic market. We're going try to limit direct comparison against our domestic version and consider this car on its own merits. Those merits will have to stand up at the premium compact price-point, though, since if the U.S. market did get this car, it would certainly be planted firmly in that segment.

The Euro spec Honda Civic 5 door we got looks like nothing on the road. Slightly alien, a little bizarre, suspiciously exciting, it's a mix and match of gentle curves and ridiculous angles that all work together to form something that really stands out. Park this at your local Wally World and you're not going to have a hard time finding it. We got comments after pulling into a Taco Bell at two in the morning. Not that the swoopy shape doesn't have it's drawbacks. The giant C-pillars take some getting used to, and while they aren't as bad as the black holes on the Toyota FJ Cruiser, it's advisable to get used to looking twice. The steep, sloping A-pillars do their part to block vision at intersections, but they don't present to much opportunity for trouble. What we don't like at all is the spoiler bump in the rear hatch. It would block headlights at dusk and at night, and it also imposes a claustrophobic feeling when checking the rear view. That said, it's not too hard to adjust to it.

The rest of the interior is a home run. The seats offer reasonable bolster, but are covered in a nice, grippy sort of perforated micofiber. They're adjustable up and down to accommodate drivers of all sizes. The tilting and telescoping steering wheel allows the instrumentation to comfortably accessed. The shifter is very similar to the uniball design Volvo introduced in the S60 a couple of years ago, but it fits nicely with the decor. We're truly smitten with the gauge cluster, however. The layout is shared with the U.S.-version Civic, featuring analog informational gauges down low and a redundant digital speedometer at the base of the windshield. What's different here is the gauges: They're a softly lit, dramatic blue concentric set with a small, square digital LED readout in the center. Not only is it gorgeous, it works great in operation. One unfortunate bauble is the gimmicky start button, which needs to be pushed, in addition to turning the key in the ignition, which is annoying in operation. We want to do one or the other, not both. Back seat? Comfortable, folds really flat for huge pass through storage. Nothing more to say there.

All right already, on to the driving. We want this engine. It does it all: delivers great mileage, supplies torque out the wazoo, has really fun engine response, and boasts a turbo whistle, to boot. At idle, the engine is a bit clattery—moreso than we would expect from a Euro offering—but once you tap the pedal things smooth out. It's a very Honda-like two engines in one: If you treat it gently, the 2.2L 138hp diesel is tame enough for Grandma; but step on it and the rush of torque is smooth and delightful. Redline comes quick at 4,500 rpm, but shifting the six speed manual keeps things in a glorious meaty chunk of 251 lb.ft. of torque. Putting the power to the pavement overwhelms the traction control and you find yourself reaching for the defeat button. Steering feedback is a couple ticks tighter then the U.S. Civic, and cornering is adequate, but the tires give up earlier than the suspension does. Road feel is perfectly acceptable, serving up a comfortable ride, not too harsh, not too soft. Sort of the Goldilocks of suspensions.

This Civic puts a whole new spin on a car we've routinely panned as boring and pedestrian in the U.S. The rare combination of unique styling, magical engine, and very nicely put-together interior has us pining for the car even more now that we've driven it. Despite the flaws, this is a really fun car which spits in the face of the diesel stereotype while embracing its most valuable asset: incredible mileage. Just how good was the mileage? You'll have to come back and find out tomorrow.

Photography by Chris Doane

In the wake of the diesel tide that was the Detroit Auto Show, we decided to hoodwink talk our friends at Honeywell into providing us with some of the most forbidden fruits of the Euro-spec diesel world. As a result we've been living and commuting with the not-for-the-USA 2007 Honda Civic i-CTDi and the 2007 Audi Q7 4.2 TDI for the last week. Over the next three days we'll be laying out our reviews of these cars and of how they fit the driving habits of the average American consumer. We'll be reviewing them separately today and tomorrow, with something special planned for Friday so sit back and enjoy the oil burning ride.

Convincing isn't it? The body work, the lights, the wheels, the stance... at first glance they all work together quite nicely to telegraph that yes, this is a riced BMW 5-series. You have to cry a little inside even though the BMW is a bit ugly to begin with. What can you think though, when you swing around to the front and notice that there's a four cylinder engine mounted east-west? Confusion, fear, disbelief - these are all normal feelings. When you realize this is a Honda Civic with more money invested in it than you have in your kids college fund, how does that make you feel? Is it better to be a poseur Civic, or a ricer BMW? Hey, who cares, there are blue boobs in the trunk.

Photo credit: Curtis Walker

If we learned anything from An Inconvenient Truth, it was that environmentalism starts at home. It's in that spirit that we present the Aerocivic, a 1992 Civic CX with a super low coefficient of drag courtesy of extensive aeromodding. After about 250 hours of work and $400 in supplies, this boattailed Civic achieved a 90-day average of 67.5 MPG (US).

While it may not be the best looking ride on the road, it's hard to argue with performance.

The end result is a car with such low drag that the results of coastdown testing is linear out to 90mph (it coasts almost as well at 80mph as it does at 50mph). I have to get it over 90mph before I start to feel the wind load from high-speed driving. OEM max speed was 95mph. I have had it up to 100mph with plenty of power remaining at that speed (estimated top speed of about 140mph). Wind noise is much reduced from stock. Approximate mileage on a flat road at 85F, 95mpg at 30 to 65mph, 85mpg at 70mph, 65mpg at 80mph, 50mpg at 90mph.

In the future, this rad ecomodder plans to create an adjustable radiator door in order to adjust engine cooling on the fly. [EcoModder]

This series got its start- and continues to be so much fun for me- as a result of my own search for just the right personal Project Car Hell; I came close to buying the 20R-powered Austin Healey Sprite in the very first PCH, and I've been searching ever since. I considered and rejected the '65 Falcon wagon, and now it looks like my cousin might take on the '68 Torino GT himself. But then I realize that I have two machines with Super Sleeper Potential right under my nose: my daily-driver 1992 Honda Civic DX and 1997 Ford Crown Victoria P71! Why, I could turn either one into a ragin' dragstrip monster with easily-obtained hop-up gear right off the shelf! Gadzooks!

The 90s Honda Civic is edging ever closer to Ford Model A and '55-57 Chevy territory when it comes to the sheer number that have been sap-enhanced by wild-eyed hoons looking for crazy acceleration out of a once-sedate transportation car. Sure, most of the Civics you see on the street with 6" diameter tailpipes and Space Shuttle wings would be hard-pressed to buzz out a pathetic 15-second dragstrip pass, but don't be fooled by the foolish antics of the all-show-no-go crowd! Were I to go about upgrading my Civic, it would be done stealth-fashion: don't touch the body, use a quiet muffler, and keep the wheels/tires as stock-looking as I could get away with. I could stick with the D15B7 that's already there and add mild turbocharging... but why do that when I could add a quick 80 horses with a B18C plus ECU, transmission, and accessories, straight from Soichiro's homeland? The B18C isn't a particularly challenging swap into a 5th-gen Civic, so where's the hell? Well, here in California we have über-strict smog laws... and I'd need to make it even harder for my new VTEC setup to pass the test once I bolted on a supercharger. Then, of course, the stock suspension and brakes would need some help, and the list goes on and on. But who cares? Imagine the glorious torque-steering mayhem that would result from tripling the factory horsepower in an already funky-handling front-wheel-drive economy car!

A sleeper Civic would indeed be a great deal of fun, but our forefathers didn't invade Grenada so we could drive front-wheel-drive cars! Hell no! Rear-drive V8s colossi rule this land, buddy! My Crown Vic has a nice stiff cop-grade suspension and big brakes, but the 4.6 SOHC V8 leaves something to be desired in the power department. I could do what Quickvic did to his Crown Victoria and nitrous my way to glory... but that wouldn't be difficult enough. What I need to do is pick up this supercharged F-150 Lightning engine and transmission and stuff it into the engine compartment. The fun will be just beginning at that point, since California's smog referees are known to gaze disapprovingly upon truck engines in cars, even if the donor engine retains all its smog gear and is from a newer vehicle than the transplantee. Of course, I'll probably find at that point that the factory one-legger rear end (the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Department apparently didn't feel like spending the extra for limited-slip diffs in their detectives' cars) doesn't quite do the job of applying power to pavement, and (knowing Ford's love of pointless year-to-year hardware changes) getting all the engine accessories to work might be a beat-head-on-wall exercise in frustration. It will all be worth it, however, when I'm rumbling around town with a great big blower sticking through the hood of my Ford... oh, wait- wasn't this supposed to be a sleeper project?

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100 Days In Project Car Hell

Back when we had our What's the Cutoff Year For Japanese DOTS Cars poll, the image I used as an example was this '87 Honda Civic 4WD wagon. I'd meant to DOTS-ize this car soon afterward, but I kept getting distracted by cars and trucks that seemed so much more, well, interesting. But 3rd-gen four-wheel-drive Civics are rare and weird- hardly anyone bought them new, they turned into red powder in the rusty parts of the world, and California's stringent emissions tests have doomed many 80s Civics (some of which have the most complicated tangle of vacuum hoses ever placed in an engine compartment) to the cold jaws of The Crusher. So here we go- today the little four-wheelin' Civic gets to shine! And, since we had a DOTS Car of the Week Poll last Friday, let's have one today- after you check out the gallery, make your vote count!

1987 was the first year of Honda's so-called "Real Time" four-wheel-drive system, which engaged automatically. Toyota's 4WD Tercel wagon- which was a much bigger seller- still used a full manual selector for the 4WD system.


I've had a couple of the 2WD 3rd-gen Civic wagons, and they're incredibly useful machines. They can fit vast quantities of crap in the back, manage high-30s highway mileage, and are pretty quick (well, for what they are). Just don't overheat them, because they tend to blow head gaskets. I'm not sure about the mileage of the 4WD versions, though my experience with 2WD-versus-4WD Tercels suggests that it's not so great.


The front view of the Civic wagon looks a little odd, since it looks like a regular Civic that got weirdly tall. This example has been around the block a few times, with plenty of rough spots, but (if it can keep the smog tests clean and the head gasket intact) it should be around for many birthdays past its 20th.

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First 100 DOTS Cars

The folks over at Kelley Blue Book have announced the ten vehicles they predict will have the best resale value over the next five years in each category. Not surprisingly, the Corvette Z06 makes the list for "high performance vehicle" as there's no high privilege charge attached to buying a new one. They predict you should be able to get 50% of what you paid back in five years on the Vette. The full list below the jump:

High Performance: Chevrolet Corvette - 50% Sedan: Honda Civic - 52% Coupe: Infiniti G37 Coupe - 52% Convertible: Mini Cooper Convertible - 50% Wagon: Scion xB- 52% Hatchback: Scion tC - 52% Luxury: BMW 6-Series - 50% Pickup: Toyota Tundra - 41% SUV: Acura MDX - 49% Minivan: Honda Odyssey - 39% Hybrid: Honda Civic Hybrid - 45%

[KBB via CNN Money]

It looks like we need to do some more bending of the 20-years-of-service rule if we are to include any of Soichiro's screamers in this series, because Mr. Honda didn't believe in using the same boring old engines for decade after decade, and his company seems to be continuing that policy after his death. The DOHC Honda B came in a variety of displacements from 1.6 to 2.0 liters, with or without VTEC, and powers sedate commuters and tire-charrin' monsters alike. The availability of aftermarket hot-rod parts is overwhelming, and do we need to mention the reliability? Damn, now I need to get me a B18 to drop into my old D15-powered Civic! [Wikipedia]

Honda's chief power train engineer has revealed to Autocar that the Civic Type R is a candidate for the company's new 2.2-liter diesel engine. 180 bhp may sound tame next to the current gasoline motor's 201 bhp, but with 320 lb/ft of torque in comparison 142, the diesel should be significantly faster. The engine is likely to appear in the Civic's mid-life facelift, which is likely to occur in 2009. America, you're left out on this one. [Via Autocar]

Honda fanboys, put down your VTEC cereal bowls, Honda Japan says it's releasing a new, track-only Civic Type R to be used in a new single-make racing series. The all-business Type-R sedan will be sold with no helical LSD, seatbelts, seats, steering wheel, interior trim, AV goodies and air conditioning. Such heavy-handed deleting results in a 40 percent discount over the roadgoing Civic Type R. That is, 1,690,500Yen or $14,769.15. Of course, having to add in racing seats, harnesses and other safety gear will cost extra. Or, you can just sit on the floor and steer with your feet. [Japmobiles]

Since we went with a monstrously huge '78 Eldorado for yesterday's DOTS car, let's find an example of the other extreme of the Malaise Era automotive size spectrum (sorry, haven't found a '79 Midget on Alameda's streets yet, and the Honda 600 is pre-Malaise). This '76 Civic parks only a few blocks away from the Eldo... which means the Cad would probably burn half a tank of gas driving over to crush the Honda.

Much like the '78 Civic we saw in this series a while back, this little Honda is pretty rough. Since few consider these cars worth restoring, when one of them develops an expensive problem it usually means a trip straight to The Crusher.


Considering these things were once as common as yellowjackets on a half-gnawed hot dog in the dirt at a picnic, it's a sad state of affairs that they're so rare today.


What's even more sad is how freaking huge- and relatively soulless- the Civics of recent years have been. It's the Curse of the CRX- ditch the beloved two-seater CRX version of the Civic for the fake-perky Del Sol and the car goes straight to hell. Or maybe it was Soichiro's death. Hmmm... the timing of those two events seems suspicious...


There's nothing wrong with the engines of the current crop of Civics, though; all they need is a quick transplant into one of the early models. Hey, check out all the cool hood scoops on this car!


But we could go on all day with grumbling about the Death of Japanese Car Soul these days... and we will! Every day! It's a tragedy, I tell ya!

Thanks to Kamran for the tip that the 2007 Honda Civic five-door hatch — the Euro model — spotted in Detroit is a prototype turbodiesel Civic — the 2.2-liter iCDTi. Most credible sources say we'll have to wait a couple of years to see the first Honda diesels in the states, but some journos got an advance drive earlier this year. Click through for specs. [UPDATE: New photos. Looks like it was bought from a dealer in Switzerland.] [via Clean MPG]

2007 Honda Civic 5-door hatch - 2.2L iCDTi - S basic specifications:

Engine|
Type|Diesel
Valve Train|DOHC
Transmission|6-speed manual
Max Power|138.1 HP@4,000 RPM
Max Torque|251 ft.-lb's@2,000 RPM
|
Emissions|
Smog|Euro IV
GHG - CO2 (g/km)|135
|
Fuel Economy - Euro cycle|
Urban (mpg US) | 35.6 mpg
Extra Urban (mpg US) | 54.7 mpg
|
Basic Performance|
0 - 60 mph | 8.5 seconds
Top Speed | 127 mph
|
Weights and Capacities
Curb Weight | 2,960 pounds
Fuel Tank (US gallons) | 13.2 gallons
|
Wheels and Tires|
205/55 R16 Z-Rated | 16" Steel Wheels

One of our Detroiter buddies, Andrew, sent these candids of a European model Honda Civic as seen on the streets of St. Clair shores.

He says: It was wearing an M plate and had dual triangular exhaust tips through the bumper cover like a CTR. The guy really didn't enjoy me taking pictures of it.

We're suckers for this fish-out-of-water stuff, even if all it means is that someone has a loophole to the DOT, usually for testing purposes. And remember, that's not blur, that's action! And further remember, send any and all out-of-place car sightings to tips@jalopnik.com.

When searching Alameda's streets for DOTS cars, I can find sufficient vintage Detroit and German cars to stretch from here to Gardena. But I need to hoard the photos of the few older Japanese cars I can find here and ration them out carefully (I've managed a Datsun 610, a 240Z, a Colt, and a Datsun 411). This is kind of a drag, because pre-1980 Japanese cars have such historical importance.

It's hard to remember life before the Honda Civic. Strange to think, there was once a time when you couldn't buy a gas-sipping small car that was cheap, somewhat quick, and would still run just fine with 200,000+ miles on the clock.


These late-first-gen Civics were the cars that really got Honda's American beachhead firmly established. Remember, they were going up against the likes of the Chevy Chevette.


This particular Civic has escaped The Crusher's jaws longer than most of its fellows; these cars have just never seemed worth fixing once they finally blow the head gasket. Seems they've disappeared just in the last few years, with the survivors all showing 300K+ odo readings.


This one's been hit, scraped, and crunched. Its silver paint is so faded it looks like primer, and the interior looks like it was used for belt-sander fights. I bet it runs great, though.


This is the slightly more expensive CVCC model. Thanks to the magic of a secondary combustion chamber for each cylinder (which makes it impossible to stick a coat-hanger wire down a spark plug hole to feel the piston for TDC), Honda was able to get both clean emissions and crazy mileage out of the CVCC design.


Remember how small the Civic used to be? This car would be dwarfed by an '07 Civic.


Hmmm... how hard is it to put a later Civic or Integra engine in one of these? Probably ungodly difficult, but just imagine the torque-steeringly hoontastic adventures you could have!

A Honda Civic kitted out with Mugen gewgaws and sold in the US? You are correct, sir. Honda says 1,000 copies of the Civic Mugen Si, shown as a SEMA concept last year, will hit US dealerships for around 30 large this October. It's outfitted with such sporting effects as a lowered, sport-tuned suspension, forged aluminum wheels, and full body dress. Under the hood will be the basic Si's 2.0-liter four producing 197 horses, and hooked to a six-speed manual. It's the first Mugen-tuned Honda to arrive in the states, though not the best, and hopefully not the last.

The dirty little secret on the old-school EPA tests for fuel economy numbers has always been they're not good at showing real world driving performance. There's simply no way to achieve the heights of the numbers they come up with when you're faced with fuel-use affecting factors such as aggressive driving, grade levels and umm — wind. Although the EPA's changing those tests to make them a bit more in line with reality, it didn't come soon enough for John True out in California. Last year the man traded in his Mercedes E320 and shelling out $28,470 on a brand-spanking new Honda Civic Hybrid — that's at least $7,000 more than the nonhybrid Civic EX. True then claims he averaged 32 mpg in mixed city/highway after ripping up the roads for around 6,000 miles. That's a wee bit lower than the advertised 49 / 51 mpg city/highway fuel economy numbers advertised by Honda. In fact, that's about what you'd expect...

...from a $10,000 Chevy Aveo. So True's suing Honda in a class-action lawsuit he's filed in US District Court in Riverside, California — in what appears to be the first time the mileage claims of hybrid vehicles have been challenged in court. True claims Honda's been engaging in some very false advertising. Honda claims they're just using the numbers provided to them by the EPA. We're thinking the truth here rests somewhere in the middle.

Hybrid owner sues Honda over mileage claims [Detroit News]

Related:
Report: No Hybrid for New Accord; Lexus RX400h Ad Pulled Out Of UK Magazines For False Claim Of Low Emissions; Honda's Entry Hybrid a Go for 2009; Geneva Showcase: Honda Small Hybrid Sports Concept; Mileage Will Vary: EPA Changes Rules On Fuel Economy To Reflect Reality [internal]

If you're a devotee of the Mugen-tuned Honda, and you reside in a prefecture instead of a township, you'll get a crack at the new Mugen RR later this year. It's a Civic Type R fallen under Mugen's spell, with less weight — (-22 lbs at 2733 lbs) — and more horsepower (+15 at 240 hp @ 8,000 rpm) and torque (160 lb-ft @ 7,000 rpm). On top like a cherry is a typical Mugenesque bodykit, along with a wheels-and-tires package, better brakes, stiffer suspension, and Recaro sport bucket seats. If you want one of the 300 set for production, be ready to whip out $38,750 in JDM money. And brush up on your left-hand shifting. – Mike Spinelli

[via Autoblog]

Related:
More Mugen-tuned Hondas [internal]

Here's a situation I'm sure a goodly portion of the Jalopnik readership has experienced. You have a friend who has a bunch of redeeming qualities but couldn't pour piss from a boot, much less scrape up the green to buy a decent car or spin a wrench to maintain a shaky one, and of course this friend calls you (the Guy Who Knows Car Stuff) with a question: "Hey, I got $1300 from a [tax refund / insurance settlement / dead relative / dope deal] and now I wanna get a car! Whaddya think I should get?"

Naturally, by this time they've already found a couple of "cool" vintage cars in their price range (because this type of person usually has hipster pretensions and, like, old cars rule) and they're all geared up to buy a 4-door '74 Dart with a rod knock, or maybe a Super Beetle with all the windows broken out. Now, last time this happened I gave some really useful advice, but my friend went ahead and bought a beater X-1/9, with laws-of-physics-predictable results. But what the hell, I do my best to give non-horseshit advice even if it won't be taken, and I always recommend the same three cars, in the following order:
1. 2nd-gen Nissan Sentra. You can get a running '87-90 Sentra for peanuts, they're well-made and reliable, they usually pass CA smog, they're not big blowers of head gaskets, and they have a timing chain instead of a belt. Plus they're fairly speedy, though they handle like crap and ride like oxcarts.
2. 3rd-gen Toyota Tercel. You can get an ugly '87-90 Tercel pretty cheap (but priced higher than a Sentra because Everyone Knows Toyotas Are Good), they've got that bulletproof Toyota quality, and they're dull but not unpleasant drivers. They've got timing belts, but the noninterference engine means your flaky friend won't die after the 150,000-mile timing belt snaps.
3. 3rd-gen Honda Civic. By far the quickest and most fun to drive of the three, the '84-87 Civic is reliable but has some weaknesses. First, it's hard as hell to get a non-Si model to pass CA smog. Second, your flaky friend will fail to check the coolant, overheat, and thus blow the fragile head gasket. Third, your flaky friend will fail to replace the old timing belt and it will snap, bombing the interference engine and locking up the wheels on the highway. Fourth, a CV joint will fail after your flaky friend cranks up the stereo to avoid hearing that increasingly nasty clackety-clack sound for month after month, stranding him or her on a desolate goat trail in the Mojave in August with no provisions save a can of Clamato.

So, that's my own personal curmudgeonly advice. How about you, dear readers? Remember, the flakazoid friend won't have any money for maintenance and can't fix anything, and they'll probably try to hit you up for free repair help on anything that breaks. What do you say? – Murilee Martin

[The Jalopnik Question of the Day has been pried from Señor Lieberman's fingers for a couple days. Do you have a question you want answered? Email it to tips@jalopnik.com with the subject line "QOTD"]

Related:
Question of the Day: Worst Car Hack You've Ever Seen?; Question of the Day: What's In Your Painful Reality Garage? [internal]

With typical Swedish understatement, furniture giant Ikea has decided to forego brandishing a fleet of conspicuous Prii and replace their corporate fleet (at least in the UK) with Civic Hybrids. They've also decided to hand out 60,000 energy-efficient bulbs to around 9,600 employees in an effort to make energy efficiency a priority. You know what else would be efficient? Not having to wind and wend one's way through room after room of time-suckage just to pick up a few Rotera lanterns. What's the fastest you've ever made it through an Ikea store — including purchase? Our personal best was 15 minutes at the Emeryville location. – Davey G. Johnson

Ikea replaces its cars with eco-friendly motors [Peterborough Today]

Related:
Ikea and Zipcar Get All Bostonian [Internal]

That's not to be confused with the UK Type R hatchback. The Japanese Type R Civic sedan will go on sale tomorrow across Nihon, that groovy constitutional monarchy occupying the Japanese Archipelago. It's the one we wish they sold here, only with the steering wheel on the starboard side. Specs include a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four, joined to six-speed manual transmission; a lighter, more rigid body shell; sport tuned suspension; 18-inch tires and 17-inch front discs, and a functional aero kit. Inside are front buckets, a unique instrument panel (set among the three-tiered dash binnacle copied from the USS Voyager) and other accouterments. Rumors persist that it's coming to the US in 2010, and we're keeping the bookies on speed dial. – Mike Spinelli

Press Release:

TOKYO, Japan - March 29, 2007- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced the release of the all-new Civic Type R, a pure sports edition of the Civic with further enhanced driving performance. The new Civic Type R will go on sale throughout Japan on Friday, March 30.

This new Civic Type R was developed to make the driver feel at one with the car for the ultimate driving experience in all driving conditions, including on circuits.

The all-new Civic Type R comes equipped with a specially tuned 2.0-liter normally aspirated engine matched to a 6-speed manual transmission. A lighter, more rigid body shell, specially tuned suspension, 18-inch tires and large 17-inch front disc brakes contribute to the Civic Type R's ability to push the performance envelope. Newly developed aerodynamic devices further enhance high-speed performance while giving the wide and low form a more aggressive look. Front bucket seats, a unique instrument panel and other performance accessories contribute to an easier and more responsive drive.

Type R models are specially tuned to take full advantage of the potential of the base model and provide a racing car-like driving feel. First offered on the NSX in 1992, the Type R range was extended to the Integra in 1995, and the Civic in 1997. This latest all-new Civic Type R is the distillation of 15 years of technological progress and the latest expression of Honda's "Challenging Spirit."

Related:
Honda Civic Type R Sedan Prototype to Be Official Car of F1 Suzuka [internal]

Hot Honda alert. Winding Road's European editor, Matt Davis was present at a press event recently, when a Honda Japan engineer dropped a choice nugget. Apparently, Honda's launching a Type R model for the US market. As Honda frizzeaks know, Europeans have the UK-built Type R hatch and Japanese have the Type R sedan. We're most likely to get the sedan, considering the Euro hatch has no counterpart in the US. The US Type R would get a horsepower boost over the JDM's 220 hp and limited-slip diff, along with similar suspension and appearance mods. The low-end horsepower war the car is sure to foment will commence around 2010. – Mike Spinelli

Honda Civic Type R Coming To States In 2010? [Winding Road]

Related:
Aye, Lil' Red! Honda Reveals Civic Type R [internal]

Now I love the third-generation Honda Civic. At this point I have owned at least a half-dozen '84-'87 Civics; they're quick, soldier on for 300,000+ hassle-free miles, and parts are easy to find. But I will never own another carbureted 3G Civic, not since the Smog Overlords imposed the dyno-based Smog II testing standard on Northern California. The CVCC engine, with its double combustion chambers, requires thee most complicated rat's nest of vacuum hoses, solenoids, dashpots, and sensors I've ever had the misfortune to tear into (see the underhood sticker in the photo, above; that's a simplified diagram for an '85 Civic), in order to make the car meet emissions standards. And if any component of the rat's nest is leaking or malfunctioning, the car will fail the smog check, and woe be upon the sucker who attempts to locate the problem (is it the sensor that tells the computer the car is above 6,000 feet? the one that detects half-throttle deceleration in third gear? the one that checks for unusual sunspot activity?). – Murilee Martin

How Do I Get My Gross Polluter Certified? [California Bureau of Auto Repair]

Related:
Just Buy a Honda and Get it Over With: A Jalopnik Lovefest [internal]

Our sister rocks a Civic Coupe, but only because she drove a bunch of cars she thought looked cool and found it to be the "least sporty." The Loverwoman drove a MINI, a Mazda3 and our very own WRX before determining they all ride too hard for her refined tastes. We started telling her she was adopted when she was around nine months old. Still, she did research the Civic. And she cares about cars as much as we care about Mathew Perry's new TV show. Which is to say not at all. So it is no surprise that the suddenly midsize Honda world beater comes in at the #1 spot in terms of cars people think about before buying. That's a horribly clunky way of saying the Civic is the most researched car of them all. Make the jump for the top 20. Jonny Lieberman

1. HONDA CIVIC.
2. HONDA ACCORD.
3. TOYOTA CAMRY.
4. TOYOTA COROLLA.
5. TOYOTA RAV4.
6. HONDA ODYSSEY.
7. HONDA PILOT.
8. TOYOTA HIGHLANDER.
9. CHEVROLET TAHOE.
10. HONDA CR-V.
11. FORD MUSTANG.
12. NISSAN ALTIMA.
13. BMW 325.
14. ACURA TL.
15. TOYOTA SIENNA.
16. TOYOTA 4RUNNER.
17. FORD ESCAPE.
18. INFINITI G35.
19. TOYOTA AVALON.
20. MAZDA3.

The Honda Civic tops most researched list [Top Speed]

Related:
Sliced Civic [Internal]

Privateer rallyists, try not to stare. JAS Motorsport, Honda's sanctioned partner supporting customer racing, has been shaking down its Group-A rally version of the new Honda Civic Type R at the Adria circut in Italy. Early reports from the company indicate it's ready to sell turnkey cars to those prone to speeding in forests, guided by a savants with freakishly good eyesight. The kit meets all byzantine FIA regs through 2007, though competing in 2008 will likely involve another trip to the shaman for a second dose of newt oil. [Thanks to Dave for the tip.] – Mike Spinelli

[Artman Racing via The Temple of VTEC]

Related:
Aye, Lil' Red! Honda Reveals Civic Type R [internal]

You can't stride athwart this wide-ass donkey show without stumbling on Honda's modded vehicles. The company does know its place in the aftermarket; this year it's gone after nearly every sport-compact sub genre, from drifting to urban to "unfortunately appointed with kandy orange." That last one's new — Priimedia doesn't even have a magazine about it yet. [Gallery]

Press Release:

Honda Reveals Customized Concepts for Civic, Fit and CR-V at 2006 SEMA Show

LAS VEGAS 10/31/2006 —

More than 15 Honda project and concept vehicles made worldwide debuts at the 2006 Specialty Equipment Market Association's (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.

Honda-customized concept vehicles included the Honda Fit Sport Extreme Concept and Sport Concept CR-V with custom versions of accessory body kits, interior accessories and wheels. A Honda Element-D drift racecar also debuted with a radical powertrain consisting of a 500-horsepower V6 and rear-wheel-drive. Project vehicles built by aftermarket accessory companies on display included numerous Fits, Civics, an S2000 and a customized off-road racing Ridgeline.

Honda's announcements at SEMA coincide with the on-sale date of the new-for-2007 Civic Si Sedan. The Civic Si Sedan embraces the style and performance of the Civic Si Coupe and marks the first time that "Si" performance has become available in a sedan body style. Similar to the existing Civic Si Coupe, the Civic Si Sedan serves as another performance halo for the Civic line-up with a 197-horsepower, 16-valve, DOHC 2.0 liter i-VTEC(R) 4-cylinder engine with an 8,000 rpm redline - all mated to a close-ratio, 6-speed manual transmission and a helical-type, limited slip differential.

Honda Civic MUGEN Si Sedan
The name MUGEN symbolizes Honda performance throughout Asia and around the globe. MUGEN, under license by M-TEC Co., Ltd., of Japan, has been closely associated with Honda for decades in the design and manufacture of racing and premium performance components. The Civic MUGEN Si Sedan draws inspiration from a "Formula Sport" concept, adding an aggressive dimension of performance to the Civic Si Sedan with a track-tuned suspension, aerodynamic body styling and a performance exhaust system. The track tuned suspension, tested at the Twin Ring Motegi racing circuit in Japan, lowers the vehicle by 0.6 inches (15mm) with highly aggressive spring and damper tuning for enhanced handling performance. The full-vehicle aero-package adds a front spoiler and sports grille, side spoilers, a rear diffuser and a rear wing. The lightweight MUGEN forged alloy wheels measure 18x7.5 inches and are shod with high grip 215/40R18 summer tires. The sports exhaust system reduces back pressure from the catalytic converter back resulting in an enhanced power curve. Additional accoutrements include front and rear MUGEN emblems along with a serial number placard on the instrument panel. A spherical 50 mm MUGEN aluminum shift knob replaces the standard aluminum and perforated leather shift knob. Planned for production in a limited quantity of 500 units a year, the Civic MUGEN Si will be available at U.S. Honda dealers starting in spring 2007 with a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of less than $30,000 and includes a full factory warranty.

Honda Factory Performance (HFP) Civic Si Sedan
As a dealer installed accessory, Honda's in-house HFP products carry the same 3-year/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty as the rest of the vehicle and are designed to genuinely enhance the ownership experience. Similar to the Civic Si Coupe HFP package on sale since spring 2006, the Civic Si Sedan HFP package includes a wide range of performance- and style-enhancing products. High-performance springs reduce ride height by about one-inch and lower the vehicle's roll center. High-performance dampers enhance road handling characteristics and decrease body roll. Larger wheels and tires include 18x7 alloy wheels (plus 1-inch diameter) designed for high-performance 215/40ZR-18 tires (sold separately). A chrome sport muffler emphasizes performance and enhances engine sound. A full aerodynamic body kit (front, sides and rear) further elevates the style quotient of the entire vehicle. Interior and exterior HFP emblems complement the package. The HFP package for the Civic Si Sedan goes on sale in the spring of 2007 with an estimated MSRP of $3,800 plus installation (estimated at 5.6 hours). HFP components can also be purchased individually. American Honda launched its performance accessory program in 2002 with the introduction of a Honda Factory Performance package for the Civic EX Coupe.

Fit Sport Extreme Concept
Envisioned as an entry-level performance car, the Scorched Orange Metallic and matte black Fit Sport Extreme Concept features an aerodynamically styled front bumper fascia with carbon fiber components along with HID fog lights and LED daytime running lights. Large fender flares and low, aggressive side skirts accent its ultra-low profile. A rear carbon fiber diffuser with a center exhaust outlet along with an extended rear aero wing helps enhance style and high-speed downforce. The factory Japan Domestic Market (JDM) rear LED taillights and side mirrors with integrated turn signals further accent the high-tech feel of the vehicle. An advanced, track-tuned suspension package lowers the Fit Sport Extreme Concept ride height and enhances the vehicle's handling dynamics. Brembo(R) brake components on all four wheels provide amazing levels of stopping force.

Graphite black wheels (17 inch) incorporate Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R tires (215/45R-17). Interior modifications focus on the creation of a high-tech, performance-oriented driving environment with carbon fiber accents that match the exterior styling. The interior features custom Recaro sport seats with Civic Si-style synthetic suede. A dashboard-mounted prototype portable navigation system accessory is also shown.

Sport Concept CR-V
Following the theme of "urban sport," the Sport Concept CR-V is designed to increase the athletic feel of the already sophisticated CR-V. Highlights include aerodynamically styled front and rear bumpers along with a sports suspension package that lowers the Sport Concept CR-V for a customized presence. Custom 19-inch wheels are shod with Bridgestone Potenza tires (245/45R19). Interior modifications focus on the creation of a high-tech, performance-oriented driving environment with the addition of Civic Si synthetic suede fabric on the seating surfaces. Carbon fiber trim panels further accent the interior. Outside, the Sport Concept CR-V is painted in Agile Blue.

Honda Element-D
The Honda Element-D ("D" for drifting) racecar shows what can happen when enthusiastic Honda associates raid the company parts bin. Built for the racing sport of drifting, the Honda Element-D racecar replaces the stock 4-cylinder/Real Time(TM) 4WD drivetrain with a custom-designed and longitudinally-mounted 3.2-liter Honda V6 and rear-wheel-drive. Producing 500-horsepower, the lightweight twin-turbocharged powerhouse is guaranteed to light up the rear tires and accelerate sideways at full opposite lock. Associates from Honda R&D Americas, Inc., in Ohio plan to campaign the Element-D in the 2007 Formula Drift Series.

Tuner Project Vehicles Displayed at the Honda Booth
AEM/Memphis Car Audio Drift S2000
A&L Racing Element SC
SCORE Ridgeline Racing
Super Street Magazine Fit of Fury
Thunderhill Civic Si Racecar
DSO Eyewear Element
DVS/Drag Cartel "Get In Where You Fit In" Fit
King Motorsports Super Fit
Forever Orange Fit by Ryan Shutt
Hasport Civic Sedan
Skunk2 Racing Fit R
TJIN Edition Unique Fit
H&R Springs Fit Sport

Exactly. "Tap that ass" has many definitions.

[something Belgian. Thanks to David for the tip.]

Related:
Gizmodo Brings Us The Cooler Cruiser [internal]

Honda's got a new, high-revving "Red H" prototype with which to tweak Japanese car audiophiles — and it's serving as the red-flag car (read: pace car) for the Japan Grand Prix at Suzuka next weekend. The proto Honda Civic Type R sedan, which is powered by the same 197-hp, 2.0-liter DOHC i-VTEC (K20A) as the coupe version also gets a specially tuned sport suspension. Buyers in Japan will get the production version in mid-2007.

Related:
Chicago Premiere: Honda Civic Si Sedan Concept [internal]

Funny story. We had a tech snafu in the Paris auto show press room this afternoon. Apparently, Gawker ended up on some kind of banned-site list, which turned our online posting page into the Web 2.0 equivalent of the Great Wall of China, and we a trio of ersatz Mongols. (Don't get too excited, CNN wound up blocked, too). It turned out ok because we had time to check out the new hot hatchness over at Honda. The company unveiled the Civic Type R, the UK-built king of Honda's Civic tri-doors (we turn to our friends at World Car Fans, to whose photographic skills we humbly bow, for more extensive action), along with its racing equivalent (pictured). Honda also showed off the new Type S, whose suspension mechanicals form the basis for the Type R, and the Civic Hybrid Sports concept, which shows what can be d