The 2023 Honda Civic Type R is highly anticipated, but on its debut a few weeks back one major thing was missing: its power numbers. Honda has kept that info close to its chest, as one Honda rep told me at its debut: “Gotta have something to look forward to.” But as things often go with cars like this, a leak from Japan has apparently divulged some of the Type R’s specs. And if these prove to be true, Honda is outgunning the competition.
The leak, first posted on the CivicXI forums, apparently comes from a Japanese brochure for the Type R. It lists the 2023 Type R as making 326 horsepower and 309 lb-ft of torque. These numbers would make it the most powerful production Honda ever made, the most powerful production Civic/Type R ever made, and the most powerful car in the hot hatch/sport compact segment. That also means that the ‘23 Type R has gained 20 hp and 15 lb-ft of torque over the outgoing Type R.
The brochure also lists other specs for the Type R that Honda has yet to release (and how they compare to the outgoing Type R):
- Weight: 3,152 lbs, an increase of 31 lbs
- Length: 180.7 inches, an increase of 1.3 inches
- Width: 74.4 inches, a half-inch increase
- Height: 55.3 inches, a decrease of 1.2 inches
- Wheelbase: 106.3 inches. Same as the outgoing Type R.
This info may not be as surprising as it could easily be found out by comparing an 11th gen Si to a 10th gen Type R. But considering the different wheels and suspension components of the Type R, it’s still good to know.
The leak also mentions potential production numbers, saying that the plan through April 2023 is 6,000 units with a potential increase to 10,000. Whether or not this is for Japan specifically or the world is unknown. But as one forum poster pointed out, 10,000 units worldwide isn’t unreasonable considering the outgoing Type R’s production numbers. “FK8 sold roughly 7,000 units worldwide each year, so 10,000 a year seems reasonable for worldwide, not for just Japan,” they said.
Granted these specs may change a bit for US spec cars. But if they hold up, the 2023 Honda Civic Type R should retain its crown as the best of the hot hatch/sport compact segment.