True AWD? Great Price, Great resale, great handling.
I'd like to see anything on this new civic that proves it is worthy of even being compared to one. The current gen SI can't hold a candle to any comparable car and always comes up last. Yes it has a standard backup cam but who cares.
He isn't and no one is saying that it will get here. People are
hoping it will but it's all speculation.
As for the Type R versus Base WRX, it's not a direct comparison. You can't just compare a base WRX to a Type R because a base WRX has nothing on it except seats and a drivetrain. You would HAVE to compare the Limited 6MT because:
Type R has leather, premium audio, Brembo brakes, better tires, all weather package, no fog lights(edit) and back-up camera by
default. I would be surprised if it didn't have LED lights.
Premium WRX has: cloth seats, sunroof, spoiler and heated seats/mirrors but no leather, no premium audio and Xenon lights.
Limited is the only WRX that comes with leather and the other features. And you still have to pay $2500 to add navigation versus $700'ish from Honda.
So that's $30,790 for the WRX Limited 6MT versus $35,000 estimated for the Type R and the Type R will be faster. It'll be at least 200-300 pounds lighter and is essentially a K20 with a built shortblock and head with a turbo thrown on top, probably something twin scroll the same size as a K03 or K04. So you have K20 top end with a twin scroll at around 280-300 horsepower and better grip and an LSD.
The Type R is absolutely a category higher than the WRX, the question is whether or not US buyers will justify it or Honda can justify selling it here. I have no disagreements about the following:
The Type R will > ST, MS3, GTI, WRX.
So will the Focus RS.
But will we get it? I don't think we will and that's where me and grambles disagree.
Also, grambles423 might want to add this to your OP:
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/h...her-bucket-seats-and-brembo-brakes-87210.html
Also:
Honda is claiming that the Type R in production trim will be the fastest FWD car to ever lap the Nurburgring. You should understand that an automanufacturer will not make claims like this without being able to back them up. You should also know that the fastest FWD car to lap, to date, was the Seat Leon Cupra with 276 bhp at a time of 7:58.4. This time is very important for a reason. The reason is because these are the five cars faster than it, production tested: Honda NSX-R, Ferrari 360 Challenge, Porsche Panamera Turbo, Porsche 911 Turbo. The five slower: C6 Z51 Corvette, CTS-V, 911 Carrera S, R33 GTR Spec-V, SRT10 Viper.
This basically means Honda is coming out and saying that their Type R will post a verified time that's around the same speed as a Honda NSX-R, maybe as fast as a C5 Z06.
Now unless you think a base WRX is capable of beating those cars, then you have to understand that this car is NOT in the same field of comparisons you're thinking of. Straight line speed =/ the only metric of performance.