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Well, a lot of magazines, including C&D, MotorTrend, R&T and Automobile have been claiming that the CTR and ITR is on their way shortly. I sure hope it's true! For Honda's image sake.

Let's fact it. Honda no longer has the sporty image. The spotlight has been shifted to smaller companies like Nissan, Mazda and Mitsubishi. They have their Spec-Vs, Mazdaspeeds and Evolutions. Even the domestic boys have their SRT-4s and SVTs.

Joining the game soon is Saturn Ion Redline with a turbocharged Ecotec motor, that will pump 200HP & 200ft of torque.

Honda needs a Type-R. Especially the Civic Type-R. Save the image. These niche cars do a lot for a company's image. Look what M3 & M5 has done for BMW. And AMG for Mercedes.

Sooner is better.......... because all of a sudden, 200HP doesn't seem like much.

 
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Honda doesn't have a "sporty" car cause sporty isn't their target market in america anymore. They are aimed at fuel economy and drivability. Plain and simple, i think Honda is done with the days of "sport compact" cars. They sell plenty of cars with the economic approach, the civic is still one of, if not the, best seller in its class, which is all that matters to them

 
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i'm am in need of a type r as well. theres of course numerous rumors about the ctr, but i didnt know that the rsx-r might be coming as well. got any links for these rumors?

 
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I have heard about the Integra R coming to the states before the CTR. In fact its more believable for the ITR to come here than the CTR. There was some talk about the ITR coming in 2004 or 05

 
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i remember reading in one of the honda tech EP websites that the CTR is comming this fall. i'd post the link but then i forgot the site.lease: they also said its gonna be under $20,000

 
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i think honda always had this sport image, they've never lost it. they just don't want to copy all the other companies and jump on the bandwagon of "sport compact"

while the supra, 300zx, rx-7 died in the states, the nsx lived on, and on.. here now, with the decendents of the other japanese sports cars approaching(350z, rx-8, supra mark 5) the nsx still runs strong. i think honda has kept their racing heritage well (not necessary in cars, but bikes and jet ski too!), and developed their own individuality and image.

and i don't see how nissan and mazda are "small" companies, nissan has a complete line of trucks, suv and cars. and if you didn't read the article about the japan auto salon in tokyo, honda didn't even show up to that! because the japanese like their performance cars made by nissan and toyota in a fr or rr platform. not ff cars like civics and integras. same goes to mazda, who has been really the only company that has ***** to release a small displacement rotary engine.

/end rant

 
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thats because mazda still owns the patents and copyrights on the rotary. once it ends, you'll probably be seeing more rotaries.

 
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The ITR's gonna cost a boatload if it does come here, considering how much the type S costs already. I don't think I'll be buying a ~26k RSX. type-R or not.

 
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Not true, The Wankel Rotory engine was designed in 1919. by Felix Wankel. its the same as if some company clamed a Patent on Piston engines.

the reason you dont see a lot of Rotory engines, is because of several design flaws.
1. Rotory engins are Very hard to design to pass US smog.
2. They typically consume more fuel than a piston engine because the thermodynamic efficiency of the engine is reduced by the long combustion-chamber shape and low compression ratio.

 
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Seeing how Honda and Acura are the same company, i think that they have kept their sporty image. Honda for the more sensible, gas saving, enviromentalists (im one too, sad as it is to say), and Acura to keep the image with the NSX, RSX-S, Integra GSR, and Type R. Bringing a Civic Type R would just confuse the hell out of things. True, the S2000 doesnt really belong in the Honda side of things in my opinion...i tihnk that should have been on the Acura side.
If you combine the americanized name of Acura with the Japanise Name Honda, and just made it Honda, then they still would have that sporty image.
I hope that they dont bring over the CTR, thats just one more car to kill us in the 1/4 mile...and why would the bring it over? In Japan, hatches, station wagons, Mini Vans are huge...Im sure you will agree when i say that the new Si didnt do so hot, and that had something to do with the looks. I say that because, everyone that i have talked to loves to drive the new Si, they think its great. If that was the big picture, wouldnt more of them be around? Who knows what the attraction would be on an ugly car with lots of power...i dont know how the SRT-4 is doing in sales, but that would be a good comparison to see how America sees image, over power...of power over image.
So, really, leave the CTR in Japan, it would be a waste of their time and money to bring it over....even if they did, what to say that they wont degrade the power like they have been known to do when converting a "high performance" japanise car, to an American car. Then how would it do in sales with less performance?
Sorry, thats been building up ever since the first time i heard the rumor

 
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I think a civic si coupe would sell more than the type R

 
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its not going to happen. honda would be in direct compition with itself. in order for the typr r to come honda needs to drop the rsx-s. honda is doing what it does best build ecno-boxes NOT perfromance cars.

 
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It would sell a whole lot better then a Hatch back Si.

 
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yes it would. whats an RSX-R? lol its Integra Type R

 
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Goddamnit!

The cars are NOT going to come unless Honda/Acura make a press release on it and that's the bottom line so **** all rumors. At this point, no one really knows whether we get DC5Rs or EP3Rs. I highly doubt we'll get the DC5R and the EP3R IMO is nothing but an RSX-S with better suspension and a lighter chassis with the same powerplant. I don't think the CTR would assist Honda's "image" in comparison to the other sporty cars out there more than it would add EP3 sales just because it's a "Type R".

But I do believe Honda has definitely dropped the ball in their line of sporty cars. Acura wan't "Type S" to be top of the line for all their models but even their top model Type S got axed due to lack of sales. (R.i.P. CL)

One other thing about the DC5R not being able to be here due to emissions lies in it's header. Naturally if the DC5R does come here, expect a slight power drop.

 
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That depends... what you're saying is Honda needs to drop the RSX-S, but that would be pointless. The RSX-S is here for profit as the previous Rs that were here, were NOT.

HONDA is building econo-boxes, yes - BUT that is not Acura's image. Acura's image is performance and the unfortunate part is they want to limit that image with Type S.

EDIT: I halfway believe that if an RSX-R is made here, it would be competing against itself.

It would not compete with itself because it's a pretty quick FWD car that would possibly outhandle the MPS, but would be almost as quick as the SRT-4.

It would compete with itself if: It's priced well over $24-$25k.

 
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last time i checked world sales figures for honda, the civic got outsold in the world by the introduction of the ford focus, apparently its huge in the european market whereas the civic isnt. WE got OWNED by the focus.

 
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ok people...the RSX-R is AS believable as my Civic EX Coupe Type R that runs 10's on the 1/4 and has 700hp at the wheels. ITS ITR! AghHGJKSHDJGHDHKGJ

 
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I told a sales rep at South Honda in ATL that if she could get me a CTR I would write her a check. Damn, it's amazing she hasn't called me yet, and probably never will. To me, forget buying a CTR or ITR, just give me the motor and tranny out of one and I will lighten my car enough to just about match the performance specs.