Test drive Honda Civic Type R: car anatomy
The presentation and driving of the Honda Civic Type R in Bulgaria is another reason to turn to the essence of this model.
After a rocky return to Formula 1 and another transition from naturally aspirated to turbo-petrol units, the perseverance of Honda engineers is about to pay off. After years of success in this unique sport, Honda's designers and executives felt they had enough expertise to make a triumphant return to the scene. But things have turned out to be much more complex, and modern direct-injection turbines, combined with a hybrid system that uses two paths to generate and deliver energy, have become quite a challenge. Things didn't look very promising at first, there were issues with the non-standard turbocharger and layout, resulting in reduced power. But with the accumulation of time and the development of the system, changing the layout, materials and controls, creating a combustion process with a preliminary chamber, they began to fall into place. Starting next season, the Red Bull team will receive power plants from Honda, and this is a sign that Japanese engineers have managed to get on the right track again. As, by the way, many times in its history. Honda is not only an expression of Japanese thinking, but also its own opinion. What she will never give up is being at the forefront of engineering, whether it brings her big profits or not. Both in motorsport and in the real world, Honda demonstrates flexibility and ability to change, and the dynamic qualities of cars are always combined with the brand's notorious reliability, especially its engines. A brief overview of the company's technological history, a Google search, or a better page flip of Adriano Cimarosi's brilliant book The Complete History of Grand Prix Motor Racing will reveal interesting facts. During the 1986/1987/1988 seasons, 1,5-litre turbocharged Honda engines powered cars such as Williams and McLaren. The 1987 version is claimed to reach a phenomenal range of 1400 hp. in training versions and in competitions about 900 hp. These units also proved to be the most efficient and reliable. However, they do not have direct injection, which is so important for such combinations of pressures and temperatures in the cylinders, but they can use exotic materials - Honda engineers, for example, replace components that are subjected to the greatest thermal stress with all-ceramic or at least ceramic coating. , and many parts are made of ultra-light alloys. In 1988, McLaren-Honda won 15 victories, and Ayrton Senna became the world champion. And here's the most interesting thing - only a year later, Honda's ten-cylinder naturally aspirated engine wins again. The name Honda became a scarecrow for everyone and carries this image to this day.
From highway to road and back ...
However, what does it mean to be successful in motorsport, be it on Formula 1, Indycar or TCR circuits, apart from the fun of the fans and the demonstration of technical knowledge. After all, large-scale or not, every car company is called upon to make cars, and the knowledge and image of motorsport is indelibly imprinted on that. Engineering potential is engineering potential. However, there is also a very direct connection between motorsport and stock cars – frontier cars in some classes, such as compacts, which feature higher power models for people who like the depth of the concept of “driving”. With minor changes, they take to the tracks and compete on them. This is exactly the case with the Civic Type R.
The new model appears just two years after the previous one, and its engine is in many ways a development of the previous one, but the car is radically different in every way. The reason for this is that its development proceeded in parallel with the development of the base model, which itself is designed to become a full-fledged donor for the Type R.
Which, in turn, is a very good sign for simpler versions of the Civic. Of course, suppliers make a significant contribution to the design of the car - whether it be turbochargers, electronic control systems and fuel injection, chassis components, body materials, and from this point of view, the role of a car manufacturer is very complex. Engineers are the ones who design combustion processes with available components, calculate engine cooling and alloy types, combine it all with aerodynamics and body structural strength, solving complex master circuit equations with supplier capabilities in mind. As Elon Musk convinced himself, “the car business is hard work.” A closer look even at the luxurious Tesla S will reveal a wide variety of articulations for you and demonstrate once again how complex the car is.
Honda Civic - quality first
On the body of the Civic Type R, you will not find anything like this. We have already mentioned some details in the material for the diesel version of the model. Here, we will only mention that the body's torsional resistance has increased by 37 percent and static bending strength by 45 percent due to higher levels of high and ultra high strength steels, new welding processes, passenger compartment architecture and the sequence of elements attached to it. To compensate for the increased weight of some parts due to the higher absorbed forces, the front cover is made of aluminium. A MacPherson strut and a multi-link rear axle are a prerequisite for good road behavior, but these have been changed for the Type R. Changed the offset of the axes of the shank bolts and the angle of the wheels, made specific changes related to the need for less transmission of vibration from torque to the steering wheel. The complex kinematics of the wheel responsible for maintaining the grip of the tire during dynamic cornering has changed, and the lower part of the elements is completely made of aluminum. The all-new multi-link rear suspension also contributes to high-speed stability, while the wider track allows for later braking and higher cornering speeds. The upper, lower and tilt arms are high-strength elements typical only of the Type R. To redistribute the car's weight, the fuel tank must be moved to the rear, reducing the weight of the front axle by 3 percent compared to the previous Civic. .
Engine, a la Honda
By itself, the award-winning 2.0 VTEC turbo engine is another Honda masterpiece with 320 hp. and 400 Nm of two-liter displacement with the reliability you need for everyday and sporty driving. The main friction that occurs in a car occurs between the cylinders and pistons, and Honda has always relied on high-tech coatings to reduce this. The well-known VTEC system here takes on somewhat different functions. Since the car uses a single-jet turbocharger, the engineers introduce variable stroke exhaust valves to provide the necessary gas flow depending on the load. This simulates the operation of a variable geometry compressor. Two phase change systems regulate the duration of opening depending on the load and speed, as well as their overlap in the name of better turbine response and gas scavenging. The compression ratio of 9,8:1 is relatively high for a turbocharged car with such a large capacity, which uses a very large capacity air heat exchanger. Although the transmission is mechanical, the electronics apply an intermediate gas when changing gears to match the speed of the engine with the corresponding shaft. The transmission oil itself, which is finned in the airflow direction, is cooled by a water intercooler.
The exhaust system with three nozzles is also directly related to the operation of the engine. This is not a desire to show off - each of the tubes has its exact purpose. The main outer tubes provide the flow of gases from the engine, while the inner tubes regulate the generated sound. In general, the flow rate is increased by 10 percent compared to its predecessor, and this reduces the back pressure in the system. Honda's serious knowledge of flow dynamics gained from motorcycles (and their particular importance to two-stroke engines) pays off here: when accelerating, the inner tube provides a larger cross-section. However, under medium load, the pressure in the middle pipe becomes negative, and the system begins to suck air through it. This improves noise performance and ensures quieter operation. The single-mass flywheel, which reduces the inertia of the flywheel-clutch system by 25 percent, contributes to the rapid response of the engine. The double water jacket around the integrated exhaust manifolds helps accelerate engine warm-up and subsequent cooling of the gases, which saves the turbine.
Added to this are a combination of typical Civic and typical Type R designs. The fender arches are widened to accommodate larger, outward-facing wheels, the floor structure has full aerodynamic coverage, and the so-called. The “air curtains” and large rear wing optimally “separate” the air, creating additional downforce at the rear. The operating modes of the adaptive suspension (with a solenoid valve that regulate the oil flow and separate control of each wheel), the reaction of gas supply and steering (with two gears) have changed. Now the Comfort, Sport and new + R modes are pretty far apart in behavior. Braking is provided by four-piston brake calipers with 350 mm discs at the front and 305 mm at the rear. And since such an abundance of power is difficult to control when transferring only to the front axle, the latter is equipped with a self-locking worm differential, which is a special type of torso.
Thanks to this, as well as the special front suspension and high power, the Type R accelerates better than its direct rivals such as the Seat Cupra 300, turns like a Touring car on the track, with firm body behavior and strong feedback. in the steering wheel. However, the adaptive dampers and flexible motor provide a sufficient level of comfort even in normal daily driving.
