Honda Civic Coupe Concept

STORY TOOLS
Print this	Save this	Digg this
Email this	Most popular	del.icio.us

What is it?
Honda Civic Coupe Concept

What's special about it?
Ever wonder what a Civic coupe would look like if Honda's engineers weren't restrained by budgets and bureaucracy? That's the idea behind the Civic Coupe Concept.

First on the agenda was bolstering the power of the less-than-thrilling 1.7-liter engine. Better breathing starts at the intake, so engineers fitted a custom high-flow manifold that feeds stock heads that were ported, polished and decked. A custom header directs the outward flow into a 2-inch exhaust system and a sport muffler. Taken together, these tweaks result in a solid 43 horsepower increase for a total of 170.

A prototype ground effects kit adds a bit of edge to the Civic's normally bland design and the 18-inch wheels and tires certainly don't hurt in that department either. Blacked-out headlight frames and a race-inspired rear wing continue the street-racer theme along with a sport grille and rear diffuser both made from carbon fiber. Brembo four-piston brake calipers further reinforce the high-performance image of this factory hot rod.

Recaro sport seats lined with Alcantara suede replace the factory softies to keep drivers from flopping around during aggressive maneuvers. A gauge package, sport pedals and a three-spoke sport steering wheel round out the interior upgrades.

Why should you care?
The Civic Si finally returns next year, but you better like hatchbacks. For those who prefer the sleek shape of the coupe, this concept car not only provides plenty of ideas, but it hints at the possibility of a factory Si Coupe in the not-too-distant future. Keep your fingers crossed. —Ed Hellwig