The Civic even today looks completely up to date, aging gracefully just like fine wine & still a head-turner by all means. It redefines the term ‘modern-classic’ with its sleek curves, clever design, flowing lines & aerodynamic shape with the hood, passenger compartment & boot merging almost seamlessly. The front end being the most attractive angle of the car with the bonnet, bumper & fenders blending together beautifully to give it that cohesiveness possessed by all great design.
Honda were once the purveyors of the most advanced automotive technologies. Then back in 2006, cashing in on the prestige & reputation that the Honda City had lavished on the brand, the Japanese carmaker brought in the Honda Civic. It was bigger, more luxurious, better equipped & an absolute treat for the eyes, but what was loved the most was the sweet 1.8-litre i-VTEC. If you ever get your hands on one today remember to (after warming it up nicely) pull it all the way to the 7000rpm redline in 1st, then 2nd & if the road permits: 3rd. Then as you brake, don’t forget to heel & toe while you row it down the gears. I guarantee you will have a wide grin across your face & be absolutely in glee, completely enjoying yourself (No, not in that way).
No modern engine sizzles, crackles & generates fireworks like a naturally aspirated Honda VTEC. Then there was the 5-speed manual gearbox that was slicker than & probably still is compared to anything else available at our disposal in the market. The powertrain sophistication was next to none. This car reserves a permanent spot in the hearts & garages of enthu-cutlets.
The initial reaction was super-positive, it’s great to drive; is low, sporty, has fabulous ergonomics, got sweet details such as the aircraft throttle-style handbrake & a 2-step dashboard with the digital speedo above the arc of the steering wheel. Except it was so low it would scrape its underbelly over every other speed breaker & as soon as word got out, sales too hit the proverbial speed breaker. The plug was finally pulled back in 2012 after less-than-average sales over its entire lifespan of 6 years here in India.
Something very unique to this particular example is that it belongs to the 1st few lots of Civics’ that were imported here directly from Japan via the CBU route back in 2007; add to that the very special & rare color from the factory itself: Misty Violet.
This dapper Civic has some tasteful mods being done right from the front bumper all the way to the rear wing, which makes everyone on the road turn their heads in amazement as this spaceship flies by them.
- The engine runs a Stage 2 remap from Code6, taking the total power figures to 155 HP & 190 N-m of torque; a 30% increase over the stock numbers.
- It takes less than 7 seconds to reach the 100 km/h mark.
- The Stage 2 also includes a ‘pops & bangs’ tune for the exhaust, making the exhaust a literal flamethrower when revved at standstill, also while rev-matching & downshifting.
- GTR Pro ‘Pandemic’ forged 17″ wheels in ‘Liquid Silver’ color with BBS hub caps.
- Hankook Ventus V2 Concept 2 225/45 17″ tyres, one of the stickier rubber options available on the market.
- Mugen Rear Wing, Bumpers & side skirts: These give it that extra character required to make it give off those ‘boy-racer’ vibes & make it appear lower to the ground.
- Auto-Mech full system straight piped exhaust with the cats deleted.
- Civic Type R replica gear knob.
- Type R styled Red-Black Honda logo badges on the steering, at the front & also the rear.
- An underglow kit, smoked tail-lamps & led conversion kit for the head-lamps, parking lights & fog-lights.
- An aftermarket fitted sunroof, made by Webasto.
When going down the road, people can hardly resist the urge to have a glimpse & it looks like nothing else on the road.
It isn’t built in India anymore but that doesn’t mean that the car has no fans here. The following for the low-slung, sporty Civic has always been strong right from the outset. It continues to be popular among enthusiasts, tuners & modifiers alike.
A lot of petrolheads think of JDM cars as a guilty pleasure. But, honestly, no one can resist the sound of a tuned VTEC kicking in & the Civic remains a perfect starter pack for people who want to modify a budget-friendly JDM car.
Owner: https://www.instagram.com/siddhant_bhavar_?igsh=MTA2bTlqdm5lY3h5OQ==
Photos:
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