BLU CIVIC

i was just thing about the future of the Honda Civic...well the Si any ways. I know that the Dodge Neon SXT and the Chevy Cavalier Z24 were in direct competition with the Honda Civic Si in the sport compact division but they have since taken off to a high level. Dodge came out with the turbocharged SRT-4 Neon and Chevy retired the Cavalier and introduced the Cobalt and offered a supercharged SS version. There's also the Saturn ION Red Line, but it seemed to not make as big of an impact as they thought it would. I know that the last Honda Si was in many aspects, a boat compared to previous versiouns of the Si. The main competator, as far performance numbers, of the SRT-4 and the Cobalt is the Acura RSX Type S. But in the states that really isn't consideder a Honda. I know the main reputation of the Civic is gas milage and maintance (or lack of), but in the last 5 or 6 years the import performance industry has taking a likeing to the Civic, almost making it their poster boy, making the already know high reving engines better and making turbo's cheaper to install. But there is where the problem lies. With so much aftermarket backing the Civic, would it be benefitial for the next SI to be f/i or NA? If Honda were to go NA, then the hp would have to increase to the RSX range to compete with compeditors, and we'd still have that high reving engine. But if they were to change focus and go f/i to be in direct competition with Dodge and Chevrolet and the next generation of sport compacts, then there would be a major fall in the aftermarket for the Civic as far as engine performance goes.

what do you guys think?

blah

Honda makes economy cars.

When they develop a new civic, it is never intended to run down the quarter in under 15 seconds. Think of how many hondas are on the road and then compare them with how many are modified? The percentage is actually pretty small.

Paul

I don't think we will ever see Honda adopt the turbo, or the super charger as a factory feature. Honda is big on reliability, and dependability. The extra wear and tear that these put on engines, is something I really don't ever see Honda seeing as acceptable.

Plus in my personal opinion, it seems as if Honda is not too interested in pursuing the sporty compact any longer. It seems they are going the route of Toyota, and producing mostly family cars, and efficient cars with a sporty model sparsely integrated. The RSX, TSX, and the S2000, and the space shuttle like Civic Si is it for Hondas sporty cars, and like you said RSX and TSX are Acura, and half the people who own an Acura probably don't even know its a Honda. The S2000, and the TSX cannot even really be considered as competition for things like the SRT-4, and the Cobalt, because they are so far out of the same price range. So that really leaves the RSX, and the Si. Both of which seem to me to be more designed for comfort, and for the ability to merge into traffic with a jolt of power, rather then for their ability to race.

Totmacher

Blah is right the SRT, Cobalt SS, IRL wear all designed to be street drag cars, just look at the advertising commercials and signs and stuff for them. To go hand in hand with what blah said look how many SRT's are on the road and how many are modded... Different market focus. As for Factory turboing a car, It’s not as easy as the aftermarket, allot or R/D goes into it, enough that Dodge had an entire division created exactly for that reason. But then again Dodge planted the Turbo in America, I'm pretty sure they know what they are doing ;P

I would love to see it but I doubt its in the future...

S dot Camp

Honda is in the market of building dependable, economical pasenger vehicles for a decent price. The new SI will be adopting the K20 powerplant from the RSX which will no longer be in production. Forced induction factory bulit Hondas are not in the future for the manufacturer. Don't hold your breath hoping for it to come. Honda isn't jumping on the performance bandwagon like the other manufacturers who are attempting to grasp a piece of the young market that will drop all kinds of money on their vehicles.

TehMascot

dont most of the boostheads end up just buying a aftermarket turbo anyways??

i think hondas view is.. if you wanna boost it.. fuckin do it yourself.

steronz

The sad thing about the last Si is that it's *technically* the fastest (1/4 mile) civic si ever sold in the states. they've never been fast, really. that being said, honda is not a turbo company, and the next civic si won't be turbo, it'll be K20 powered as has been stated (210 hp, which is direct competition for the cobalt ss and not too far off from the neon, although the neon will definitely be faster and has more potential). if anything, i'd guess that a "top of the line performer" will somehow involve a hybrid system. much the same way that the accord hybrid is being marketed as the top of the line, a k20-hybrid making 235 hp w/ electric motor assist seems pretty reasonable to me. at least much more reasonable than a honda turbo.

Jarrod

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cimburke23

Actually there was a factory turbo honda in japan.

I introduce the Honda City Turbo

Jarrod

That made like 60-90 hp.