Honda is returning to form with the introduction of a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine designed purely to excite.
With no mention of the Japanese company’s eco-focused “blue skies for our children” tagline, hybrid powertrains or how many virtual leafs one can grow by driving more efficiently, the Tokyo-based manufacturer hopes to reclaim its former glory and bring excitement back to the brand following a period that could politely be described as conservative.
The 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine uses VTEC technology with a high output-turbocharger as well as direct injection to deliver at least 206kW of power and 400Nm of torque. Those figures are tipped to rise when the engine is released in production form.
The engine will be Euro 6 compliant and is expected to be used to power a number of vehicles, including the 2015 Honda Civic Type R hero car.
Honda’s R&D facility in Tochigi has been in charge of the engine’s development, completing work under extreme secrecy for the past few years.
Honda’s range of transmissions will likely be limited for the 2.0-litre turbo to a six-speed manual and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which is currently available in Acura models in North America. Honda may also use an automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT) when applying the engine to less performance-oriented vehicles in its range, like the CR-V.
The recently unveiled eight-speed dual-clutch transmission with a torque converter is currently incompatible with the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine given its high torque output.
Honda says its new 2.0-litre engine has more power than its 3.5-litre V6 and beats a Honda NSX-R from 2003 for performance.
The company is expected to break the front-wheel-drive record around the Nurburgring, with the Honda Civic Type R tipped to complete a sub-eight-minute lap before it launches in 2015.
Read CarAdvice’s Honda Civic Type R Review for our first impressions of the 2.0-litre engine in action.
