While Honda continues testing its Civic Type R (see the spy shots in our gallery), the fan community keeps guessing what kind of drivetrain it will wind up with.
One theory states that the next Type R will be marketed as the little brother of the Honda NSX. As such, it may get a petrol engine driving its front axle and two electric motors driving the rear one. The NSX uses a similar layout, but with the petrol engine driving the rear wheels.
If true, this would make the new Type R much more powerful than its predecessor. The current generation packs a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine good for 320 hp (239 kW) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque. The hybrid system described above could easily produce north of 400 hp (300 kW), putting the hot hatch on par with the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S with its 421 hp (314 kW).
The new Civic Type R generation will debut in the second half of 2021.