First introduced in 1996, the Type R class of
Honda is
race-tuned right off the
factory floor -- special
lightweight parts, more
aerodynamic skirts,
flares and
wings, the
VTEC-assisted, hand-built Type R engine, and slightly more
horsepower than their
stock counterparts -- however, Type R cars are not much more powerful than those aforementioned counterparts. Despite this, they still have a very large
following among racers, mechanics, and almost any
Japanese import enthusiast, simply due to the fact that they are hard to come by -- they're actually quite rare in
America, so the chance to see one is a real
treat.
The Type R is typically employed in the Honda Civic (under the Si & SiR names), the Honda/Acura Integra, the Honda Accord, the Honda Vamos, and the Honda/Acura NSX. Many ricers tend to place Type R badges on their ricemobiles, proclaiming it to be a high-rider among the street racing crowd. If you ever see the distinctive red "R" sticker on someone's Eclipse, you are entitled to scoff, and feel wise in the ways of rice.