Honda Civic Si history
12-07-2006, 12:20 PM
#1
Boost Hungry!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: t-town,tx
Posts: 427
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Honda Civic Si history
I looked this up in connection to another thread and i always enjoy reading about the history of cars so here is the link and for the lazy i'll copy and paste for ya...enjoy :irock:
http://cars.ign.com/articles/688/688078p1.html
History of the Civic Si
We look back at the evolution of the sportiest Civic.
by Justin Kaehler
February 10, 2006 - Honda's Civic Si has come back from the dead and is poised to reclaim its throne as the king of all sport compacts. Everyone that has taken the latest hopped-up Civic for a spin agrees that it is one of the best and sportiest cars that Honda has ever built. If you read our review of the car (and shame on you if you haven't), you'd know that we whole-heartedly agree.
The story of the Civic Si is only 20 years old, but this is the car that single-handedly kicked off the whole import/tuner scene. No seriously... if it wasn't for the wild success of the Civic Si within the tuner scene, we wouldn't have things like The Fast and the Furious, Need for Speed: Underground or even D1.
With the Civic Si being such an important part of the tuner scene, we thought we'd take a minute and look back at the history of this impressive vehicle.
1985-1987 Civic Si
A lot of good things happened in 1985: Back to the Future opened in theatres, the Nintendo Entertainment System hit store shelves and uber-hottie Keira Knightley was born. 1985 was also the year the Civic Si hit U.S. streets.
Based on the already sporty Civic "S" model, the Si gave the Civic's 1.5-liter powerplant some much-need fuel injection. (FYI: the "S" stands for "sport", so "Si" stands for "sport injection".) Honda's economy car was now making an unheard-of (at the time) 91 horsepower. Suspension tuning was done on this sporty Civic so that the chassis' potential would match that of the engine.
A sportier Civic Si was also made at this time, but we all know it as the CRX. The CRX Si shared the same platform and mechanical bits with the standard Civic Si, but the CRX was lighter and stiffer than its hatchback sibling. Both cars were pretty quick for the time, too. Zero-to-sixty times came in at under 9 seconds - about 2 seconds quicker than the standard "S" model.
While this car was popular with road racers at the time, it really hasn't aged well, and as such has been all but ignored by modern-day enthusiasts. Nice and clean examples of this first Civic Si are almost impossible to come by these days.
1989-1991 Civic Si
Now this is the car that launched Civic Nation. The Civic underwent a redesign in 1988, and the result was this boxy (but beautiful) machine. All the JDM fanboys call this car the "EF" Civic, as its in-house chassis code starts off with the letters "EF". (Now you know, and knowing is half the battle!)
Power for the Civic (and CRX) Si came from an all-new 1.6-liter inline four that put out 108 horsepower and 100 lb.-ft. of torque. Zero-to-Sixty times were now in the mid-8 second range. The suspension of this Civic was beefed up even more, with a Formula 1-inspired fully-independent double wishbone set-up finding a home at all four corners of the car. This was the best-handling Civic yet.
The interior also got some love thanks to the factory Recaro seats. There may not be a huge "Recaro" logo stitched on the backs of these things, but trust us, these seats are top-notch.
While the U.S.-spec EF Civic Si was a good car, the Japanese got an even better version. A dual overhead cam VTEC engine (code-named B16) was found under the hood of all JDM Civic Si-R models. This VTEC engine boasted a close-ratio transmission, 160 horsepower and 111 lb.-ft. of torque. In the early 1990's, American Civic fans found that these B-series engines bolted right up to their U.S.-spec Civics, thus sparking the Honda Hybrid craze.
The underpinnings of this EF Civic form the platforms of every Civic and Integra made through 2000, so the aftermarket for this car is huge. From what we hear, only the Mustang has a bigger aftermarket parts catalog.
This is still our favorite Civic Si. Once we get the garage space (and cash) for another project car, we'd love to build a super-clean EF hatch. Someday...
1992-1995 Civic Si
The Civic was redesigned in 1992 and was now a sleeker and curvier ride. Back in the early 1990's, people were afraid of "round" cars, so this Civic was often described as looking like an "egg" or "jellybean". When people see this car now, they describe it as looking "bad-ass".
This 5th-gen Civic (3rd-gen Si) is known as the EG hatch, and it is one of the most popular cars in the JDM-style tuning scene today. This car is notable as it was the first Civic Si to get a VTEC engine. However, instead of the powerful DOHC B16 powerplant, the U.S.-spec Si got a 1.6-liter single-cam engine and pumped out 125 horses. The EG's performance was not really improved much over the EF, but it was still a solid performer for its day. However, the EG Civic Si had to make-do with the standard Civic seats, so no Recaros were offered from the factory. Bummer...
As this car is based on the EF chassis, there are literally tons of parts available for the EG Civic Si. Of course, all B-series engines bolt right up into this puppy, too.
1999-2000 Civic Si
When the EG Civic hatch was discontinued in 1995, many people were waiting for a Civic Si based on the new EK platform. These people waited and waited. Then they waited some more. Then they waited a little longer. In fact, these people are still waiting as Honda never built an EK hatch-based Civic Si.
For 3 long years, many Honda fans were under the impression that Honda just didn't care about the U.S. market. Japan got an EK-based Type R Civic -- which many people argue is the best Civic ever built - while all the U.S. got was an underpowered, under-appointed budget hatchback. However, as the EK was still related to the old EF, the aftermarket for this car was plentiful, and kept the EK hatch "alive" among enthusiasts. As if we need to say it, the B-series VTEC engine also bolted right in to this car.
But then Honda came out with an announcement: this 6th-generation would finally get a Si version. It appeared as if Honda finally took notice of what people wanted in their sporty Civics - namely a DOHC VTEC powerplant.
So in 1999, a B16-powered Civic Si was unleashed on an anticipating public, only this one was a bit different: it was a coupe. This was the first time that the iconic Civic Si was sold in coupe form, which turned off a few die-hard Civic nuts. These people, however, were in the minority as this EM-1 Civic (code name for the coupe chassis) is probably the most popular Civic Si Honda has ever released. The 1999-2000 Civic Si coupe has everything that makes a Civic Si truly worthy of the name; the car had the 160 horsepower B16, four-wheel disc brakes, a strut tower brace and all sorts of suspension tuning. These days, when someone says "I want a Civic Si", this is the one they are talking about.
2002-2005 Civic Si
Ahh... the unloved EP hatch. The 2002 Civic Si was turned back into a hatchback, but this 7th-gen hatch was... well...ugly. It looked like a shrunken-down minivan, which did nothing to help project the "sporty" image that the Si is known for. When equipped with the HFP aero kit (or the Type R aero kit), the EP hatch actually looked good. But as Honda was showing off the regular (read: "ugly") version of the Si, no one really wanted to buy one.
The car was kind of overpriced, too. The 2002 Civic Si started at a hair under $19K, and the price quickly climbed up as the extras (such as the HFP kit) were added on. Our HFP-equipped 2005 Civic Si test car cost well over $23K before counting the cost of installing the HFP kit.
For this generation of Civics, Honda ditched the four-wheel independent double-wishbone suspension and threw in some MacPherson struts in the front. The B-series engine was dropped for the all-new K-series engine, which is bigger at 2.0 liters. Even though this K-series motor had an extra 400cc's of displacement, horsepower was still rated at just 160.
By this time, the Civic Si had a lot of competition that was offering more power at a lower price point. The EP hatch just couldn't match the performance-per-dollar of its competition, so its sales weren't that strong. This Civic Si was doing so poorly, many enthusiasts were thinking that Honda would just kill of the Si and relegate the Civic to "commuter car-only" status.
Don't think that this EP is a crappy car, though. It's still a solid ride, and if you can get used to the console-mounted shifter, it's a really fun and comfortable car to drive. Now that this car is available on the used market, its price has really come down. The EP Civic Si's price is pretty reasonable in the used market, so we'd recommend this car to anyone that is interested in it. Seriously.
2006 - ?? Civic Si
And that brings us to the latest Civic Si. This 8th-gen Civic is the best-ever, and the Si version of the car just kicks a lot of ass. We've just done a review of the car, and you can read it here, so we're not going to waste our time (or yours) by repeating ourselves.
We will give you a few facts, though. Honda made the Civic Si a coupe once again, which is fine as this is the most powerful Civic ever. A whopping 197 horses are being sent to the flywheel! However, this number was attained using the new SAE measuring methods. Using the old 2005 methods would put this car at about 210 horses or so. A limited-slip differential is also standard on this car, making this car aggressive in the twisties, too.
The seats are kick-ass with their huge side bolsters, the interior looks all futuristic and a DVD navigation system is optional. Even when fully-loaded, this latest Civic Si comes in at only $22K, making it a much better value than the EP was when it was first released.
This latest Civic Si will also get a sibling in the form of a Si sedan. This is the first time a sedan will have the Si badge, so it will be interesting to see how that car is accepted within the automotive community. We can't wait to see it in person, and we think it will be a sales success for Honda.
The Civic Si has been around for 20 years and counting, and despite a shaky run in the early 00's, the Civic Si looks to have a bright future ahead of it. All of these Civic Si's are excellent cars, and any enthusiast looking for a quick and nimble ride would be well-served by any of them. With the past and current cars being so good, we can't see how Honda can improve upon the Civic Si. However, we're sure Honda will surprise us with something amazing and worthy of the name "Civic Si".
http://cars.ign.com/articles/688/688078p1.html
History of the Civic Si
We look back at the evolution of the sportiest Civic.
by Justin Kaehler
February 10, 2006 - Honda's Civic Si has come back from the dead and is poised to reclaim its throne as the king of all sport compacts. Everyone that has taken the latest hopped-up Civic for a spin agrees that it is one of the best and sportiest cars that Honda has ever built. If you read our review of the car (and shame on you if you haven't), you'd know that we whole-heartedly agree.
The story of the Civic Si is only 20 years old, but this is the car that single-handedly kicked off the whole import/tuner scene. No seriously... if it wasn't for the wild success of the Civic Si within the tuner scene, we wouldn't have things like The Fast and the Furious, Need for Speed: Underground or even D1.
With the Civic Si being such an important part of the tuner scene, we thought we'd take a minute and look back at the history of this impressive vehicle.
1985-1987 Civic Si
A lot of good things happened in 1985: Back to the Future opened in theatres, the Nintendo Entertainment System hit store shelves and uber-hottie Keira Knightley was born. 1985 was also the year the Civic Si hit U.S. streets.
Based on the already sporty Civic "S" model, the Si gave the Civic's 1.5-liter powerplant some much-need fuel injection. (FYI: the "S" stands for "sport", so "Si" stands for "sport injection".) Honda's economy car was now making an unheard-of (at the time) 91 horsepower. Suspension tuning was done on this sporty Civic so that the chassis' potential would match that of the engine.
A sportier Civic Si was also made at this time, but we all know it as the CRX. The CRX Si shared the same platform and mechanical bits with the standard Civic Si, but the CRX was lighter and stiffer than its hatchback sibling. Both cars were pretty quick for the time, too. Zero-to-sixty times came in at under 9 seconds - about 2 seconds quicker than the standard "S" model.
While this car was popular with road racers at the time, it really hasn't aged well, and as such has been all but ignored by modern-day enthusiasts. Nice and clean examples of this first Civic Si are almost impossible to come by these days.
1989-1991 Civic Si
Now this is the car that launched Civic Nation. The Civic underwent a redesign in 1988, and the result was this boxy (but beautiful) machine. All the JDM fanboys call this car the "EF" Civic, as its in-house chassis code starts off with the letters "EF". (Now you know, and knowing is half the battle!)
Power for the Civic (and CRX) Si came from an all-new 1.6-liter inline four that put out 108 horsepower and 100 lb.-ft. of torque. Zero-to-Sixty times were now in the mid-8 second range. The suspension of this Civic was beefed up even more, with a Formula 1-inspired fully-independent double wishbone set-up finding a home at all four corners of the car. This was the best-handling Civic yet.
The interior also got some love thanks to the factory Recaro seats. There may not be a huge "Recaro" logo stitched on the backs of these things, but trust us, these seats are top-notch.
While the U.S.-spec EF Civic Si was a good car, the Japanese got an even better version. A dual overhead cam VTEC engine (code-named B16) was found under the hood of all JDM Civic Si-R models. This VTEC engine boasted a close-ratio transmission, 160 horsepower and 111 lb.-ft. of torque. In the early 1990's, American Civic fans found that these B-series engines bolted right up to their U.S.-spec Civics, thus sparking the Honda Hybrid craze.
The underpinnings of this EF Civic form the platforms of every Civic and Integra made through 2000, so the aftermarket for this car is huge. From what we hear, only the Mustang has a bigger aftermarket parts catalog.
This is still our favorite Civic Si. Once we get the garage space (and cash) for another project car, we'd love to build a super-clean EF hatch. Someday...
1992-1995 Civic Si
The Civic was redesigned in 1992 and was now a sleeker and curvier ride. Back in the early 1990's, people were afraid of "round" cars, so this Civic was often described as looking like an "egg" or "jellybean". When people see this car now, they describe it as looking "bad-ass".
This 5th-gen Civic (3rd-gen Si) is known as the EG hatch, and it is one of the most popular cars in the JDM-style tuning scene today. This car is notable as it was the first Civic Si to get a VTEC engine. However, instead of the powerful DOHC B16 powerplant, the U.S.-spec Si got a 1.6-liter single-cam engine and pumped out 125 horses. The EG's performance was not really improved much over the EF, but it was still a solid performer for its day. However, the EG Civic Si had to make-do with the standard Civic seats, so no Recaros were offered from the factory. Bummer...
As this car is based on the EF chassis, there are literally tons of parts available for the EG Civic Si. Of course, all B-series engines bolt right up into this puppy, too.
1999-2000 Civic Si
When the EG Civic hatch was discontinued in 1995, many people were waiting for a Civic Si based on the new EK platform. These people waited and waited. Then they waited some more. Then they waited a little longer. In fact, these people are still waiting as Honda never built an EK hatch-based Civic Si.
For 3 long years, many Honda fans were under the impression that Honda just didn't care about the U.S. market. Japan got an EK-based Type R Civic -- which many people argue is the best Civic ever built - while all the U.S. got was an underpowered, under-appointed budget hatchback. However, as the EK was still related to the old EF, the aftermarket for this car was plentiful, and kept the EK hatch "alive" among enthusiasts. As if we need to say it, the B-series VTEC engine also bolted right in to this car.
But then Honda came out with an announcement: this 6th-generation would finally get a Si version. It appeared as if Honda finally took notice of what people wanted in their sporty Civics - namely a DOHC VTEC powerplant.
So in 1999, a B16-powered Civic Si was unleashed on an anticipating public, only this one was a bit different: it was a coupe. This was the first time that the iconic Civic Si was sold in coupe form, which turned off a few die-hard Civic nuts. These people, however, were in the minority as this EM-1 Civic (code name for the coupe chassis) is probably the most popular Civic Si Honda has ever released. The 1999-2000 Civic Si coupe has everything that makes a Civic Si truly worthy of the name; the car had the 160 horsepower B16, four-wheel disc brakes, a strut tower brace and all sorts of suspension tuning. These days, when someone says "I want a Civic Si", this is the one they are talking about.
2002-2005 Civic Si
Ahh... the unloved EP hatch. The 2002 Civic Si was turned back into a hatchback, but this 7th-gen hatch was... well...ugly. It looked like a shrunken-down minivan, which did nothing to help project the "sporty" image that the Si is known for. When equipped with the HFP aero kit (or the Type R aero kit), the EP hatch actually looked good. But as Honda was showing off the regular (read: "ugly") version of the Si, no one really wanted to buy one.
The car was kind of overpriced, too. The 2002 Civic Si started at a hair under $19K, and the price quickly climbed up as the extras (such as the HFP kit) were added on. Our HFP-equipped 2005 Civic Si test car cost well over $23K before counting the cost of installing the HFP kit.
For this generation of Civics, Honda ditched the four-wheel independent double-wishbone suspension and threw in some MacPherson struts in the front. The B-series engine was dropped for the all-new K-series engine, which is bigger at 2.0 liters. Even though this K-series motor had an extra 400cc's of displacement, horsepower was still rated at just 160.
By this time, the Civic Si had a lot of competition that was offering more power at a lower price point. The EP hatch just couldn't match the performance-per-dollar of its competition, so its sales weren't that strong. This Civic Si was doing so poorly, many enthusiasts were thinking that Honda would just kill of the Si and relegate the Civic to "commuter car-only" status.
Don't think that this EP is a crappy car, though. It's still a solid ride, and if you can get used to the console-mounted shifter, it's a really fun and comfortable car to drive. Now that this car is available on the used market, its price has really come down. The EP Civic Si's price is pretty reasonable in the used market, so we'd recommend this car to anyone that is interested in it. Seriously.
2006 - ?? Civic Si
And that brings us to the latest Civic Si. This 8th-gen Civic is the best-ever, and the Si version of the car just kicks a lot of ass. We've just done a review of the car, and you can read it here, so we're not going to waste our time (or yours) by repeating ourselves.
We will give you a few facts, though. Honda made the Civic Si a coupe once again, which is fine as this is the most powerful Civic ever. A whopping 197 horses are being sent to the flywheel! However, this number was attained using the new SAE measuring methods. Using the old 2005 methods would put this car at about 210 horses or so. A limited-slip differential is also standard on this car, making this car aggressive in the twisties, too.
The seats are kick-ass with their huge side bolsters, the interior looks all futuristic and a DVD navigation system is optional. Even when fully-loaded, this latest Civic Si comes in at only $22K, making it a much better value than the EP was when it was first released.
This latest Civic Si will also get a sibling in the form of a Si sedan. This is the first time a sedan will have the Si badge, so it will be interesting to see how that car is accepted within the automotive community. We can't wait to see it in person, and we think it will be a sales success for Honda.
The Civic Si has been around for 20 years and counting, and despite a shaky run in the early 00's, the Civic Si looks to have a bright future ahead of it. All of these Civic Si's are excellent cars, and any enthusiast looking for a quick and nimble ride would be well-served by any of them. With the past and current cars being so good, we can't see how Honda can improve upon the Civic Si. However, we're sure Honda will surprise us with something amazing and worthy of the name "Civic Si".
h: