The FK8 Honda Civic Type R was groundbreaking in a number of regards. It not only raised the bar for the FWD hot hatch segment but was the first Civic to come to the US wearing the legendary Type R badge. While the Integra Type R thrilled Honda enthusiasts and won over fans in the US around the turn of the century, Honda diehards were left wanting more. The advent of the 21st century kicked off an era that didn’t necessarily stir the passions of the automotive faithful quite like earlier iterations of the Civic.
The FK8 debuted to near-universal acclaim in 2017. Journalists, keyboard warriors, and Honda fanbois alike praised its sharp handling, tenacious traction and segment-leading power. Detractors tended to focus largely on some of the more aggressive styling queues, though with the benefit of familiarity over the passing years, the design now seems less extreme and has settled nicely into the JDM zeitgeist. And it would be very hard to discount the contribution of three pedals and a slick-shifting 6-speed.
Christopher Yi (@kodawari.fk8) was one such fan, taken with this ultimate iteration of the legendary Civic Hatch. He picked up his 2019 Type R in the historically significant Championship White and began his journey to take the alpha Honda to the next level. Attention to detail and thoughtful execution are themes you’ll see throughout Christopher’s build. Searching high and low, he assembled an impressive list of parts from a veritable who’s who list of acclaimed JDM manufacturers.
When you first lay eyes on this exceptional build, you immediately notice the Varis Carbon Widebody. The more aggressive fascia and brawny hunkered-down stance let even the casual observer know that this isn’t your run-of-the-mill commuter. The Carbon Varis Cooling Hood and Varis Wing set the stage for some of the finest accouterments to finish this high-end look. Ancillary bits from Spoon Sports, Mugen, and Revel are capped off with Morimoto XB Headlights and JDM fogs.
Rolling stock sees the same intense focus on detail with a set of Bulletproof Exclusive TE37 Saga S Plus wheels designed specifically for the Varis Widebody. These are shod in 295/30-18 Advan AD08R’s all around to enhance the FK8’s already tenacious level of mechanical grip. Speed is shed by Project Mu SCR-Pro 2 Piece Rotors and Type PS pads front and rear. The stance is capped off with Spoon Sports springs and SPC camber arms with a Cusco strut bar tying it all together.
With the already extremely capable chassis thoroughly upgraded, it only stands to reason that additional power might be on the table, and Chris’ Type R does not disappoint in that regard. HKS was tapped for a complete intercooler and piping setup while GruppeM’s ram air intake system feeds an Eventuri turbo inlet pipe. A Spoon Sports big turbo upgrade supplants the factory snail and spent gases travel through an HKS downpipe/front pipe combo to ultimately exit and Apex’I N1-X exhaust. The car sounds absolutely awesome and while aggressive, it’s still quite livable and avoids the harshness seen in some FK8 exhausts. Hondata holds down engine management to make sure the car is reliable and drivable without leaving power on the table.
All of this performance is great, but Chris took no shortcuts on the interior of the vehicle either. The first thing you notice when looking inside is the Alcantara. And there’s a lot of it. A full Sweidit Alcantara interior kit was installed and it takes the build over the top. SEEKER parts abound, from the SEEKER Bride VIOS III buckets to the steering wheel, gauge pod, and shifter. Defi Advance BF gauges keep all of the car’s vitals in easy view while a Mugen start/stop button gets the party started. The whole vibe is upscale and athletic, miles away from lessor Civic’s commuter car roots.
There is no shortage of great FK8 builds out there right now. Christopher’s Type R truly stands near the top of that mountain with his no-compromise approach to the best quality JDM parts and world-class execution. He’s built a car that’s livable as a daily, draws crowds (and trophies) at shows, and is just as at home on a circuit as it is on a boulevard. A recently overheard quote while discussing the car kind of says it all; “easily the most legit FK8 on the planet with all that he’s done”.
