A LIGHTER engine flywheel does not sound like a big deal. But crucially the weight saving this achieves allows Honda's advanced i-VTEC engine to spin up a bit quicker, shaving two tenths of a second from the car's 0-62 mph sprint. It means that the hot Civic can get there in just 6.6 seconds, so maintaining its position as the fastest accelerating front-drive hatchback in the land.
It also makes the engine feel more responsive and the gearshift slicker - by virtue of the engine being able to shed revs more rapidly during upshifts. The lighter flywheel is one of a host of detail refinements introduced in the Civic Type-R for the 2004 model year. Like the rest of the Civic range, the Type-R benefits from a freshened external appearance.
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