Auto racing is generally a hobby for the ultra-rich, but the 2022 HPD Civic Si FE1 offers track competition to the merely wealthy with its price of $55,000. Deliveries of the racer begin this November.
Civic Si FE1 is a purpose-built version of the model that lacks the sunroof, sound-proofing, insulation, underbody coating, and seam sealer from the road car. It retains the production-spec 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that has five selectable power levels depending on the balance of performance in a given series. The mill has a Borla exhaust downpipe that exits out a pair of outlets. There are also Hasport engine mounts.
Gallery: Honda HPD Civic Si FE1
The Civic Si race car uses a close-ratio six-speed manual with a high-strength 4th gear. There's a limited-slip differential. The flywheel and clutch are from the road car.
The suspension receives lots of new parts. There are double-adjustable Bilstein dampers at all four corners. Two spring rate options are available. The front camber and caster plates are adjustable. The rear has adjustable parts for the camber, spring perches, and toe arms.
For brakes, the Civic Si FE1 has Wilwood six-piston calipers with Pagid RST3 pads and slotted rotors. Honda also adds bumper-mounted cooling ducts and stainless steel braided hoses. The rear uses the production-spec pieces with Pagid RST4 pads and braided hoses.
Inside, there's an FIA-spec roll cage using TIG-welded steel tubing. The driver sits in an OMP halo seat with a six-point harness and grips a quick-disconnect steering wheel. There's a Motec C127 multi-function instrument display and data logger with LED shift lights along the top.
Honda is building the Civic Si FE1 at its Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio. This is the same location that makes the Acura NSX and Acura's PMC vehicles.
The road-going 2022 Civic Si that's available from dealers retails for $28,595 after the $1,095 destination fee or $28,795 with the available summer tire package. It comes with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 200 horsepower (149 kilowatts) at 6,000 rpm and 192 pound-feet (260 Newton-meters) of torque available from 1,800 to 5,000 rpm.