STI Spec C Type RA vs Civic Type R

**cammer** · December 6th, 2009 10:41 PM

http://blog.autoworld.com.my/index.p...the-full-gore/

Last weekend I preached the Gospel of Type R the lesson was on Civic performance. By early Sunday afternoon a few members of the Subaru clan were near conversion. At least one of them had experienced the combined rapture of VTEC and Honda’s sublime tuning of their nondescript [COLOR=#737373 !important][COLOR=#737373 !important]family [COLOR=#737373 !important]car[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR].
The day had started with a quick gathering at a [COLOR=#737373 !important][COLOR=#737373 !important]petrol[/COLOR][/COLOR] station near the junction towards Batu Dam. The first to arrive were three [COLOR=#737373 !important][COLOR=#737373 !important]Subaru [COLOR=#737373 !important]Impreza[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR], a WRX, STI and STI Spec C Type RA followed by the championship white silhouette of the Civic Type R.

Everyone assembled took a look at the car and asked me about the message from Honda so I told them: “ This is the most amazing [COLOR=#737373 !important][COLOR=#737373 !important]front-wheel [COLOR=#737373 !important]drive[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] car you will ever drive. It has the balance of a gymnast and the delicacy of a ninja.
“Sure or not?” was their skeptical response. Understandable really, their cars had more scoops and wings than a fighter jet and packed enough power through a world rally championship winning all-wheel drive system.
“Trust me,” I said half doubting my own claims.

The owner of the Spec-C, a balding middle-aged man with petrol in his veins asked for the keys.
“I just want to drive it a bit to see what it’s all about,” he said.
Before I could tell them not to bend anything, he had dragged another Subaru believer into the car and headed towards Batu Dam

I stood there with the other Subaru fan speechless for a few moments before saying; “It really is a fast car you know”.
He nodded sagely, knowing that the really reliable verdict would come back in a few minutes.
In a few minutes two more Impreza turned up, an STI and a WRX and after a while the Type R came back.
The driver stepped down and he declared that it would be hard for the STIs to keep up with the Type R and this drew frowns from his clan.
“You really think so?” for I was surprised to hear such a strong verdict.

We started the first leg with the Type R in front and I wasted no time to start pushing the car on the twisty double backs that made the Ulu Yam road so famous with weekend drivers.
With one eye in the rear view mirror I could see the red Spec C keeping up with the Type R but that is to be expected. I opened up a gap in some corners but he would quickly find the pace and catch up.
We went on like this for the first leg which ended at the junction to Genting Highlands were we stopped to compare notes.
“I had to use 95 per cent of the car and my abilities to keep up with you, that is one fast car,” said the Spec C driver, his clan frowned but said nothing for he had the most powerful car with nearly 300 horsepower. Actually the Spec C has been dyno-ed to slightly more than 300 horses so it was quite hard to believe that it had to break a sweat chasing a front wheel drive Civic with 225 horses on tap.
“And it sounded great,” he added

A veteran of the Ulu Yam twisties, he said that it is easier for him to keep up with a Porsche 911 GT2 that the Type R. But then again Porsche owners would probably be more careful than a road tester in a borrowed Type R.
After a short break we decided that the Spec C would lead and the Type R would give chase on the more twisty second leg. I thought it was a foregone conclusion, with better grip from [COLOR=#737373 !important][COLOR=#737373 !important]all-wheel [COLOR=#737373 !important]drive[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]

and more horses to put down on the tarmac, surely the Subaru would run away from the Honda.

We took off and it was immediately clear that our friend was keen to set things right for Subaru. He braked late and powered hard out of corners so I had to keep up pace and took advantage of the Type R’s excellent brakes and front-end traction.
The Scooby would open up a bit on the straights but we would catch up again in the braking zone, in the tight corners he had a small advantage and could power out slightly earlier but the Type R’s amazing suspension and lack of torque steer meant that I could also power out hard and take advantage of the non-turbo VTEC to claw back advantage before the Subaru’s turbo kicked in.

With the Type R’s prodigious grip I am always aware of my own skill limitations so I braked early and powered out early. Slow In fast out was my mantra.
I remember seeing the digital speedometer indicating a speed around 96 or 97 kilometres pre hour as dropped from fourth to third to set up my approach for the corner and began powering out.
At that speed the Civic was stable and you could feel the front tyre fighting for grip. Amazingly the front never washed out and simply tucked in nicely under power. This is the typical behaviour of the Civic Type R.
On the way down we swapped cars with the Spec C chap driving the Type R and me in his beast. He belted it and qucikly opened up a lead while another blue Spec C kept up. I decided to stay back and observe the two cars and it was quite obvious that the Type R was having a better time than the Subaru.
This was later confirmed by both drivers.
The Spec C had its suspension in its softest setting and felt a bit nervous rounding corners. Mind you it was still a firm ride and the car turned in without fuss but the soft setting sapped my confidence slightly.
By the time we hit Gombak Toll, everyone was impressed with the way the Type R ran away from everyone else.
“I can’t believe the grip on that car and on tyres that are two-thirs worn,” said our converted Spec C driver.
“I could have driven with just one hand on the wheel, the car was just so stable. The steering and chassis is so communicative I could tell exactly what the front and rear tyres were doing at all times. It is amazing how Honda minimized torque steer and made the steering so talkative. The limited slip differential just kept everything in check,” said our new convert.
Those are his words not mine. I just smiled.
His friends were scratching their heads by now. They cannot believe that the Type R is such a fast and nimble handler, not in this exalted company.
This is the best handling and fastest front wheel drive car in the world. Full stop.
I don’t care if show me a car with three litres and all the fancy gadgetry in the world I would still prefer the Type R.
I know you are thinking that I made this all up. Well, I didn’t it is the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
If the Spec C had worn its stiffest suspension setting and had the same Potenza RE070 then it probably could have run away from the Type R but then again the Civic was on worn tyres with rounded shoulders that dulled its turn-in.

With a really good driver in command, I really do not think that a weekend warrior in a Spec C Type RA could keep up with the Type R. Honestly.
Note: If anyone asks, I made all this up

**crossdx** · December 7th, 2009 12:44 AM

Interesting. If only they'd offered the Type R here, might have considered it when I was shopping for a new car.

**4agze** · December 7th, 2009 09:45 AM

That was actually a good read, its like reading a manga of Inital D lol till i read the last part its all made up ok so now its more like Initial D... I like the theory of a type-r civic or integra vs a STI, they are equally matched, the type-r had the high rev & well balanced engine w/ a great power to weight ratio vs the heavier yet turbo power flat 4 with grip monster of the AWD impreza. reminds me of bestmotoring type-r vs STI

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8zz9_ZMlYk"]YouTube- Best Motoring 1996 Tsukubu Battle[/ame]
this one was more interesting, at the few last laps it was the type-r integra vs impreza GC8 STI. seeing the toyota levin BZ-R and civic SIR was left out at the end, the misubishi evo had a turbo problem and the FTO was not bad considering he was the heaviest FWD of all.

On 2008 match up w/ RWD (Nismo fairlady Z) vs AWD (Subaru STI Type-RA) vs 2 FWD ( Honda CivicType-R)
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTBtFsadTjo"]YouTube- silver fd2 type R VS nismo Z33 STI TYPE RA R éŠ€TYPE R[/ame]