MR2 GTS Turbo Vs Honda Civic Type R

[Nick]

I drive a Civic Type R as a company car each day and have a rev 2 Turbo as a weekend car.
They are both immensely satisfying cars to drive and very different in their power delivery charicteristics as you would expect. The one thing they have in common is the need for respect on poor road surfaces - both are very unforgiving!
The six speed 'box on the CTR is geared to allow the engine to be kept in the VTEC band (5400 rpm to red line) allowing for very rapid acceleration if the correct technique is used, but if you get caught out below the VTEC band in the wrong gear and put your foot to the floor waiting for the torque to push you back up there, you will be waiting for a long time! That's when you wish there was some forced induction there, and long for the torque that the MR2 Turbo has. The MR2 is much less 'hard work' to drive quickly in terms of extracting power/acheiving acceleration. On the other hand when I near the final 1500 rpm in the MR2 I miss the hard punch that the VTEC provides, - it really is phenominal on the CTR.

On balance it's difficult to say which feels quicker in a straight line, but if my arm were twisted I would say the MR2 - and it certainly is through the twisties.

Both superb machines though that differ massively in currency value, but I learnt a long time ago that expensive doesn't neccessarily mean fun and that is one of the joys of the MR2! [/i]

[Chris Downes]

Cant say anything about the Civic Type "R", but aswell as my MR2 Turbo I have a Celica T-Sport, which has 189Bhp from a 1.8. Dont get me wrong, the Celica is a very rapid car, but has to be held above 6000rpm to be in the happy range, which lasts until 8250rpm.

In terms of performance, the T-Sport is not as quick as the Tubby, but is quick enough to shame alot of cars out there. I would expect the Tubby to be quicker than a Type R, unless of course it has some mods done in which case I think they will match a stock Tubby.

Just my 2p's worth

[Vindezal]

my n/a glimited keeps up with type R, Astra turbos... what next? Mines standard

[JAP BOY]

my car make shed loads more torque than a type r but the power aint as high as 200bhp! mind u alot of these honda chaps have now got the old cheat gas goin

[jrleech]

I held onto an Integra Type R in my 130bhp Mk1 the other week, saw him blast across a roundabout in front of me, took chase, and we both nailed it down the dual carriageway. He didn't gain an inch

Must have really pi$$ed him off, as his car was pretty new, and all kitted up