Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition becomes the official safety car for the 2020 WTCR championship

The Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition has been chosen as the official safety car for the 2020 FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) season, with the announcement being made at the Milan headquarters of Honda’s long-term motorsport collaborator and official partner, JAS Motorsport.

Seen here with its eye-catching livery, the safety car is featured in Sunlight Yellow, which is the same colour applied to the hot hatch that is made available to customers in Europe (the United States market version gets Phoenix Yellow instead). Aside from the flashy paintjob, the vehicle also gets various communication and safety equipment for it to fulfil its role.

The 2020 WTCR season will consist of six rounds at European venues, beginning at the Salzburgring in Austria on the weekend of September 12-13. The racing series will see four Civic Type R TCR race cars on the grid, with two fielded by ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport and a further two by ALL-INKL.DE Münnich Motorsport.

As a recap, the rather popular Limited Edition is powered by a 2.0 litre VTEC Turbo engine that pushes out 320 PS at 6,500 rpm and 400 Nm of torque from 2,500 to 4,500 rpm. This is paired with a six-speed manual transmission that drives the front wheels, allowing for a zero to 100 km/h sprint time of 5.7 seconds.

What makes the model unique are the various weight-saving measures that sees it be 47 kg lighter compared to the normal CTR in GT spec sold in Europe. These include lightweight 20-inch BBS forged alloy wheels that help shave 8 kg from the unsprung weight, paired with Michelin Cup 2 tyres.

Honda also removed the rear wiper, while on the inside, the tonneau cover as well as the infotainment head unit and air-conditioning systems (including the rear heater ducts) have been omitted. Additionally, more weight is saved by reducing the amount of sound-deadening materials in the roof, rear hatch panel, front bumper and dashboard.

Like the rest of the facelifted Type R range, the Limited Edition also gets a revised exterior and aero package, while the suspension has been refined for better compliance and response. An upgraded braking system with two-piece floating front brake discs and new brake pads also allows for better thermal efficiency to reduce brake fade.

“Having such an iconic car as the Civic Type R as the official safety car – with its excellent safety rating, its sporty, dynamic qualities, as well as its affordability – fits perfectly with the philosophy of WTCR,” said François Ribeiro, head of Eurosport Events, the WTCR promoter.