Honda Civic Type R tune unlocks 43kW and 107Nm

We knew the Honda Civic Type R’s engine could make big power.

Powertrain engineers told MOTOR at the vehicle’s launch that the Type R’s F20C unit uses a monoscroll turbocharger for that very reason.

We just didn’t know how much more than the stock 228kW and 400Nm we would see until now.

Famed aftermarket tuners Hondata has granted a sneak peek at the potential of Honda’s new turbocharged VTEC engines with its latest software upgrade.

It claims its newly announced ECU tune for the FK8 Civic Type R, called FlashPro, has unlocked as much as 43kW and 107Nm.

The upgrade flashes the car’s stock ECU with tuning software preloaded with different maps. The above figures are from its ethanol-fuel map that relies on a 25 per cent ethanol mix.

So, is the extra stonk at the wheels or engine? The tests were performed on a Dynapack hub dyno, but because the baseline power figure was 236kW, almost lineball with stock Civic Type R power, you can assume no drivetrain loss and gains are at the flywheel.

In other tests, American 93 octane boosted outputs by 35kW and 97Nm, while 91 octane equalled another 24kW and 53Nm.

We should point out that Hondata claims the tune is for off-road use only and that the tune is only available to North American owners.

If you’re curious in what this would mean for Aussie Type Rs, our 98 octane pump fuel is reported to match America’s 91 octane mix.

The tune is available for US$695 (AU$905) to Stateside Civic Type R owners, who must remove and send their car’s ECU to Hondata’s headquarters in California.

ECUs must also be jail-broken, which Hondata charges for US$250 (AU$325).

The gains translate to US$21 per kilowatt and US$8 cost per newton metre on that E25 tune.

While that might be dear for something ultimately not legal on roads, or available here, it does turn the Civic Type R into a 278kW and 507Nm hot hatch without any modification (except the below).

And that’s very good news.