While Honda has traditionally been a company of engineers pushing the boundaries of their know how, the 1.5-liter turbocharged engine in the 10th generation Civic almost didn't happen for 2016 due to some reluctance within the company, reported Automotive News on Sunday.
The new mill was initially slated to be offered as part of a mid-cycle refresh in 2017 or 2018 (possibly for the 2018 or 2019 model years), but with the Civic getting such a thorough overhaul, key people involved in the Civic project made a case for the turbo engine to be offered earlier.
"The thinking was that the new Civic needs this engine to go where we want it to go, to make this model such a leapfrog event, such a strong competitor, not just in North America but around the world," Gary Evert, the Civic's chief engineer and North American development leader, told AN.
Such a powerful engine in the Civic wasn't seen favorably by many within the company. However, Mitsuru Kariya, global development leader for the Civic, was able to make a case for the engine based on the success of turbocharged mills in Europe.
"It was a very efficient engine but people weren't evaluating it highly," Yuji Matsumochi, chief powertrain engineer on the 2016 Civic, told the trade publication. "I heard several times, 'Hey, where's the Honda-like characteristics? Where's the Honda DNA?'"
Horsepower figures for the new engine have not yet been published. The same engine will be used for other models within Hondas lineup, though for what models and when is unclear at this time.
The 2016 Honda Civic, which will go on sale in November, is the first generation to get turbocharging in North America. It will be launched as a sedan but will be offered later as a coupe and hatchback with no less than four different engines.
The post The 2016 Honda Civic Turbo Almost Didn't Happen appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
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