If all goes according to plan, I'll have two test drives of new 2008 Honda cars coming this week. The first comes from Jason Fogelson, our Guide to SUVs. Since I already said what I had to say about the Honda Civic Si sedan when it came out last year, I asked Jason if he'd have a go at the new souped-up version, the Civic MUGEN Si.
Now, the word MUGEN may be gibberish to a lot of folks, but to Honda fanatics it's one we've been waiting to see on a US-market Honda for a long time. MUGEN is Honda's resident tuner, a separate company founded by the son of Sochiro Honda himself. Honda of America has been pretty stingy when it comes to their highest performance models (have we ever gotten an Si-R model here in the States? I don't think we have), so it's nice to see the MUGEN model on sale here in the Land of the Free -- even if they're only going to sell a thousand of them. So was it worth waiting for? Check out Jason's Civic MUGEN Si review to find out. -- Aaron Gold
Photo © Jason Fogelson
I like how when Jason describes the power spike when the Honda variable valve timing, uh, varies as if there were a turbocharger kicking in. Some of us oldfrats would describe it as like when the secondaries open up. Secondaries? You know, on a carburetor. Uh, that controlled leak thing that everyone stopped using to mix gas with incoming air about, uh, twentyfive years ago. Well, everyone but NASCAR’s “stock cars.”
Funny you should mention that — a while ago I attended a GM Performance event in which I drove a vintage Chevelle with a crate motor. They were still adjusting the carb, so it had a tendency to flood. I think the guy was pretty amazed that I was under 40 yet knew not only how to start a car with a carburetor, but how to start it when it was flooded! I own an old car with a 2 bbl… pump twice if it’s been sitting more than 3 days, once if it’s less than 3 days, none if it’s under 2 hrs. Turn the key and off you go.
Bring out the big guns. Cars is only for men. And since I love cars, I buy two hundred and let other people have none.
Bring out the big guns.
Hmmm, I think Aaron was being tactful. $9K seems an awful lot to pay for a wing, shifter/pedals, badges, wheels, blue paint and a spoiler kit. For $30K (be realistic, $33-$34K with dealer markup for the “limited version”), I could have my choice of three fire breathing 250-300HP AWD cars (STi, EVO or a VDub R-32 with a DSG box in it). If you need to have a Honda badge and want true performance, $30k would get you a squeaky clean used S-2000, and a few $ more would get you a brand new S-2000 Club Racing version. At least with those cars you get an actual serious bump in performance for your $9K over the base car. I like Honda. I own a Ridgeline for my work truck (PLEEZE bring out the diesel version sooner than 2011!!!!) but I think Honda is crazy on this one. The teens may dig it, but I’d dig it more looking back at it in the rear view mirror in any of the above alternatives.
It always amazes me how impressed these kids are with stuff that actually makes the car *slower*. By the looks of the spec sheet the only thing missing is the obnoxious subwoofer (350 watts won’t cut it with that crowd).
I would disagree with Jason’s comment that it is for anyone looking for a quick entry to the tuner market. Who it is for is Honda fanboyz who are spending someone else’s money. Anyone else could buy a new Si… Then for nine grand, you could probably pay someone to literally make it fly.
I recently tested a Honda Interceptor (sportbike) and happened to use the term “secondaries” to describe the surge of power above 7,000 rpm.
It was actually VTEC at work; apparently, I was really dating myself!
I agree with Kevin. For $30-31k you can buy a “new” S2000, provided you’ll take a 2007 model and there’s plenty out there. But that high revving V-Tech engine(as I’ve written here before)is a total turn-off for me. This Mugen should have a supercharger tacked on to it…yeah, I know that’ll hurt the gas mileage, but the buyers of this car could give a hoot…besides there’s not going to be enough sold to affect the C.A.F.E. numbers. This car as it sits, is a glitzed up “boy racer” for middle aged guys who want a hot looking car with a SEMA image to impress the really young girls they’re hoping to pick up on Venice Beach. Unfortunately those girls will be climbing into the Porsche Caymans and Aston Martin DB9’s!
try it you might like it. Reading and dreaming does not make for the real experience. Real review Jason, thanks
Ya Porsche Caymans and Aston Martin are nice if you can afford it and not too many people can. Besides this version of the Si is fun and sporty mainly aimed at the younger age groups