SEMA Honda Civic show cars prove the model's continuing tuner appeal

7 years, 5 months ago - 2 November 2016, Autoblog
2017 Honda Civic Coupe Racing
2017 Honda Civic Coupe Racing
Anyone familiar with the import tuning scene knows that the Honda Civic has been a staple for decades, and Honda's display at the 2016 SEMA show shows its potential to continue the tuning legacy.

The company tapped three outside companies to create custom Civic models, and also showed its own work.

First up is a bright yellow Civic Coupe from perennial SEMA show builder, TJIN Edition. In addition to giving it a name that will give editors nightmares, TJIN gave the Civic modifications to its appearance and handling with the goal of making it the "ultimate street cruiser." Up front is a front lip spoiler from Apollo Top One Auto Part, and the side skirts and rear bumper are Honda Factory Performance accessories. The car is lowered on BC Racing BR Series coilover suspension, and sits atop Rotiform OZT wheels. For stopping, the Civic uses Baer brakes. The yellow color scheme is also carried inside with Katzkin leather and suede seats.

MAD Industries took a similar tack to TJIN Edition in focusing on handling and appearance. The company gave it carbon fiber ground effects from Carbon 2 Carbon, along with some special touches such as a single, center-exit exhaust out the rear bumper. The car also features Eibach Pro Kit springs and Toyo T1R tires wrapped around Rotiform QLB wheels. Inside, black leather and suede seats get blue stitching, and various parts of the dashboard received a splash of blue as well.

Meguiar's Civic X Concept was apparently inspired by '90s tuner cars. The company lowered its 2016 Civic sedan on a coilover suspension and gave it some classic SSR mesh wheels. The hood has been replaced with a carbon fiber version, and black accents on the mirrors and door handles complement it. The interior is finished in red and black Alcantara, and gets an upgraded sound system with multiple amplifiers and subwoofers. Some modifications by Greddy have been made under the hood as well, but no details were given. We do spot a front-mounted intercooler, so we imagine this Civic is a bit more potent than the standard turbo model.

Honda also showed a race-prepped version of the Civic Coupe that will be eligible for racing in America and around the world. Among the modifications done to it are an FIA-certified roll cage and an absolutely enormous wing. The car will make its racing debut at this year's 25 Hours of Thunderhill in December. Honda also announced that race-spec Civic bodies, engines, transmissions and more will be available to racing teams through Honda Performance Development (HPD).

Finally, Honda also showed off a Civic hatchback with all of the Honda Factory Performance (HFP) goodies you can get through the company's catalog. This includes ground effects, a surprisingly large and prominent rear wing, new brake rotors and 19-inch wheels, among other things. It also has HFP badges to let you know where the parts came from.