2020 Honda Civic Type R Faces Abbreviated Production Schedule
If you’re currently shopping for a new Civic Type R, act fast—what you see is what you get.
We’ve been eagerly awaiting the updated 2020 Honda Civic Type R. There’s a lot to love — Honda improved on an already winning package with updated bodywork and suspension and braking upgrades. When we heard there was a production delay, we were understandably concerned.
Honda is not exactly the sort of company to experience serious problems like these. We’ve all heard of the “first year blues” that affect many new cars, but Honda typically doesn’t fall victim to those issues.
Our colleagues over at Car Buzz recently got to the bottom of the issue. As you may have already guessed, the production delay had nothing to do with the cars themselves. Instead, the global pandemic caused a shutdown at the Swindown, UK plant, resulting in an abbreviated model year.
The Big Short
Several 2020 Civic Type Rs are available at dealerships around the country, but what’s out there is all we’re going to get for this year. It’s highly unlikely that the plant will restart before the 2021 model year starts.
We’re not yet sure how many actually were produced, but it is certainly far fewer than the projected 5,000. That isn’t very many to begin with, but the 2020 models will be even rarer.
That means that owners of 2020 Civic Type Rs will be part of a very elite group of owners indeed. We’re not sure if this will make for a more or less expensive used car in a few years — or a desirable collectible in the decades to come. At the very least, the abbreviated 2020 model year will make for an interesting story.
Regardless of when the plant reopens, next year’s production schedule will be cut short as well. That’s because Honda’s Swindon, UK factory is set to close its doors for good in July of 2021. No matter what happens, the facelifted Civic Type R will be a rare and special machine for the lucky few who manage to get their hands on one. If you’re shopping for one right now, we wish you the best of luck.
Photos: Car Buzz/Honda
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