EG Civic Owner Explains the Secret to Making 1,100-Horsepower

Running an Acura TL engine, this Civic is hitting nearly 200 miles per hour in a standing half-mile.

The video above comes to us from the High Performance Academy YouTube channel and it features an interview with the owner and driver of the nasty Honda Civic EG hatch. Owner Aaron O’Neill of English Racing built this car for high-speed runs and by using parts from an Acura TL and a huge turbocharger, this Honda hatchback is reaching nearly 200 miles per hour in a standing half-mile.

Unfortunately, mechanical issues kept O’Neill from hitting 200 at the Shift Sector Pikes Peak Airstrip Attack event where this interview was filmed, but we do get a quick look at this beast in action after the detailed description of the car.

The Build

This Honda Civic EG hatch is powered by a J-Series V6 engine from a 2003 Acura TL. The block is original, but it has modified cylinder heads, stronger rods and pistons on a stock crankshaft, modified stock camshafts and a big honking turbo setup. To be exact, this hatchback is rocking a Precision Turbo & Engine 8385 turbocharger and the whole system is tuned to run in Ignite 114 gasoline-alcohol blend. At 37 pounds of boost pressure, this engine is making around 1,140 horsepower.

All of that power is sent to the front wheels by means of a modified Acura TL 6-speed manual transmission. O’Neill runs the stock first, second, third and fifth gears, along with a straight-cut fourth gear. He had been running the stock fourth gear as well, but the torque tore it up and he replaced the broken parts with stronger components.

Using the Power

O’Neill uses this Civic EG hatch for half-mile top speed events and that was one of the reasons why he went with the V6. While there is more aftermarket support for the four-cylinder engines, he points out that a thousand-horsepower four-cylinder has runs in it, while the V6 has miles in it. In other words, he was able to get the same power out of the V6 more reliably and, thus far, the only mechanical failures due to the big power has been the transmission gearing.

He does point out that traction is tough, so he uses the adjustable suspension setup and sticky Mickey Thompson drag slicks to get the best grip possible, but he also has a boost-by-gear system that limits torque output. In first gear, this Civic is making “only” around 400 lb-ft of torque and in second gear, that increases to 500 and then 600 in third gear. When he gets into fourth gear, the car is running on full power, with over 700 lb-ft of torque being funneled to the front tires.

Hitting the Track

The video ends with an in-car look at a half-mile run in this Civic, at which point we see that the cabin is gutted, with only an aftermarket gauge screen, a race seat and the roll cage.

The combination of this 1,140-horsepower Acura V6 and the lightweight body makes for one insanely fast Honda Civic. To be exact, O’Neill has hit 199.38 miles per hour in a previous half-mile run. Unfortunately, he only made one run on the day of this interview and he had mechanical issues, “only” hitting 189 in the standing half-mile.

However, those mechanical issues don’t make this Civic EG hatch any impressive, so crank up your speakers and enjoy!

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com