Honda Si Concept

Honda SI Concept Reveals New Direction

The Next-Generation Si Looks Sleeker, Slicker And, With 200 Hp, A Six-Speed Trans And Limited-Slip, Just Right In The Performance/Dollar Equation.

The Civic Si has returned from the Honda lab with a full lobotomy. If the Si Concept revealed at the Chicago Auto Show resembles anything close to the production model to be released at the end of this year, the next-generation Si will output 200 hp from a K20 powerplant mated to a six-speed manual gearbox and rev to 8000 rpm. That's just for starters.

"The 2006 Civic Si Coupe will be the most powerful, fastest and fun-to-drive Si we've ever put on the street," announced American Honda Senior Vice-President John Mendel (the man expected to succeed Executive VP Tom Elliott when Elliott retires later this year). "The Civic Si Concept sets the direction in terms of its styling, package and performance."

Honda calls the design "Advanced Personal Compact." The silhouette is more Euro than the earlier Si models, though much less "blobular" and more like the current Peugeot 307 with its long hood line and trunk deck. The Concept Si sits squat with little wheel gap between the body and the 18-inch wheel/tire package (unlikely to make it to production).

The Si Concept also features a helical limited slip differential for better cornering and grip at launch, and large, cross-drilled brake rotors with Brembo four-piston calipers. Special aerodynamic touches include a full front and side aero kit, rear deck wing, and a lower rear bumper diffuser with a center exhaust. All very good stuff, but the big question is of course, "how will it drive?"

The current Si suffers from a lack of raw "tossability." It's heavy, too cush and its strut suspension is not up to the reflexes of the older wishbones design. Driver feel will depend largely on weight and suspension setup, neither of which was revealed for the Civic Si Concept. We understand that Honda is sticking with the MacPherson strut layout, although it's a supposedly improved design.

Lest we forget, the Si is only one small part of the all-new Civic lineup. Honda promises that the new look and feel is sportier than the current models. The '06 Civic will launch this fall with a four-door sedan, two-door coupe, an even more fuel-efficient Civic Hybrid and a natural gas-powered Civic GX. The sixth-generation Si will make its world debut at November's SEMA show in Las Vegas.