Running around the Nurburgring quicker than any front-wheel drive car before it, you can't accuse the Honda Civic Type R of being soft. And yet, Automotive News reports that a more hardcore version of the Civic Type R is already in the works. Honda is also considering building even more variants of the Type R to cater to different enthusiast needs.

Automotive News spoke with Hideki Matsumoto, the lead engineer of the Civic at the Type R's recent press launch. "We’re hoping that by gradually putting out more [variants] that we’ll be able to maintain a more stable sales volume [for the Type R]," he said.



The first Civic Type R variant will be a more hardcore version with more horsepower than the base model's 305. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a less hardcore Type R "focused more on the grand touring aspect," according to Matsumoto, is under consideration.

Interestingly, Automotive News also reports that an all-wheel drive version of the Type R is a possibility. Matsumoto said that he wanted the first Civic Type R in the US to be a reflection of previous models—light, powerful, and front-wheel drive—but apparently, he's leaving the door open for radical new versions.

Currently, Honda doesn't offer all-wheel drive on any Civic model, so it's unclear what sort of AWD system the Civic Type R would receive. Automotive News notes that most of the Type R's rivals—the Subaru WRX, Ford Focus RS, and Volkswagen Golf R—all offer all-wheel drive as standard.

The Civic Type R is already a very impressive car, so it'll be interesting to see what Honda will cook up next for it. An all-wheel drive Civic Type R is certainly an intriguing possibility.

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