By the way, an update about the numbers on the GTI’s roof coming up shortly. There’s some more GRM project history involved there as well.
Photography Credit: Colin Wood (GTI), David S. Wallens (Civic Si)
The breadvan.
That’s what they called it.
The Ferrari 250 GT SWB, the wind-cheating special built for the 1962 running of Le Mans?
No, the EP3-chassis Honda Civic Si, sold from 2002 through 2005.
It was a bit big. It was boxy.
It was also Honda’s first post-wishbone Civic Si–and, as we’d later find out, the final Civic Si hatch sent our way.
We had one as a project car.
And this wasn’t just any 2002 Civic Si but the very one that graced BFGoodrich’s booth at the SEMA Show. After the show, a friend at the tire company asked us a question: Were we interested in babysitting that Civic?
Sure, sign us up.
For that 2001 SEMA Show appearance, BFG prepped the car for the then-new SCCA Street Touring class. This was back before the class expanded into an entire category.
The basics of Street Touring were a bit revolutionary at the time: modified, emissions-legal autocross compacts. Common bolt-ons were welcome: headers, intakes, exhausts, wheels, suspension and even “dress-up” items like OE-style wings and spoilers.
The goal was to reflect the cars seen in the day’s tuner scene. The hope was to attract a new generation of autocrosser–along with the companies that supported them.
The rules also required true street tires. At the time, the SCCA went with a 140tw rating. That would also welcome new players to the autocross community.
BFGoodrich used this Civic Si to promote its then-new g-Force T/A tires. Fast yet truly intended for street use.
In the years leading up to Street Touring, autocross was largely dominated by just two types of tires: true racing slicks plus the barely legal R-comps found in the Stock and Street Prepared ranks. Neither one really provided an option for those looking for a true dual-purpose tire.
Street Touring–both the cars and the tires–was a totally new idea. This particular Civic Si captured the entire essence.
[How are treadwear ratings determined? It’s not how you think.]
We followed BFG’s lead and further developed the car for Street Touring.
The Civic Si wound up spending a few seasons with us. After its initial run as a Street Touring autocrosser–including time at the Tire Rack SCCA Solo Nationals–we prepped the car for NASA’s Honda Challenge road racing class.
The Civic Si wasn’t an overdog in either arena. Not only was the EP3 big by the day’s standards, but its strut front suspension didn’t do it much favors. Lower the car–as we did, of course–and things got a little weird. The hot setup to get it to turn? Lots of rear bar.
But all wasn’t for naught with our little Civic as it excelled on the street. It was roomy, it was comfy, it could carry enough gear for an event.
It did well at local events with one particular GRM editor (me) claiming class and category titles with our local Martin Sports Car Club.
So here we are more than two decades later with another white hatch that’s a little, well, call it on the big side: our Volkswagen Golf GTI project.
Did Volkswagen build a modern version of the EP3 Civic Si? As the specs show, it’s a bit close.
We don’t have comparable lap times but, from what we remember, both cars deliver similar handling traits: relatively tall cars that need a moment or two for the front end to take a set.
With the VW, though, you also get bags of torque plus a bigger footprint. We run 225mm or 245mm tires on the Volkswagen; the Civic ran a 205/50R15 which, at the time, was a bit meaty for street-driven Civic. (The GTI, unfortunately, didn’t get the Civic’s dash-mounted shifter; at the time, people didn’t get it.)
All these years later, the souls of the two cars seem similar. Once again, we have a hot hatch project car that’s fairly quick on track yet also rather practical. Can we call that a win-win?
By the way, an update about the numbers on the GTI’s roof coming up shortly. There’s some more GRM project history involved there as well.
Yes, a lot of fun had that day–and more to come. 
Fiesta ST is closer IMO.
What an insult to the outstanding and competent Mk7, comparing it to the worst Civic like that.
Having lived (and autocrossed) both, I am finding some similarities that made me think about one of our past project cars. Yes, there have been a few decades of progress but, at the end of the day, both are kinda XL-sized hot hatches with similar mission statements.
I autocrossed a first gen Rabbit when I was in college. I can understand needing a lot of rear swaybar. It may have taken a moment for the front end to take a set but it took the rear whole seconds to take a set!
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