1997-2000 Honda Civic Type R EK9 Cotton T-Shirt

The 1997-2000 Honda Civic Type R EK9 redefined front-wheel-drive performance by delivering the highest specific power output of any naturally aspirated road car engine of its era. This lightweight hatchback established a dedicated following through its track-ready engineering, offering an 8,400-rpm redline and a level of cornering precision that challenged contemporary sports cars.

At the heart of the EK9 is the hand-ported B16B engine, a 1.6-liter dual-overhead-cam inline-four utilizing Honda's VTEC variable valve timing system. This naturally aspirated powerplant produces 185 metric horsepower at 8,200 rpm and 118 pound-feet of torque at 7,500 rpm. A high 10.8:1 compression ratio and low-friction pistons help maximize its high-revving efficiency.

To harness this power, Honda equipped the front-wheel-drive EK9 with a close-ratio five-speed manual transmission and a helical limited-slip differential. The chassis benefits from strategic seam welding and a fully independent double-wishbone suspension at all four corners. This setup, paired with a stiffened anti-roll bar, delivers neutral handling and immense cornering grip.

With approximately 16,000 units produced exclusively for the Japanese domestic market, the EK9 is now a highly prized collector car worldwide. As the first model to wear the Civic Type R badge, it succeeded the high-performance Civic SiR-II EG6 hatchback. This pioneering generation laid the groundwork for its successor, the EP3, which debuted in 2001.