Honda engineers build a Civic Type R pickup truck, just for fun

By Stephen Edelstein May 24, 2018

1 of 5

Honda Civic Type R pickup truck — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Honda Civic Type R pickup truck — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Honda Civic Type R pickup truck — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Honda Civic Type R pickup truck — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Honda Civic Type R pickup truck — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Honda Civic Type R is already a fairly practical five-door hatchback, but that apparently wasn’t good enough for a group of U.K. Honda engineers who gave a Type R the full El Camino treatment, turning it into a pickup truck named “Project P.”

Up front, Project P looks like a standard Civic Type R. But the roof aft of the front doors was removed to make way for the pickup bed. The stock rear spoiler was retained but modified so it could swing out of the way to allow easier loading and unloading of the bed. Honda’s engineers clearly thought of everything.

The pickup truck uses the same engine, transmission, and suspension as a stock Civic Type R, according to Honda. That means a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Drive is to the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. Honda claims Project P will do 0 to 62 mph in under six seconds, and reach a top speed of over 165 mph. The Type R El Camino also retains the stock drive modes of Comfort, Sport, and +R.

Project P was built by a team of engineers at the Honda of the U.K. Manufacturing factory in Swindon, England. The factory builds all Civic hatchbacks sold in Europe and North America, including the Type R. Don’t expect Honda to put a Civic pickup into production though; Project P was just a fun side project.

“We have a special projects division at the factory in Swindon and this project was a fantastic opportunity for the team to show just what their creative minds could do,” Alyn James, Project P team leader, said in a statement. “The passion that our engineers have for Honda is shown in our latest creation and we are even considering taking it to the Nürburgring to see if we can take the record for the fastest front-wheel drive pickup truck!”

In the auto industry, it seems that everything is cooler with a pickup bed. Engineers at BMW and Nissan have built one-off pickup versions of the M3 and Leaf, respectively, and Photoshop renderings giving other models the El Camino treatment appear regularly online. Which car do you think will be next?

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

Cars

Mercedes-Benz EQG: range, price, release date, and more

Concept image of the larger electric G-Wagon

The G-Class is going electric. We already knew that Mercedes-Benz was working on an electric, small-size G-Wagon, but it looks like the company is also working on a larger G-Class SUV, in the form of the EQG. In fact, Mercedes has gone as far as to show off a concept version of the off-roader.

While there's much we don't know about what will become the production model of the EQG, Mercedes has also shared a lot about it. Curious about whether the Mercedes-Benz EQG could be the EV for you? Here's everything we know so far.
Design
Fear not -- the EQG will retain many of the design aspects of the G-Class that you already know and love but with a modern face-lift. The EQG will keep the boxy design that gives the G-Class a classic look but with some additional modern styling, at least if the concept version is anything to go by.

Cars

Rivian R2 vs. Kia EV9: battle of affordable electric SUVs

Kia EV9 GT-Line Three Quarters

The long-awaited Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it's an excellent option for those who want an electric SUV that doesn't completely break the bank. Sure, the R2 isn't cheap -- but it's a whole lot cheaper than most other EVs out there, especially when it comes to SUVs. But Rivian isn't the only company trying to tackle the problem of the budget electric SUV. The Kia EV9 is finally available, and it too offers a modern design and a range of helpful features.

Given the fact that the Rivian R2 and Kia EV9 are two electric SUVs in a similar price range, you might be wondering which is better for your needs. That's why we put the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 head-to-head.
Design
Both the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 are actual SUVs -- not crossovers pretending to be SUVs, like plenty of other EVs out there. The two vehicles offer big, boxy designs and plenty of interior space, making them excellent options for families or those who need that extra storage.

Cars

Rivian R2 vs R1S: How will Rivian’s cheaper SUV compare?

The front three-quarter view of a 2022 Rivian against a rocky backdrop.

Rivian has finally unveiled the R2, its long-awaited attempt at a more affordable electric SUV. The new vehicle may not be available just yet, but fans of Rivian's design aesthetics and feature set are already looking forward to being able to order the new car. The R2 is targeted at being a more affordable take on the electric SUV and will sit alongside the flagship-tier R1S.

Let's get this out of the way right now: The R1S is most likely going to be a better vehicle than the R2. Rivian isn't replacing the R1S with the R2 — it's releasing the R2 as a more affordable alternative, and there will be some compromises when buying the R2 over the R1S.