50 years ago, the original Honda Civic RS was the Type R hot hatch of its time
CY Foong · Jan 18, 2024 03:10 PM
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Hondaâs RS badge has often been mistaken for its high-performance-sounding initials. RS here does not mean âRushing Speedâ or âRacing Sportsâ but rather the less enthusiastic-sounding Road Sailing.
To sail or glide along the road doesnât exactly sound macho compared to the Type R or even the SiR badges that would be placed on other performance-oriented Hondas but the RS badge is an important one. It was first applied half a century ago on the first-generation Civic and turned the friendly-looking city runabout into a brash, sports compact.
The original Civicâs intention was much more noble than the aftermarket tuning reputation of its successors. It was an environmentally friendly car and a literal make-or-break model for Hondaâs young automotive division.
The Civic became a huge success overseas but while globally the first generation was known for the economical and clean CVCC engine, it was an orange Japanese exclusive variant that truly set the tone for the nameplate.
Two years after the Civicâs debut, Honda launched the Civic 1200 RS in October 1974 as a response to fans who were accustomed to the H brandâs sports models, the S600 and S800. Honda said that the RS would stand for âRoad Sailingâ because its intention was to be a high-speed model with highway cruising in mind.
Powering the first Civic RS was a twin-carburetted 1.2-litre single overhead cam (SOHC) engine. Though 76 PS/101 Nm sounds pedestrian by today's standards, it was pretty much an early hot hatch of its era. This unit was paired with a 5-speed manual transmission â unheard of for a car of its size at the time â and had stiffer suspension tuning.
Only 20,000 units were ever made, most of them painted in bright Sunset Orange. The first Civic RS was only sold for one year before emissions regulations impacted its short-lived time. Most of them were used in track events around Japan so only a few survive today.
Honda would continue producing performance-oriented variants of the Civic with each subsequent generation. The second-gen had the CX, the third-gen had the Si, while the SiR badge of the next 3 generations further cemented the Civic as the choice for many gearheads wanting to dip into an affordable performance car.
Then the Civic Type R barged right through everyoneâs consciousness and pushed the Civic into absolute performance territory. Since 1997, the famous red R badge has been the high-powered flagship variant of the Civic ever since.
Meanwhile, the RS badge laid dormant for 32 years before it was revived on the Honda Fit in Japan in 2007. Eventually, the badge was used on various Honda models domestically and abroad including in Malaysia with the Road Sailing variant applied on all locally assembled (CKD) models except for the Accord.
The RS badge made its triumphant return to the Japanese-spec Civic at this yearâs Tokyo Auto Salon. Though the model is still being in development with a prototype shown, it is offered with a 6-speed manual transmission.
While it is just in time for the original Civic RSâ 50th anniversary, hopefully, the production version will offer an orange hue as an option.
Petrol RS variant shown
Honda Malaysia currently offers the Honda Civic RS in both turbocharged petrol and e:HEV hybrid variants. Unlike the upcoming Japanese Civic RS, the MY-spec Civic RS variants are paired with a CVT/e-CVT transmission with prices as follows:
Traded advertising for a career that fits his passion for cars. Enjoys spotting cars during his free time and has a soft spot for Japanese Kei cars but drives a thirsty manual sedan.
