We have to admit to the fact that we have not featured balls to the walls JDM builds. But I assure you, we were waiting for the right opportunity and this seems a perfect time to do so. One of the reasons this is a build you NEED to know about is because of the people behind it aka Race Concepts! The flagbearers of everything JDM and more, say hello to this Stage 3 Honda City Type 2 which produces 450Hp with a weight of only 850Kg!
The piece de resistance of this car is the engine. It is one of the most comprehensive builds we have ever witnessed. The 1.5 Litre 4 cylinder has been heavily revised to sustain the ginormous power figures. It has Forged Rods, Forged Pistons, Stage 3 Turbo Camshaft, block braces, and a custom-made header for good company!
However, tinfoil hats may notice that the above mods merely offer support to the engine to go fast. What makes the 4-banger VTEC do the trickery? A Garett 2871 GTX Turbo is the answer which is found in cars such as R34 & Stock R35 GTRs. The long list of mods continues as there is a Stage 3 Clutch and custom ratios for the gearbox.
Along with these updates, there is also Quave Limited Slip Differential to ease the power delivery to the ground. Not to mention, Turbosmart electric wastegate, Edelbrock Intake Manifold with ported runners and secondary injectors, 64mm Edelbrock Throttle Body, 750cc Injectors and AM Map Sensor. Still, that is just the beginning, mishimoto turbo hoses for all the turbo plumbing, High-Quality Stainless-Steel Clips, Aluminium Radiator, Battery Relocation to the rear, AMEM Fuel Pressure Regulator, High Flow Denzo Fuel Pump, Upgraded Wiring, 2.5-inch exhaust with headers, upgraded Air Intake, Autometer Digital Speedometer and Odometer signifies the crazy nature of this build!
The interior is just as ridiculous as the mod list. There are Sparco Racing Seats which hold you well with fixed seatbacks. The OMP racing wheel adds the details to the racecar but the main attention to detail is added by the gauges such as the AEM Air Fuel Ratio Gauge. You will immediately notice that the clutch is REALLY hard to press. Not to mention, the whole car is fitted with a roll cage which finally drives home the point that this is a proper racecar if the stripped interior and all the other details did not already assert it.
If you were to spend Rs. 20 Lakhs and not have a cool exterior, it would’ve been a waste. Thankfully the livery is there to let others know that you’re driving a racecar! Some cool touches include “Turbo’d beyond your imagination” as well as “Brain and Balls Resetter” and my personal favourite “Boost Balls and Glory”. The yellow tint on the headlights adds to the SuperGT aesthetics of the car. It looks like it could enter the prototype class of the Japanese Touring Car Championship There are fully adjustable coil overs which improve the stance a lot with 15-inch racing rims on Yokohama tyres which help to produce the grip and upgraded brakes one would need to pilot a 450hp Front Wheel Drive Car! A funny aspect of this build is that this without all the crazy turbo upgrades would’ve been an Indian Touring Car! The fact that it isn’t is also a middle finger to FMSCI and their regulations which is very amusing. Period.
A car like this requires all of your attention when you are piloting it on the road. If you didn’t know, this car shared absolutely nothing with the stock car. It is a car which prioritises performance over everything else which is why the ergonomics are hard to get used to. The clutch is hard to engage and disengage optimally and every input has commendable feedback. If you even inch on the throttle, it is twitchy! The steering feedback is fantastic as it does go where you point and could be described as confidence-inspiring once you get used to it, which is a big ask, to say the least. The mechanical grip is there even if torque steer is a thing and whilst we were not able to push the car to its limit, the feeling is noticeable despite the Front Wheel Drive nature of the car. The turbo spools are late but when you reach the threshold, it’s the most unimaginable delight! The spools are crazy on the tiny engine but knowing what dimensions it can take you, makes you want to do it sooner rather than later.
You quickly notice that the suspension setup is not made for roads our municipal corporations deliver. But, the way this Honda City delivers high-speed grip is otherworldly. The best compliment we can give this build is it doesn’t feel scary once you get used to it. Since there is no traction control or electronic nannies, it depends upon you to control the mighty beast. This realization gets you involved in the intricacies of high-speed driving and is best recommended to someone who has experience in tuning and modifying cars to a good extent. This build will give you all the joy after you put the pedal to the metal and even if it may not deliver the point-and-shoot capabilities of a well-balanced AWD car, it doesn’t matter as it delivers on the drama and the analogue feel and feedback.
However, it isn’t all roses. This car gives all of the drama you would expect but what you should also expect is things going wrong. The simply unusable characteristics should be a cautionary tale as to having a 2nd car for daily use as a lot of mechanical threshold of parts have gone for a toss which can cause a lot of trouble in the long run. And you should consider, this build will cost Rs. 20 Lakhs in just parts and not the car so the commitment should be realized at a very early stage. Not to mention, not finding a good tuner can damage things to a catastrophic extent but if you can get through it all, you’ve got an impressive build at the end!
