Honda Begins Testing Civic WTCC at Vallelunga

HondaHondaJapan, 1948 > present102 models
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has begun testing its CivicHonda Civic Gen.9Japan, 2011 > present85 versions
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WTCC car around Vallelunga with ex-Formula 1 driver and 2009 WTCC Champion Gabriele Tarquini. The car will make its race debut at the Suzuka round of the WTCC on October 19-21 with Tiago Monteiro driving. Tarquini will continue to test the car for the rest of the year, and both men will drive the Civic WTCC next season. 

This is the first time that the final exterior of the Civic WTCC has been revealed. It has lower front and rear bumpers and other new aerodynamic elements. 

"The initial track testing has already provided us with a lot of feedback and data, but the road to Suzuka in October remains a long one.  This isn't the end. It's just the beginning. From here we will make ourselves even busier," said Alessandro Mariani, Team Principal of Honda Racing Team JAS said.

The car uses a new 1.6-liter turbocharged engine called the HR-412E that Honda developed with Mugen.

"The body work is precise and the engine feels great. But this is just the first track test, so there is so much more for us to work on. The car looks beautiful too and will, I'm sure, wow all the WTCC fans around the world when it makes its debut in Suzuka later this year," said Tarquini.