Civic Reaches 15 Million: With A Little Help From UK Swindon Plant

The Civic has continued to introduce new technologies into the market place, with each new generation. Among the more important were:

• CVCC engine - The low emission Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion engine enabled the first generation Civic to satisfy the requirements of the Muskier Act of the U.S., the world’s most stringent exhaust emissions standards at the time.
• VTEC engine - Introduced with the fourth generation Civic and CRX, Variable valve Timing and lift, Electronic Control for the first time allowed both valve timing and lift to be altered to extend the rev range and power of the engine. The result was an unprecedented 150 horsepower from an engine of just 1600 ccs….
• ABS brakes - The fifth generation Civic was among the first cars in its class to introduce anti-lock braking to some models in the line up. Today, almost all Civics feature ABS brakes (also with EBD and "brake assist") as standard equipment.
• CVT transmission - Continuously Variable Transmission by steel belt running between two expandable pulleys brought a more efficient type of automatic transmission to the Civic range for the sixth generation model.
• CNG fuel - The natural-gas powered Civic GX sold in the sixth generation Civic (in Japan and the US) showed that such a fuel could be both practical and very clean. When launched the Civic GX was the cleanest vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine ever built.
• IMA system - The Integrated Motor Assist petrol/electric hybrid system introduced in the current seventh generation Civic is Honda’s latest clean air technology that allows exceptional efficiency and exhaust gas cleanliness from a small capacity petrol engine.