Motivation comes from the DOHC 1.6-liter VTEC engine that used to reside in the del Sol roadster.
Power reaches the pavement through a five-speed manual transmission.
To contain all this extra thrust, Honda gave the Civic Si a stiffer ride. Front and rear stabilizer bars, a front strut tower brace and 25-percent stiffer springs all conspire to virtually eliminate understeer. Bringing the car to a halt are four-wheel disc brakes, although an antilock brake system will not be available. On sale now, the Si should account for some 15,000 sales this year. Color choices are limited to black, red and a new primary variant called Electron Blue.