2004 Honda Civic Type-R

Hard to tell by looking at it, but this most Japanese of Civics, the glorious Type R, rolls not out of a factory on the Pacific island nation but instead out of an Atlantic island nation—the United Kingdom. Honda has a plant in Swindon that produces cars not only for Europe, but also to ship back to Japan. The second-generation Type R is one of a new generation of globe-trotting Hondas, and while the JDM and EDM versions differ slightly, they’re both just as much Type Rs as their Japanese-built predecessor. That means that the chassis is seam-welded for additional strength (a Type R trademark), fitted with a 212 horsepower version of the excellent “K20” motor found in the Acura RSX, and a shifted via a slick 6-speed transmission. The cosmopolitan attitude of the Type R doesn’t mean it’s forgotten its roots, either, as 60 mph comes in just 6.2 seconds and the suspension is tuned to allow for incredibly precise handling without punishing the occupants. Of course, the Type R is as tunable as any other Honda product, so if you want more power or better handling than the great stock setup, the Upgrade Shop is a button push away.