Honda finally discloses technical specs of its new hyper hatch

... Sonic Grey Pearl, ...

... Boost Blue, and ....

... Crystal Black Pearl.

Perhaps there should have been a sixth colour, Phoenix Yellow, although it wouldn't be surprising if Honda was reserving this for a swansong pure-ICE FL5 CTR. Otherwise, if you really must have it, just pull a page out of HondaPro Jason's book and paint your CTR in this colour. We'd support your decision for sure.

The next (and main) item of concern is the engine specs. The previous-gen FK8 CTR's K20C1 2-litre turbocharged inline-four featured two levels of tunes - 306hp for the North American market, and 316hp elsewhere.

The FL5's K20C1, however, receives a bump in power, and is tuned for 315hp and 420Nm of torque for North America and putting down 325hp in JDM-guise; the torque figure is unchanged. Based on the FK8Rm we'll probably receive the former (if/when authorised dealer Kah Motor brings it to Singapore).

Power is sent to the front wheels through Honda's beloved crisp-feeling six-speed manual transmission, which comes standard with a helical-type limited-slip differential, or LSD. This, together with a revised rev-matching system and lighter flywheel, will help put all those angry VTEC-turbo horses down on the tarmac in a more surefooted manner.

Something that really irritated this author with the previous two-generations of CTR, namely FK2 and FK8, is that they wore 20-inch rims with impossibly thin rubber-band-esqe tyres that looked painted on. IF I'd bought a CTR of either generation, the rims and tyres would have been 'upgraded' to 19-inch or even 18-inch items, of course keeping scrub radius values as close to stock as possible. Many CTR owners worldwide have been 'upgrading' their rim-and-tyre setups likewise.

Well, it appears that Honda has listened to its audience, fitting the FL5 CTR with "reverse rim structure" 19-inch rims that improves tyre-patch contact with the ground during cornering, and thicker-sidewalled and wider 265/30R19 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres (the FK8 wore 245/30R20 rubber). Given that adaptive suspension is still a thing with the FL5, ride comfort (hopefully) should take a nice uptick with this setup, while providing for more grip in track-day and fast B-road driving situations.

All of that power is nothing without control (ha ha), and Honda has seen fit to improve brake cooling and a re-tuned brake booster to improve fade resistance and brake pedal feel respectively. The size of the brake rotors themselves appear to be the same as the FK8's, at 350mm two-piece ventilated items in front and solid 305mm ones at the back, clamped down upon by fixed four-piston Brembos and single-piston sliding calipers fore and aft. Suspension is strut front (as opposed to double-wishbone, disappointingly) and multilink rear.

The FL5 CTR's chassis is more rigid, nearly 36mm longer in wheelbase, 25mm wider in its front track and 19mm wider in the rear. The body is 20mm longer, 15mm wider and sits nearly 13mm lower than the FK8 CTR. Apart from looking sportier, what this means is that an already practical car just became that bit more practical, not to mention a better-handling machine.

The Japanese Type R spec-sheet seems to suggest that the JDM CTR will get the following functions as part of Honda Sensing:

• Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
• Pedestrian Accident Mitigation Steering
• Road Departure Prevention Function
• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) (in a MANUAL woooo!!!)
• Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)
• Emergency collision mitigation braking
• Leading vehicle start notification function (notifys the driver when the vehicle in front moves off from a standstill)
• Sign recognition function
• Auto high beam
• Blind spot information
• Parking sensor system
• Reversing support

Them's the deets for now folks. We'll keep our eyes and ears peeled for any new info coming down the automotive grapevine.