Honda ramps up it's 2007 Civic line-up with the addition of the 197 Hp Civic Si Sedan

Our Honda-hungry friends seem to be having a blast today as a few hours after the "official" revelation of the 2007 CR-V, the Japanese automaker came out with yet another model, the new-for-2007 Honda Civic Si Sedan.

This is the first time that American Civic Sedan range get's a Si performance version. The Civic Si Coupe’s 4door counterpart gets the same 2.0 i-VTEC engine that produces 197 Hp at 7.800 rpm. Unfortunately for the Europeans, there's no word -yet, about an Euro spec edition. However, Honda will more that satisfy its Eurpean customers in a few days with the apocalypse of the sporty 3door 2007 Civic Type-R.

PRESS RELEASE: The new-for-2007 Honda Civic Si Sedan embraces the style and performance of the Civic Si Coupe and marks the first time that "Si" performance has become available in th Civic Sedan. Similar to the existing, the Civic Si Sedan serves as another performance halo for the Civic line-up with a 197-horsepower, 16-valve, DOHC 2.0 liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine with an 8,000 rpm redline - all mated to a close-ratio, 6-speed manual transmission and a helical-type, limited slip differential. Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with Traction Control is standard (and also added to the Civic Si Coupe as standard equipment for 2007).

Exterior: Its exclusive exterior includes a low-profile rear spoiler wing, aero cladding and front and rear Si emblems. Similar to the Civic Si Coupe, the Civic Si Sedan has a sporty interior with deeply bolstered seats, red fabric stitching, red backlit gauges, and leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob.

Driving Dynamics: The Civic Si Sedan rides on dark silver 17-inch cast aluminum alloy wheels (new color for 2007, and also applied to the Civic Si Coupe) 215/45R17 high-performance tires (summer tire available), and stops with 11.8-inch ventilated front disc brakes and 10.2-inch solid rear disc brakes. Suspension tuning is similar to Civic Si Coupe with the same spring rates and rear stabilizer bar diameter, with slightly different damper tuning and front stabilizer bar diameter that best match the sedan’s longer 106.3-inch wheelbase (+2.0 inches compared to the coupe).

Standard safety equipment includes VSA and ABS with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD). The VSA system provides launch, oversteer and acceleration-understeer control by modulating engine power and/or applying brake pressure independently to each wheel. VSA can be manually deactivated.

Powertrain: The Civic Si Sedan's 2.0-liter, 16-valve, DOHC engine produces 197-horsepower at 7.800 rpm and 139 lb-ft. of torque at 6100 rpm. The Civic Si Sedan has unique intake and exhaust tuning that emphasizes the torque of the K20Z3 engine at low RPMs.

Interior: The fully-featured Civic Si Sedan interior has a two-tier instrument panel that conveys futuristic design and quick reference meter positioning, including a rev-limit indicator light and outside temperature gauge. A leather wrapped tilt and telescope steering wheel is standard, along with deeply bolstered sport seats and the black and red Si interior color scheme. The 7-speaker 350-watt premium audio system with subwoofer features Speed-Sensitive Volume Control (SVC), MP3/WMA playback capability, auxiliary audio input jack and XM Satellite Radio (by subscription) for navigation-equipped models. Additional features include a 60/40 split folding rear seat, one-touch power moonroof, ambient console lighting, keyless entry with security system, power windows, power locks, a dual trip meter odometer and a Maintenance Minderindicator. The Voice-Activated Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation Systemis available.

Safety: In keeping with Honda's 'Safety for Everyone' initiative, safety systems include Honda's exclusive Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) Body Structure for enhanced frontal crash compatibility. The ACE Body Structure enhances frontal collision energy management through a network of load bearing structures in the front of the vehicle. In addition, the Civic provides a long list of standard safety equipment including side curtain airbags, front side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS), active front head restraints, 4-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS) with EBD and VSA with Traction Control. Honda's commitment to safety extends to pedestrians as well as vehicle occupants. To help reduce pedestrian injuries in the event of a collision, the Civic's hood and fender areas are designed to deform if contacted by the head of an adult or child pedestrian.