The Mugen is powered by the same 2.0 liter inline four-cylinder engine that propels the stock Si. The 16-valve double-overhead cam unit produces 197 hp and 139 lb-ft of torque -- not all that impressive until you look further into the figures. Horsepower doesn't peak until 7800 rpm; torque until 6100 rpm. That means that in order to get the most out of the Mugen, you have to really rev it up and use that big tach to make sure that you're running in the powerband. The engine isn't shy about letting you know when it's happy. There's a spike in power as you approach the peak. It almost feels like a turbocharger kicks in, the spike is so strong. If you shift the six-speed manual gearbox later than you would on most cars, you get great rushes of acceleration from the Mugen. A freer flowing exhaust system rewards you with incredible music from the engine, and a happy feeling follows.Getting the power to the ground is accomplished with front-wheel drive. There's just a hint of torque steer (the tendency of front-wheel drive cars to pull to one side under heavy acceleration), but nothing scary. The Mugen suspension is stiffer and tighter than a stock Si's, which makes for a slightly less comfortable ride on a day-to-day basis. The tradeoff is definitely worth it -- the Mugen handles like a razor, responding beautifully to every steering input with great feedback and road feel.
Intellectually, I know that the Mugen is the same car as the Civic Si, but when you add up the whole package -- the look, the feel, the sound -- the Mugen feels a whole lot faster and cooler.
2008 Honda Civic MUGEN Si
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