Honda Civic Type R EK9 and FK8: A Razão Automóvel Story

Cars bring us closer. For those of us who love them, this inanimate object that comes alive the moment you turn the key isn’t merely a way of getting from A to B. It’s something else entirely. It’s far more than that - even when it was never meant to be. Once upon a time, there was a Citroën Ax…

It’s the kind of passion you have to FEEL to truly understand. A passion so overwhelming - because if it isn’t overwhelming, it isn’t passion - that since 2012, the year we founded Razão Automóvel, it has pushed us to give up so much we can’t even begin to total it. That’s what passions do.

Honda Civic Type R and the passion behind Razão Automóvel

We chose to call that passion Razão Automóvel. Because the car really is our reason for being - our raison d’être - and yes, it sounds much better in French…

“And no. These three paragraphs aren’t taking me away from the Honda Civic Type R. In fact, they’re bringing me closer.”

That passion - and Razão Automóvel itself - is the link to another video on our YouTube channel. Four months in, we had already passed 20,000 subscribers.

In this video, you’ll meet Samuel Couto and his Honda Civic Type R EK9 - very likely the only example of this generation in Portugal. And to make the meeting even more compelling, we brought along the newest member of the Honda Civic Type R bloodline, the FK8.

Honda Civic Type R EK9 and FK8: two decades of evolution

As you’ll have noticed, it wasn’t exactly a head-to-head comparison. It was much more of a look at how this iconic model has developed over the last 20 years. When it comes to the EK9, there’s no better source than Samuel himself; for the FK8… you can watch the video, or read this article: Do you know everything about the Honda Civic Type R FK8, right?

“Despite the changes, the Honda Civic Type R remains faithful to the original concept: offering Honda’s best technology in a front-wheel-drive sports car.”

And speaking of change: if back then it was the way the engine climbed through the revs with such joy - without sacrificing reliability - that really stood out, today the spotlight falls elsewhere.

More than 20 years on, Honda engine reliability is still a major strength. But with the increase in power and torque, it’s now more essential than ever to have a chassis and suspension package that can cope. That’s where the FK8 impresses most - as we’ve already written in this article.

About this video… and about us

We filmed this video in 2017.

The Honda Civic Type R FK8 had just arrived on the Portuguese market, and we had the privilege of being the first to test this blue FK8 - the same one you’ve certainly seen since across various magazines and YouTube channels.

“It was one of our first videos. We still didn’t have a second microphone, we started filming late, and it got dark early. In short, the perfect storm.”

We could have made a video focused only on the FK8, but we wanted to give you more. That’s always been our story - the story of Razão Automóvel - to give our very best, every time. As Ricardo Reis (aka Fernando Pessoa) once wrote: “put all you are into the smallest thing you do”.

Thankfully, Samuel Couto was a brilliant host, and our producer, Filipe Abreu, has nerves of steel. In the end, we managed to overcome almost all the setbacks on a day when nearly everything seemed to go wrong. The final result left us genuinely pleased.

“We want you to know that this video was one of our first steps towards continuing to highlight the cars in our community - the Razão Automóvel community.”

Soon we’ll have news on that front. You’ll be able to have your car here at Razão Automóvel. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Stay tuned.

A 100% JDM model in the garage

If, after watching this video, you found yourself wanting - I’ll admit I did… - to have one of these JDM legends in your garage, you can contact Samuel Couto via the Nippon Motoring Portugal & Imports page.

With all the experience he gained buying, transporting, and registering his Honda Civic Type R EK9, Samuel decided to offer his services to anyone searching for a model sourced from Japan. As you can imagine, it’s anything but a straightforward process.