KNOWLEDGE: The Civic EK9 TypeRx special edition, specifications & details

I have decided to rework and re-release the original post on this topic, which is still available here, since I have collected a lot of additional documents and knowledge since then.
In this reworked knowledge post, we are going to look at the EK9 Civic TypeRx special edition and what makes it different from the regular EK9 Civic typeR.

1. What is the TypeRx?
The Honda Civic TypeRx EK9 was a special edition of the regular Civic TypeR EK9, which was launched on the 16.12.1999 together with the Integra typeRx DC2. Here is the Link to the original Japanese Honda Press release from that day.
The press release states that the Civic TypeRx version went on sale on the 16.12.199 via Honda “Primo” dealerships only (like all Civics) and the Integra TypeRx on the same day via the Honda “Verno” stores (like all Integras).
If you want to know more about the Primo / Clio / Verno sales channels, I can recommend you this Youtube video.
The rest of the press information highlights some of the features and some figures, which we will look at in the following chapters.

Along with the above press release and some of the other Photos used in this post, Honda Japan also released the following press photos, which are still available in the global Honda media archives.

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2. Ek9 TypeRx Specifications
The Rx was only introduced in December 1999 and therefore only the facelift “kouki” model EK9 was available as Type Rx / Type-Rx or Type R-X, as it is sometimes written in the official Honda documentation.
You may wonder why there was a Rx version at all? The original EK9 Civic TypeR was introduced in August 1997 and since then not much of its specification has changed, aside from the general civic Facelift. With the rapid change of technology at that time, the CTR was already a bit outdated two years later, and the 6th generation civic was nearing the end of production. To give potential buyers the option for a bit more modern and comfortable, the Rx was introduced as a more “comfortable” and luxurious model of the TypeR, while keeping the original sporty vibes.

The Rx honly has small differences from the regular R-version. From the outside, it’s exactly the same as any other Facelift EK9 Civic TypeR. Performance or handling wise, nothing changed, as the drivetrain, engine and suspension remained the same, with the same tune. So the differences are only minor visual changes on the inside, and some convenience-features, which are barely visible. That’s also a reason, why it almost took me 10 years or so to f igure out that my TypeR is actually a TypeRx special edition.

The specific features that every TypeRx had installed from the factory, but were not available to other model variants, were:
– Keyless entry system (remote controlled door locking mechanism)
– Pioneer Audio system with 4 uprated Speakers (two front, two rear) and single-DIN CD-player
– Aluminum pedals
– Red stitched shifter boot
– Electrically retracting door mirrors
– A center console in glossy carbon fiber look (vs the matte carbon fiber look in the standard EK9).
– A different wiring harness for the above features

Here’s one of the official Honda released Rx Interior photos With the slightly blueish glossy center console, red stitched shift boot, aluminum Pedals and Pioneer CD-player all nicely visible.

This is an official closeup shot of the Rx-exclusive riveted-on Aluminum Pedals:

I recently was able to obtain a new spare set of Rx-pedals for my car, which come with the rivets to install them.

I’ve decided to take photos of all my Rx-special features while cleaning the car. See gallery below (note: Audio system not complete, as the two oval rear speakers are missing in the photo and the antenna is no different for the Rx Models). Click gallery to see higher resolution photos:

 

Here’s a little comparison between the regular (flat) and the slightly “blueish” glossy Rx Center console (ignore the additional gimmicks installed on the right side):

3. Official Documents
So the differences are really minor, but make a change in comfort and style. There is no special badging, VIN-number or anything else except the mentioned features that let you know if it’s a Rx or not.
The official Japanese year 2000 EK9 sales brochure, Lists the Rx features with photos in a small corner of the whole brochure:

In the same brochure there’s also a model comparison between the Standard EK9, the Rx and the “Racing” (aka RaceBase / N1 / Lightweight) version:

Luckily, Honda also released a special RX sales brochure, which i was able to find after a few months of searching:

The brochure is only a four-page flyer with not much additional information. Honestly, i don’t think they put too much effort in creating the Rx model. There was no big marketing-hype generated around it, documentation is quite limited, and even within the standard sales documentation of that era, the Rx only got dedicated a small corner of the regular brochures.

Inside pages:

Luckily I also own an original Honda special Rx Car parts manual (Parts list News), issued on the 7th December 1999, which was an add-on to the regular spare parts catalogue and shows all the special parts of the Rx in detail.
You can also see here that the Rx was available in all standard EK9 colors (Black, white, silver and yellow), and production started with Chassis No GF-EK9-1201361,
The below info also states that the part list was created in 20. November 1999, but some state that the actual production dates for the Rx were from August 1999 to August 2000, when the production of the 6th generation Civics stopped altogether.

See the following gallery (Click to enlarge) with all the Rx specific features and part numbers, highlighted in yellow. On the first page, a different wiring harness is shown, which was required for the keyless entry and the retracting door mirrors.

4. Colours
The various documents on this page also mention the color options available for the EK9 Type-RX, which are exactly the same as for the standard facelift “kouki” EK9 typeR’s. The Interior was alway only available in red color on all EK9’s (except the race-base / N1 / Lightweight versions), including the RX versions. The RX was available in
Sunlight yellow Y-56
Starlight / Flamenco Black Pri Metallic Clearcoat NH-592P
Vogue Silver metallic NH-583M. and of course
Championship white  NH-0

5. Pricing
After digging a bit deeper into my collection of various EK9 documents, I even found an official Honda sales Info on the RX Model, which was also issued on the 16.12.1999, together with the Press release.
It got a special order code (for a specific model) “5HR5R” and the Price info from 16.12. 1999 was 2’198’000 JPY (excluding acquisition tax 98’500 JPY and Weight tax 59’800 JPY)
Note that the Standard EK9 (5HR51) without options was priced 1’998’000 JPY in July 1999. So the price difference was quite low, hence many opted for the RX model after it became available.

Note that the following additional options for the RX were available and not included in the base-Rx model price:
– Floor mat Carpets (21’500 JPY)
– Black Mudguards (4’500 JPY)
– Door window visors (HOP = Honda Optional P arts) (11’000 JPY)
– Air clean Filter S (7’250 JPY)
All options together came at a 44’250 JPY price tag.

The (here translated) Honda press release from December 1999 suggested the following retail prices for the TypeRx (without options) for the different metropolitan areas of Japan:

I also obtained this special RX pricelist from the Honda Sales department from 25. November 1999, which also mentions (in brackets, above the table) the specific price differences for different regions.

 6. Production numbers
Let’s give it a try: I found those unverified numbers in the EK9 Forum, which seem to fit with other information i’ve found:
Of all variants of the EK9 ever produced, there were:
7’007 EK9-100 (1998 models),
4’009 EK9-110 (1999 models) and
5’225 EK9-120 (2000 models)
So there were 16’241 EK9 Civic Type R manufactured in total. A Japanese dealer network information states a sold quantity of 15’910 pieces.
I assume the difference of 331 were either race-base cars that never got registered for public road usage (racing usage only), or cars that were used by Honda for testing, homologation, exhibitions, etc.

Only 5’225 EK9 of the -120 Series (2000 model year lot) were ever built. The Rx started with chassis no 1361 (See parts info above). If we remove those 1’360 non-Rx spec cars, then 3’865 cars remain from the -120 production lot.
That would make an absolute maxiumum of 3’865 possble RX’s ever built.
However, I think that still plenty of non-rx cars were built during this last production lot from Chassis no 1361 upwards, as the Race-base, Standard type-R and RX were all sold in parallel, according to the above 2000 sales brochure shown above.
I guess that somewhere be tween 2’000 and 3’000 RX spec cars were actually built and sold in Japan.
If we consider quite a few of those cars crashed meanwhile and / or broken down, my guess is that maybe between 1’000 to 3’000 RX models still exist around the globe, since many have been exported from Japan over the years.
Take this with a huge pinch of salt however, as it is only a guesstimation, based on the (unverified) numbers I found online. I will try to find some verified data and update here, whenever I find something.

The aforementioned December 1999 typeRx press release stated an expected sales volume of approximately 500 Civic TypeR’s (including the Rx) per month.

7. Summary
As cool as the EK9 typeRX is, and sounds – It’s not THAT special. Overall it’s just a regular TypeR with a few added gimmicks for convenience and looks. I think it was more of a marketing-stunt to sell the last cars before the introduction of the new (EP3) Civic typeR. It’s seems to me that Honda just added Parts that were available off the shelve from their suppliers (Pioneer Audio System) or from their own parts list (electrical folding mirrors). There was no real fuzz around it and information is quite rare, and often only mentioned in a small corne rof the official documentation. It’s not like a “Nürburgring edition” where a car would implement small performance fine-tuning (like a different suspension setup) and then set a laptime on the “ring” to incrase sales. But at the end it’s also a very Japanese thing. They still put some efforts in it to create all the extra documentation, brochures, parts etc. just because someone thought it needed to be done. All without big fuzz around it. I kind of like this understatement.
One should also not forget that the Civic TypeRX was introduced in the same time as the Integra TypeRX, which had similar “upgrades”.
Some say that the last production lot was only available as RX, but the official document says it was just an “purchase option” while the regular models were still available until the end, too.
Some also say that the RX was a “limited edition” but nowhere it is mentioned that the production is limited to a certain number of cars, nor does it have any Serial number-range or something. It was (in my opinion) just a specific model, that was additionally available towards the end of production, while the standard TypeR’s and all the other versions were still available.
That doesnt mean it’s less special, as it was still a special order, with slightly upgraded features and only available for about a year.
The changes are so small that most people probably would not even notice the differences. It even took me a few years to realize the model is special. And that’s probably what make these models so special. It’s all about the details, and only people who are really into these cars will notice. and that’s something i like.