• Incredible level of care and maintenance

• Full Dinitrol underside treatment 

• Meticulous attention to detail whilst in current ownership

• Mechanically excellent

Representing the UK and Europe’s first official home-market taste of the Type R family, the EP3 hatchback lit a fire under the likes of the Golf GTI and Clio 182, who had virtual market dominance up until the Type R was launched in 2001.

Under the bonnet sat the now-legendary 2.0-litre K20 inline-four VTEC engine, which was good to propel the UK-market cars from 0-62 in a respectable 6.6 seconds, while encouraging the driver to hold on to each gear until the very last second, with the power band being high-up in the rev range, lending the Type R a unique, engaging driving experience. 

While the UK-market cars were well-equipped from the factory, they lacked some of the components found on the Japanese-market (JDM) cars, including the limited-slip differential, tinted windows and red Recaro racing seats which were a symbol of the previous generation EK9 Type R.

Introduce in 2003, the limited-edition 30th Anniversary Special went some way toward fixing the aforementioned lack of options. Underneath, the ‘Anni’ is identical to the standard EP3 Type R, but the cabin gained tinted windows, air-conditioning as standard, a MOMO steering wheel, red carpets, red door inserts and the all-important red Recaro seats.

With a total of only 300 models produced, the Anniversary edition is incredibly rare. What’s more, there were only 100 made in each colour, being offered in Satin Silver, Milano Red and Nighthawk black, so spotting a 30th Anniversary Type R is any colour is a rare sighting indeed.

This particular example is finished in Satin Silver, and has been subject to one of the most detail-oriented ‘light restorations’ we’ve seen for a very long time. 

Purchased by the vendor during April 2019, the car proved to be a wonderful ‘lockdown restoration’ project, with the result being one of the cleanest and best-cared-for EP3s the photographer has ever seen. 

For starters, the car has been significantly worked-over by Protech Restoration in Milton Keynes, who stripped the chassis and underside back to bare metal, addressed any issues, and then sealed and protected the car with Dinitrol, including cavity filling any areas necessary such as the arches and behind the side skirts. 

Elsewhere, the entire front fan and radiator section has been split down, refurbished and re-assembled, the engine bay is so clean you could eat your food off of it, and the attention-to-detail is so minute that new decals, badges and stickers have all been fitted wherever necessary, using genuine OEM parts wherever possible. 

This example has also been kept incredibly original, with the only upgrades being a MUGEN exhaust, upgraded front HEL brake pads and racing brake fluid. 

Having brought the car up to an incredibly high standard of finish, this Type R is only being sold to make way for an Evo X which the vendor has imported from Japan, since there is simply not enough space to keep all of their projects at once. 

Included with the car is an impressive and comprehensive history folder, including numerous invoices, receipts and the all-important Dinitrol certificate and guarantee from the aforementioned work by Protech in Milton Keynes.

Of particular interest - and a testament to the fastidious nature of the vendor - the car also comes with numerous period sales brochures, images, promotional material and even copies of the original press photographs.

Elsewhere, the V5 is present - in the vendor’s partner’s name - along with two sets of keys, a stamped service history and the original Honda book pack and manuals.

Opening the driver’s door, the first thing that you notice are the bright red Recaro front seats which were a welcome addition to the Anniversary models. These are in very good condition, with minor wear to the lower outer bolster and base of the driver’s seat, though this is commensurate with the age and mileage of the vehicle, with the seat foams remaining supportive and holding their shape well.

The passenger seat is in even better condition owing to its lower level of use, while the rear seats are nigh-on pristine, looking as if they’ve only been used once-in-a-blue-moon. The boot is in wonderful shape and the tool kit is present, while the headliner doesn’t display any marks or any signs of sagging.

The MOMO steering wheel is in wonderful shape, as is the dashboard and centre console, with the original radio unit even still being in place. The handbrake button shows wear to the chrome plating, though this is the only real sign of use to the cabin other than the aforementioned wear to the seats.

On the outside, the lines of the pre-facelift EP3 still look remarkably fresh to this day, with this example presenting in wonderful condition.

The panel gaps all look nice and even, with no sign of any mis-aligned shut lines or panel problems. The vendor has noted that the passenger door has recently received attention from a body shop following a door being opened on to the car, but we were unable to note where exactly the car had been sprayed, such was the quality of the finish.

All four wheels are in immaculate condition and have been recently refurbished, with a ceramic coating then applied to protect them for the next owner.

There are a few marks to note - as expected on a car of this age - though they are minor, with just the usual smattering of stone chips to the bonnet to worry about, along with the typically clouded headlights which are a common issue on these Type R’s.

To the rear, all of the badges have been replaced where needed with fresh OEM items, the original supplying dealer plates are still present, and the bronze/gold-tipped MUGEN exhaust is in excellent shape and sounds wonderful without being brash or over-the-top, even under heavy acceleration. 

Overall, this is a car that shakes off its age and mileage very, very well, and you’d be forgiven for thinking it is 8, not 18, years old. 

Pop open the bonnet, and the 2.0-litre K20 engine presents in all its glory. Evidently, this example has been incredibly well-cared-for, judging by the fact the engine bay is so incredibly clean you could eat your dinner off of it.

Unusually, however, this is not the usual ‘smear everything in silicone to make it shiny’ job, oh no. This is genuinely clean, with any new parts required to bring it up to scratch purchased regardless of cost. A wonderful indication of this is the bolts used to freshen up the engine bay, all of which are genuine OEM bolts. 

Underneath, as previously mentioned, the car has been fully treated with Dinitrol, and presents in excellent condition throughout with barely any use since the treatment was carried out. All four of the arches are in excellent shape, and we didn’t notice any areas of concern looking underneath the car. 

Out on the road, the car is wonderfully light, nimble and engaging, with the slick six-speed gearbox being precise and enjoyable to row through, extracting the power from the K20 engine. The VTEC system kicked in nicely as you sail towards the redline, with the car appearing to be in rude health with no outward signs of any issues, problems or warning light - excellent stuff!

With regards to servicing and MOT certificates, the vendor has recently carried out and oil and filter service to the car themselves - hence the lack of recent stamp in the service record - while the most recent MOT took place on 07 May 2021, resulting in a clean first-time pass with no advisories noted. 

With modern hot hatches having enough technology to practically drive the car for you, while old classic cars balance reliability and performance on tenterhooks, many would argue that late 90’s / early 2000’s hot hatches are the ‘sweet spot’ for petrol heads, and it’s not hard to see why. 

This 2003 Honda Civic Type R (EP3) 30th Anniversary Edition is a great example of the era, and has been fastidiously and meticulously maintained and fettled with during the vendor’s ownership, resulting in a car that not only looks wonderful but drives fantastically too. 

A true hero of the hot hatch fraternity, this EP3 is a wonderful introduction to the brand, or a great way to remind yourself why these VTEC engines are so sought-after in the marketplace. Whether you’re a hot-hatch enthusiast, Honda aficionado or just a keen driver, this EP3 Type R won’t disappoint - happy bidding!

Notice to bidders