The Honda Civic Type R is slowly dying, and by the end of the year it will be no more.

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Sad, but true. By the end of this year you won’t be able to buy a new Civic Type R as it’ll be illegal to sell them. Why so? Because the new Euro 5 emissions regulations will be coming into force and the Civic Type R’s 2.0-litre VTEC engine cannot meet the requirements for particulates and nitrous oxide output.

Production ends in October and then we’ll have to see what Honda are going to do about a replacement. There’s a new Civic due in the next year or so, but Honda remain tight-lipped about a Type R model. Will they adopt turbocharging like every other manufacturer, or will they take the lessons they’ve learnt with their hybrid CR-Z coupe and apply the technology to come up with the first hybrid hot hatch?

Honda need to do something quickly to maintain their reputation as a producer of great sports cars – they now have no flagship sports model thanks to the demise of the S2000 and the cancellation of the NSX replacement. Soon all they’ll be known for is making bland family cars and quirky hybrids.

The good news is that Honda are knocking £2,230 off the price of a new Civic Type R GT – you can pick one up now for £19,495.