University students turn Honda Civic into 448kW Hybrid RallyCross monster

A group of university students from the U.S. have turned the humble Honda Civic into a 448kW Hybrid RallyCross monster.

The 19 students from Clemson University in South Carolina started the project two years ago with two main objectives: to build a vehicle offering exceptional performance while also reducing the emissions produced by the donor car.

The result is the car you see here, dubbed the Deep Orange 9.

It features a mid-mounted 298kW 2.0-litre supercharged four-cylinder engine that drives the rear wheels which is joined by a 150kW electric motor powering the front wheels. The hybrid drivetrain is enough to send the Civic to 60 mph (96km/h) in just 2.0 seconds.

Along with advanced regenerative braking to top up the batteries, the hybrid powertrain sees a fuel consumption reduction of 30 per cent compared to the stock model.

To ensure the car handles, the university students have also installed a set of semi-active suspension that can adapts to changing surfaces easily.

On the visual front, the Deep Orange 9 wears a distinctive body kit consisting of a prominent front splitter, flared wheel arches and a towering GT wing.

Inside, the cabin has been completely stripped out and replaced with a roll-cage, sports bucket seats and sports steering wheel.

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