Honda Del Sol 1993

Honda's Civic del Sol was a two-seat, targa top convertible produced in the 1990s. The del Sol, which was based on the Civic platform, was the replacement of the popular Honda CRX. It was released in Japan and the United Kingdom in 1992, and in the United States in 1993. The Civic Del Sol was not a real convertible, but it did have a removable hardtop that packed in the trunk and a retractable rear window for that "convertible" feel.

Initially, the automobile was available in two trim levels. The foundation "The "S" model had a 1.5-liter SOHC 16-valve four-cylinder engine with 106 horsepower and rode on tiny 13-inch tires and steel rims. The higher-level "Si" model included a 1.6-liter SOHC 16-valve four-cylinder engine using Honda's VTEC technology, producing 125 horsepower. The Si also had nicer 14-inch wheels "For increased handling, there are alloy wheels, electric side mirrors, cruise control, and an anti-sway bar. The sole options on both models were a rear spoiler and unique floor mats.

1993 Honda Del Sol Civic Red

Despite the fact that the Civic del Sol looked and rode like a sports coupe, the '92-'93 models didn't deliver much more power than the standard Civic. This was remedied in 1994 with the introduction of a third, top-tier model, the Civic Del Sol VTEC. The VTEC brand was applied to a new DOHC engine with VTEC technology that generated 160 horsepower, which was 35 bhp higher than the Si engine. This caused some misunderstanding because the Si also had a VTEC engine - SOHC rather than DOHC. This naming method was also distinct from the ordinary Civic line, where "Si" denoted DOHC VTEC and there was no "VTEC" model.

The Del Sol was the first Honda in the United States to receive the DOHC VTEC engine, which finally put the Honda Del Sol on the performance map. Honda updated the targa top seals for 1995, which had previously been prone to leaks and noise.

1993 Honda Del Sol Civic Black

Although the car itself remained mostly similar, the Del Sol officially became its own model series independent from the Civic in 1995 and was dubbed the Honda Del Sol. A trunk release latch was placed near the driver's side seat, a low fuel indicator light was introduced, and new seat materials were employed. The Honda Del Sol 1993 was believed to be discontinued in 1996, yet it would go on for another year. Rumors of low quality persisted, and early leaking roofs and inadequate auxiliary lighting (the bulbs burned out too rapidly) harmed sales.

The claims seemed to be validated when the 1996 front bumper was revised, eliminating the holes required to install auxiliary lights and adding low side vents. The S model's base engine was enlarged to 1.6 liters at 106 horsepower, resulting in a small power increase. The Si engine gets a small power boost to 127 horsepower as well. The top-of-the-line VTEC engine has not changed. The Del Sol saw no improvements in 1997 and was withdrawn in the United States, while it survived another year in Europe and Japan.

Because the del Sol is built on the Civic platform, owners can utilize many of the same aftermarket accessories as the Civic, making the del Sol a popular option for modification. Larger intake/exhaust manifolds, lower/stiffer suspension, cold air intake, additional sway bars, superchargers, turbos, and other modifications are popular, and all use parts developed for Civics of similar model years.