It is said that a person’s personality can be seen through his expressions. Rumour has it that a smiling individual hides a lot of pain within, but REV would beg to differ; a wide grin across our Feature Car owner’s face is definitely not one of pain or sorrow, only the smile of satisfaction and that of an accomplished individual. Quite unlike its born-to-race Honda Civic FD2 Type R brethren, the much more subtle Honda Civic FD is your standard typical commuter sedan. Born for the purpose of frugality and comfort, the Civic FD1 was planted with the heart of an R18 i-VTEC SOHC engine into an all-new, revolutionary chassis design that was shared with its racy Type R sibling.

With a slightly longer wheel base and a flat rear floor, the eighth generation Civic was a favourite amongst the populace, selling like hotcakes in the bustling boom of the Singapore automotive industry in the mid-2000s. Laying his hands on the said machine, Kai Sen knew that his was meant for a greater purpose, beyond that of the standard day-to-day drive. Purposefully choosing the Civic FD1 in manual trim, Kai Sen wanted his car to take on a unique and individual character, hence the Honda’s tickling fanciness, fused with a hint of aggressiveness. Beneath its flashy exterior though, is a host of tuning parts that will certainly have its Type R counterpart nodding in approval.Work on the engine for naturally aspirated cars is always a standard affair.

These can be deemed as necessary replacements, such as ditching the restrictive stock air filter for a set of larger lungs; an Injen cold air intake system that is carefully paired to a bored and taped throttle body that provides an enlarged air passage for voluminous amounts of air to pass through. A set of customised Stage 2 Web Cam Racing camshafts drive the large amounts of air and fuel to be combusted, giving the Civic a better punch in the high-end RPM range when needed, while an approved Fujitsubo exhaust system matches the increased combustion with great sound and improved performance figures.

This is then optimised by the proven Hondata Flashpro ECU software that allows owners to take advantage of their newly installed tuning parts. To keep matters of the engine light and simple, a Clutchmasters FX300 clutch was installed to ensure proper transmission of power and proper bit, without the slip-ups. A Fidanza lightened flywheel complements that clutch, keeping the revs light and chirpy. Finally, to improve torque in each shift, a MFactory final drive was installed to match every single rev increment for every bit of horsepower. As human as it gets, a Buddyclub short shifter assembly provides shorter gear throws for quicker engagement. Some form of engine cooling takes place as well, an enlarged Mishimoto aluminium radiator keeps boiling temperatures down as the Civic obeys its race-like orders.

Of course, control and stability was not forgotten during the pursuit of power. Giving the Civic a firm and supreme foothold on the roads, a set of premium Tein Superstreet coilover was installed to give the Civic a cornering edge above its standard suspension abilities reducing body-roll and increasing stiffness, which was duly assisted with a set of Summit Racing anti-roll bars in the front and rear of the car. The weight of the Honda sedan does not faze Kai Sen when braking is involved; with a set of Nashin four-piston brake kit matched with a set of high temperature brake pads, clamping hard on large diameter brake rotors that pull the car to a fast stop.

Of course, there wouldn’t be possible if the rims weren’t big enough to accommodate them, hence the weapons of choice; original Volk Racing CE28 forged rims that provide great offset and clearance for the brakes, as well as the rigidity to handle the toughest of punishments that the external environment can dish out. These rims wear premium Japanese Yokohama Advan Neova AD08R rubber that have been tried, tested and proven by motorsports professionals to provide immense traction and stopping power when called upon.

The exterior is where Kai Sen’s vanity is called upon in almost full force. The special pearl glitter embedded in its purple paintwork is one of the most eye-catching and almost certainly unique features of his Honda. Sticker bomb decals adorned on the roof take a lifestyle twist away from the standard affair of dry carbon roof wraps, giving the Civic FD1 its unique and individualistic character while on the roads. All this is broken in between for serious reasons, such as the lightweight J’s Racing carbon fibre bonnet and matching carbon fibre rear trunk for weight relieving purposes. F1 racing GT mirrors reduce aerodynamic drag, as compared to the bulky, large stock equivalent.

The interior is an automotive enthusiast’s pride and joy. Sitting in a Bride Vios full bucket seat, Kai Sen takes control of the Honda with a nicely leveraged Sparco steering wheel, while thrusting gears into play with a weight H Drive shift knob for that good feel. Monitoring temperatures is almost a certain with all tuned cars, and Kai Sen’s Civic FD1 is no different; with the standard gauge cluster set of Defi gauges that read water and oil temperatures as well as oil pressure.

As the trends continue to shift, owners are looking for ways to differentiate the many same makes and models that they drive on the road. Kai Sen’s Honda Civic FD1 is one that encompasses that trend today, with a sticky combination of graphics and internals that will surely blow detractors away in style!