Japanese Honda dealers sell the Civic Type R for around $40,000 at invoice, while Porsche starts the 718 Boxster at $53,000. On paper, the mid-engine roadster wins the prestige battle. Then Mugen releases its Group.B catalog. When all the options are added up, the Honda’s price is over $103,000 (including the Type R itself), almost double the base price of the Boxster and enough to buy a loaded GTS 4.0 with change to spare.
Mugen doesn’t chase horsepower, as the Civic Type R’s 2.0-liter turbo remains at 315 hp and 310 lb-ft. Instead, it swaps out steel for carbon fiber, titanium mufflers and long lasting brakes. The end result weighs 38 kg (84 lbs) less than stock and produces three times the downforce. In other words, you’ll feel the difference in the corners, not on a spec sheet.
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In contrast, the regular 718 Boxster has a 300-hp 2.0-liter flat-four engine connected to a six-speed manual transmission that provides power to the rear wheels. The mid-engine configuration maintains a weight balance of 50:50. Standard brakes will stop a lighter vehicle from the start. Carbon fiber is only offered for optional seats or as a $10,000 roof deletion. Downforce comes from shape, not add-ons. Alternatively, the GTS 4.0 costs $84,000 and includes a 394-hp 4.0-liter flat-six, adjustable dampers, and a limited slip differential as standard.
Mugen sells to owners who already love the Civic’s shifter, its rev-matching downshifts, and its willingness to dance on public roads. The kit amplifies those traits with carbon drama and a growl that turns heads three blocks away. Porsche sells a clean sheet—mid-engine balance, a badge that opens valet lanes and a naturally aspirated song that needs no aftermarket help.
Pay $100,000 or more for the Honda, and the car becomes a moving statement: front-wheel drive that can wear carbon wings yet still command respect. Pay the same for a Boxster, and the statement is calmer, subtler, and comes from Zuffenhausen. Mugen says that deliveries begin in late 2025.
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