One of the early announcements out of the SEMA Show this week is that Honda will be making the Civic Type R engine available in crate engine form. The K20C1 engine is a 2.0-liter dual overhead camshaft, VTEC-equipped, turbocharged and intercooled direct-injection engine, rated at 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque at the flywheel. That makes it the most powerful Honda engine ever sold in America, and has the distinction of powering “the fastest front-wheel-drive production automobile in the world.”

Long revered by Honda enthusiasts around the globe, the “Type R” moniker represents the pinnacle of Honda performance. The Civic Type R crate engine program isn’t new for Honda, as it has been an ongoing program in the European and Asian markets, but this week’s announcement marks the first time it will be available for enthusiasts in the US Domestic Market. Up until now, US-based motorsports efforts desiring Civic Type R power were forced to import or piece together the engines for their racing programs.

Available through the Honda Performance Development Racing Line program, the K20C1 crate engine will come with turbocharger and intercooler, for an MSRP of $6,519.87, which, when you consider both the previous cost and associated difficulties as well as the performance offered, is a pretty solid deal. Although a stipulation in the release did mention that HPD Honda Factory Line will be restricting sales of the engine to “grassroots and professional racers for verified, closed-course racing applications.” Several different builds powered by the K20C1 are on display in Honda’s SEMA booth, representing a variety of motorsports and the versatility of the platform.