With the imminent launch of the 2023 Honda Civic Type R, it's no surprise that Honda is taking the hot hatch out to claim some new records. And the first one is Suzuka, where it's the fastest front-wheel-drive car to lap the course. The previous record holder? The 2021 Civic Type R Limited Edition.
The new record is 2:23.12. And compared to the old Type R, it's faster by an impressive 0.873 second. This is also noteworthy, as the new Type R is presumably just the regular model, and the old one was the Limited Edition, which was the lightest, stickiest and stiffest version of the Type R. It's a sign that the new model is pretty serious.
Also, being faster than before means that the 2023 Type R might have a shot at dethroning the Renault Megane R.S. Trophy-R at the Nürburgring. For a few years, the regular Type R held the front-drive record there, until the Renault set the current top time of 7:40.1. And the fact that Honda brings up the old Type R's time suggests the company will make an attempt.
We're sure we'll hear more about track records in the next few months. The car itself will be fully revealed sometime this year. Details are scarce, but we're expecting it to continue to use the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine and six-speed manual from the püast two generations. Whether it will make the same 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque remains to be seen.
Related video:
Sign in to post
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Continue