Launched to international acclaim last year, the 2023 Honda Civic Type R continues to garner awards and accolades – the latest being the retaking of the production vehicle front-wheel drive (FWD) lap record at the infamous 12.92-mile (20.8km) Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit.
On March 24, 2023, members from the Civic Type R’s development team completed a seven-minute 44:881 second lap around the daunting German circuit – nicknamed ‘The Green Hell’ – making it the fastest production specification FWD vehicle.
This time was set on the revised, now longer (20.8km), track layout as defined by circuit management in 2019.
Powering the Type R is a powerful 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that, in its latest iteration, produces 329PS and 420Nm of torque. Paired with an updated six-speed manual transmission, it is capable of sprinting from 0-100km/h in just 5.4 seconds and to a top speed of 275km/h.
The new, sleeker exterior design of the 2023 Civic Type R has also contributed to the record time, with highly developed aerodynamic solutions such as the angle of the high-level rear wing and complex underfloor elements combining to generate genuine downforce.
In addition, the 35mm longer wheelbase, compared to the previous Type R, and multilink rear suspension are paired with a significantly wider rear track to offer improved cornering stability over its predecessor – and refined through repeated testing on both the Autobahn and the Nürburgring.
“The Civic Type R was developed under the concept of ‘Ultimate Sport 2.0’, aiming to be the ultimate FWD sports model, instilling confidence and excitement with drivers that resonates in the heart,” explains Hideki Kakinuma, Civic Type R Large Project Leader. “Since the launch of the Civic TYPE R in 2022, we have received numerous positive responses globally, far exceeding our expectations, but there was one more mission that we had to challenge – to be the fastest FWD model on the Nürburgring.
“Six years after the previous generation, we have reached a new dimension in the evolution of the Type R and the passion we put into it. To those who are already an owner of our latest Civic Type R and to those who are expected owners, we truly hope that you will love and enjoy the Civic Type R.”