Honda Civic Type R Stomps Out Competition at Nürburgring Track

When you see the 2023 Civic Type-R at a Honda dealer, you can get up close and personal with the fastest front-wheel drive car out there.

The Honda Civic Type R is the fastest front-wheel drive car to hit the famous track. Again. A lightweight version of the model you’ll see on Honda dealer lots in the U.S. called the Type R S made the lap in just 7 minutes and 44.881 seconds, which is a new record with the new rules taken into consideration.

But Why is the Time Longer Than the Previous Record?

In 2019, the Honda FK8 Civic Type-R set the front-wheel drive record at the same track with a time of seven minutes and 43.8 seconds. It kept the record for a year when it was beaten by the Renault Megane RS Trophy-R. But 2023 is a new year for the Civic Type-R, and it is once again the record holder.

The new record lap is slower than the original, not because the car is slower, it’s because the track is longer. As of 2019, the rules for what makes a lap changed, and the new route is longer than before. Even with this new longer track, the Civic Type R beat out some big competitors, including the AMG CLA and the Camaro Z28.

What’s Under the Hood?

The version of the Type R sold in the United States gets power from a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine that puts out 315 horsepower that works with a six-speed manual transmission. This is the same engine as the previous model, but the turbocharger is redesigned, and the upgraded exhaust system contributes to its extra horsepower and helps it get 310 pound-feet of torque.

The 2023 model has a wider track than the previous generation and rides on 19-inch wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. Other upgrades that Honda made to the Civic Type R include upgraded cooling for the brakes and a lighter flywheel. The rev-matching system is even updated to maximize performance.

A High-Performance Cockpit for the Race Car Driver and the Everyday Driver

The sport front seats have deep bolstering to keep you in place when testing out the Type R’s capabilities, and the new design provides better views and minimizes blind spots for a better view all around, whether on the track or the road. The leather-wrapped steering wheel with red accent stitching gives the cabin a sporty look, and sport pedals give you a better grip for more confidence behind the wheel.

An Aerodynamic Design

We might not have access to the Type R S that set the record at Nürburgring, the track-ready Honda Civic Type R at your Honda dealer here in the U.S. has a new, more aerodynamic exterior design. The grille has a larger opening, and a low, wide hood vent to maximize the engine cooling while keeping resistive air flow to a minimum. Even the brake ducts are upgraded to keep the front brakes cooler while making multiple laps around the track.