The brand-new 2023 Honda Civic Type R is building a reputation for itself on tracks globally. It has now clinched the recent Nurburgring lap record for front-wheel-drive vehicles by storming through the Green Hell.
Honda secured the fresh record on March 24, 2023. The time of 7:44.881 was clocked on the complete 20.832 km (12.944 miles) track, in accordance with the official protocol since 2019. In line with tradition, Honda has revealed a comprehensive video of the record-breaking lap as proof of its accomplishment.
The achievement was accomplished on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect tires. Michelin formulated the fresh tires built on insights gathered during the creation of the Pilot Sport 4S tire, the standard on the Type R. Noteworthy, enthusiastic owners seeking enhanced grip on the track will have the opportunity to buy Cup 2 Connect tires at their nearby dealership.
It comes six years following Honda’s prior claim of the front-wheel-drive production car lap record with the former generation FK8 Civic Type R. The older model clocked a time of 7:43.8 seconds utilizing a prototype considered “representative” of the production variant. Observant observers will notice this lap timing is a lower figure than the new model’s record. This is due to the fact that the previous record was measured by Honda on the prior 20.6 km circuit back in 2017 prior to the Nurburgring establishing its own official records list.
It’s unsurprising that the new Type R managed to establish a fresh record. The preceding model had secured the speediest front-wheel-drive lap with 316 horsepower as available in Europe and Japan. The recent model received a modest yet substantial increase to 325 hp in those regions, although it retains 316 hp in the US. An additional nine horsepower may not seem significant, but over a 7-minute lap, it trims some time. Enhanced tires and revamped suspension also contribute to giving the fresh model an advantage.
It’s not the singular lap record Honda has achieved with the recent Type R. It had already outperformed the former model by nearly a second at Suzuka, establishing a blazing 2:23.120 time last year. Since Honda took the prior edition on a global tour, setting lap times everywhere from Spa-Francorchamps to The Bend, we anticipate witnessing more records shattered by the latest Type R as well.
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