Few teams are as well-acquainted with the legacy of the Honda Civic Type R as the experts at Spoon Sports. Since 2014, Spoon, alongside factory driver Dai Yoshihara, has been campaigning a highly modified Unlimited Class FD2 Honda Civic Type R in the Global Time Attack series, achieving a remarkable record lap of 1:45.585 at Buttonwillow Raceway. Spoon’s turbocharged FD2 Type-R stands out as, to my knowledge, the only front-wheel-drive racing vehicle designed with a Formula 1-style center-seating position. While there have been significant advancements with this Civic, the focus is now shifting forward—to Spoon’s latest project: the all-new “FK8” 2017 Honda Civic Type-R.
Recently, Spoon released a video showcasing its brand-new Type-R, which appears to have been acquired not long ago. The car is completely stock, and Yoshihara admits that this is his first experience driving one.
Spoon’s initial plan is to get accustomed to the Type-R’s factory configuration to set a baseline for future modifications. Although Yoshihara’s initial impressions of the new 2017 Civic Type-R are based on street driving, he immediately noticed its linear power delivery, which retains a naturally aspirated feel despite the introduction of a turbocharger. Additionally, Dai was impressed by the stark improvement in ride comfort provided by the Civic Type-R’s adaptive dampers (a novel feature for a Honda Civic in 2017).
However, don’t expect this Type-R to stay stock for long; it is likely to become Spoon’s next development vehicle and possibly its upcoming racer for Global Time Attack. Stay tuned for more updates, as Spoon and Yoshihara are expected to provide track impressions of the new Type-R shortly.
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