Watch the 2017 Honda Civic Type R Set a New FWD Nurburgring Lap Record
The front-wheel-drive Nurburgring lap records continue to fall. First, Honda clocked a 7:50.63 lap with a 2015 Europe-only Civic Type R. Then in 2016, Volkswagen snatched that record away with a 7:49.21 time, set in a 305-horsepower GTI Clubsport S. Honda wouldn't take that sitting down: Meet your new front-drive Nurburgring king, the 2017 Civic Type R that will finally be available in the United States.
This latest Honda lap record was set on April 3, 2017, and represents a seven-second improvement over the last generation Type R's lap-as well as shaving nearly six seconds off the VW record. Credit goes, in part, to the new Type R's engine, a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder kicking out 306 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. With a six-speed manual (the only transmission on offer) and some wild-looking functional aerodynamic elements, this thing was built to haul around a track.
"The cornering speed achieved in the new Type R is higher because the car features a wider track and tires, a longer wheelbase, a new multi-link suspension in the rear and optimized aerodynamics that improve stability," Ryuichi Kijima, lead chassis engineer for the Civic Type R, said in Honda's press release announcing the new lap record. "For example, drivers typically enter the corner after Metzgesfeld at around 150 km/h (93 mph). Even at this medium-speed corner, the speed is around 10 km/h (6 mph) higher due to the new Type R's excellent stability. So, with improved cornering performance, we can increase the speed throughout the lap, helping the new Type R to achieve a much quicker lap time."
We should note that, as with previous 'Ring lap records, the Civic Type R that notched this lap was a preproduction unit. Honda claims that the roll cage visible in the car was a "full floating" design that "did not provide any additional rigidity to the body." The added weight of the cage was compensated by removing the car's infotainment system and rear seats, and Honda says the car was using "street legal, track-focused tires."
Watch the lap for yourself, and bask in the glow of the greatest era of front-drive performance our world has ever seen.
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