The 2023 Honda Civic Type R, which has just been launched to great acclaim around the world, continues to receive awards and recognition. The last of them: to win again the lap record for a front-wheel drive production car in the famous 20.8 km section, the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring circuit.
On March 24, 2023, members of the Civic Type R development team completed a lap of 7:44.881 in the German circuit, popularly known as the Green Hell. Behind the wheel was Néstor Girolami, who was part of the vehicle’s development team.
This makes it the fastest front-wheel drive production car. This time was achieved on the new layout of the circuit, which since 2019 is somewhat longer than the previous layout (20.8 km).
The Type R that has achieved the lap record incorporates a powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that it makes 329 hp and 310 lb-ft. With an updated six-speed manual transmissionis capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.4 seconds and reaching a top speed of 275 km/h.
The new and refined exterior design of the 2023 Civic Type R has also contributed to this record lap time with sophisticated aerodynamic solutions, such as the high angle of the rear wing and complex underbody elements, which combine to generate true downforce.
Besides, the wheelbase, 35mm longer compared to the previous Type Rand multi-link rear suspension have been combined with a significantly wider track for greater cornering stability than its predecessor (and has been refined through repeated testing on both the motorway and the Nürburgring). .
