2018 Honda Civic Type R claims title of fastest FWD around the ‘Ring: video

You knew this was coming. Honda said its new Civic Type R would be the fastest front-driver around the Nürburgring Nordschleife, and lo, it has delivered on that promise with a scorching seven minute, forty-three second lap time.

And it’s not like Honda is without form in this particular competition. The outgoing Civic Type R edged out the mighty Renault Megane RS275 Tropy R to clinch the top slot with a 7:50 lap, which it held for two years until it was beaten by the Volkswagen Golf GTI 40 Years almost 12 months ago.

Due to arrive in Australia in the fourth quarter of this year, the Civic Type R’s hugely improved pace is credited to its stiffer bodyshell, improved suspension geometry, more effective (and visually bonkers) aero kit and revised six-speed manual transmission with shorter gear ratios.

Surprisingly, with 235kW of power and 400Nm the 2018 Civic Type R’s powerplant boasts just three percent more mechanical muscle than its predecessor. That being said, 235kW is still a hell of a lot of oomph for a front-drive hatchback: to put that into perspective, the Golf R has fewer herbs and twice the number of driven wheels.

For its latest Type R, Honda’s engineers focused on improving stability through widening its track width, exploiting the longer wheelbase of the new Civic hatch, and tuning its multi-link rear suspension to improve body control. That big wing at the back also acts like the fletching of an arrow, keeping the rear stable in high speed corners.

Honda's Nordschleife attacker isn’t entirely showroom-spec, however. Though the mechanical package is factory-issue, a roll cage was installed for safety and the rear seat and infotainment system were removed to compensate for the added weight. Honda says the car wore “road legal track-focused tyres”, but doesn’t mention whether they were a conventional street tyre or something grippier, like a semi-slick.

Expect to see the new Civic Type R in local showrooms late this year, with a price tag possibly just under the $50,000 mark.