Top five fastest front-drivers at the ‘Ring

WHILE steroid-pumped, mid-engined power-heroes battle it out at the Nurburgring for the heavyweight title and fastest production car lap, a lesser known welterweight war is raging in the front-wheel-drive production arena.

They might not have large-capacity V-configuration engines, carbonfibre construction and rear- or four-wheel drive systems of the supercar contenders, but the fastest front-drivers have been putting in sub-eight-minute laps for the last three years.

With the arrival of the new Honda Civic Type R, the title has, once again, fallen to the Japanese small hatchback. Here’s how the top-five Nurburgring front-drive champs stack up.

2017 Honda Civic Type R - 7:43.8

The current king of the hill is still trying to get the stink of champagne out of its racing suit having only just set the new lap record in April. Under its bonnet, a 2.0-litre VTEC turbo four-cylinder petrol produces 235kW and 400Nm sending grunt to the track via a six-speed manual gearbox.

If Honda’s claims that the new Type R can get from zero to 100km/h in just 5.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 272km/h are accurate, the record holder is also the fastest accelerating and overall top speed king as well.

2016 Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S - 7:47.19
This niche Golf variant tests the ragged fringes of what constitutes a ‘production’ car with a grenade of a tuned 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine that pumps out 228kW and 400Nm for a zero to 100km/h dash in 5.9 seconds and a 266km/h top speed.

With deleted rear seats, lighter sub-frames front and rear and a build run of just 400 worldwide, the fastest Golf GTI to date only just scrapes in to qualify for the front drive lap attempt.

2015 Honda Civic Type R - 7:50.63
Honda’s recently reclaimed title will be all the sweeter as it snatches the bragging rights back after losing this record set in the 2015 Civic Type R. That car used a similar recipe of 2.0-litre turbo four coupled with a manual gearbox with a paltry 228kW but the same 400Nm as the new version.

With such similar power figures, the ninth-generation Type R accelerated to 100km/h in the same time as the new version and managed a top speed just 2km/h slower, but improved aerodynamics and construction is where the gen-10 Civic has found the extra speed.

2014 Renault Megane RS 275 Trophy R - 7:54.36
Back before the Honda and Volkswagen battle raged, Renault was the Ring wraith with its Megane RS. Its most recent record was set by the most potent version to date, the RS 275 Trophy R, which also used a turbo 2.0-litre.

Power peaked at 201kW with a handy 360Nm of torque which was enough to blast the French hottie to 100km/h from standstill in 5.8 seconds and a V-max of 255km/h.

2014 SEAT Leon Cupra 280 - 7:58.4
Australian motorists may not immediately recognise the SEAT Leon, but some will be familiar with the underpinnings of the Cupra 280, which are shared with the 2014 Volkswagen Golf R and Audi S3.

With a handsome 205kW and 350Nm, the sensible SEAT could do the 0-100km/h dash in 6.1 seconds and crack 250km/h given a long enough road, and was the model that kicked off the sub-eight wars.

As if that wasn’t enough, it came back a year later with a big boot attached and set a new wagon record of 7:58.12.

With many of the hottest hatches now turning to all-paw transmissions to cope with power outputs that flirt with 300kW, what will be next to conquer the Honda’s dominance?