If Honda is looking to reclaim the front-wheel-drive lap record at the Nurburgring with the new Civic Type R, it seems to have gotten off to a good start.
Honda revealed the production-ready Civic Type R on Tuesday at the Geneva International Motor Show, featuring a 2-liter turbocharged in-line four-cylinder VTEC engine that churns out 306 horsepower and 295 foot pounds of torque, according to a press release. The new addition to the 10th-generation Civic lineup will have a six-speed manual with automatic rev-matching, and a starting price around $35,000, which is roughly the same as what Volkswagen charges for an all-wheel-drive Golf R.
The Civic has 14 horsepower more than the Golf R, and just 4 horsepower fewer than the Golf GTI Clubsport S that currently holds the front-wheel-drive lap record on the Nordschleife. Additionally, the Type R has slightly more torque than the Clubsport S.
“The fastest, most powerful Honda ever sold in America, the Type R caps off the incredible success story of our 10th generation Civic lineup,” Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager of the Honda Division, American Honda Motor Co., Inc, said in a statement.
The Type R’s chassis has been completely reworked, significantly increasing front and rear rigidity. Honda also fitted the Type R with three-chamber dampers that can adapt to three driving modes: Comfort, Sport — which is the default — and +R. To further improve handling, Honda utilized lightweight aluminum to make the upcoming Type R 35 pounds lighter than the model it replaces.
Considering VW beat the outgoing Civic Type R’s lap record by 3 seconds using the extremely lightweight Clubsport S — it even doesn’t have a rear seat — the improved 2017 version stands a chance at reclaiming the throne. We just hope Honda decides to make it available in the brushed-aluminum finish we saw on the preproduction prototype.
Thumbnail photo via Honda
