Video Worth Watching: Honda Civic Type-R Limited Edition sets Suzuka FWD lap record
Honda has debuted a new limited edition of the Honda Civic Type-R hot hatch. Showcasing the new, limited to 1,000 units, car's potential, Honda brought in Super GT Series driver Takuya Izawa during the final stint of the limited editon's testing schedule.
Izawa set a lap time of 2m 23.99s in a near-production version of the hatch. This time beats the previous lap record for a front-wheel drive car at Suzuka that was held by the Renault Megane RS Trophy-R by around 1.5s. Now, the European-spec car seen here is also expected to repeat this feat at the Nurburgring, where the standard Civic Type-R's FWD lap record was beaten by the Megane RS Trophy R in 2019.
All the limited edition Type-Rs will come in this Phoenix Yellow shade with gloss black highlights. The 310PS and 400 Nm, four-cylinder, 2.0-litre turbo petrol remains unchanged and pairs with a six-speed manual like before. But the hatch has now gone through a heavy weight-saving exercise. Up to 47 kgs have been saved by the new lightweight 20-inch BBS wheels, lesser sound-deading material and the removal of the hatch wiper, rear air ducts and parcel tray. Additionally, the infotainment and HVAC systems can be deleted, although the rear seats have been left in place. Other enhancements are reworked suspension and steering setups for better control.