The Nürburgring, which unfolds its 20.8 kilometers of turns, has long been a favorite testing ground for sports cars. The Honda Civic Type R distinguished itself there as the three times record holder for compacts. The hot-hatch segment has many contenders, including the Renault Mégane, the VW Golf, the Seat Leon ...
Before the Honda Civic Type R entered the scene, it was the Renault Mégane RS that dominated the debates. In 2008, the Megane RS R26 R had set a record of 8:16'', establishing a first reference record time for a front-wheel drive. The time was achieved thanks to an approach based on weight reduction, even including the removal of the rear bench seat, and chassis improvements to increase on-track efficiency. A roll cage and slick tyres completed the equipment.
Later came the Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R, which regained its title by cutting four minutes from the record-holding Seat Leon Cupra (7:58.44) with a time of 7:54.36. With the arrival of the Honda Civic Type R in 2015, Honda made a big splash in the front-wheel drive segment with a record time of 7:50.63, smashing the record of the Mégane RS and its other competitors of the time.
The new record holding Civic was not completely standard, but not far off. It was a development prototype, with all the technical characteristics of the final version that would be sold in dealerships and with a very standard engine developing 310 hp at 6,500 rpm. The suspension, transmission, exhaust, brakes and aerodynamic pack were all rigorously identical to those of the standard Type R. The removal of certain equipment, such as the air conditioning, the front passenger seat or the radio + speakers compensated for the weight of the roll bar, installed for safety (and not to increase rigidity).
During these tests at the Nürburgring, the Civic Type R was fitted with the same rims and tyres as the standard model. Except for the absence of air conditioning and radio, it was a Civic Type R identical to one you could buy at any Honda dealer!
This record prompted a swift response from Renault, which in 2016 attempted to reclaim the title with a new Megane RS 275 Trophy-R, but to no avail. The Civic Type R’s dominance was relentless. Also in response to the success of the Civic Type R, in 2016 Volkswagen released the Golf GTI Club Sport S. This briefly held the record at the Green Hell with a time of 7:49.21. This model featured a more powerful 310 hp engine and was lightened to maximize track performance. Its record was short-lived: Honda snatched it bac with the new 2017 Civic Type R.
The 2017 Civic Type R set a new record straight away with a time of 7:43.8. The car featured substantial improvements such as a more powerful engine producing 320 hp — only ten more than the 2015 Type R — and a slightly revised chassis.
The lap time was set during the model’s final testing phase, on a dry track at an optimum tarmac temperature, in order to obtain the best performance from both the tyres and the engine. The new time slashed almost seven seconds from the time set by its predecessor. Huge!
The new Civic Type R was part of the all-new development programme for the tenth-generation Civic – the largest in Honda’s history.
The close-ratio six-speed gearbox greatly improved engine response, while the aerodynamic pack helped to increase the car’s stability at high speeds, providing the perfect balance between lift and drag. The body of the new Civic Type R was sixteen kilograms lighter than the previous model, and torsional rigidity improved by 38 percent so sharpening steering precision and cornering stability. The new multi-link rear suspension improved ground efficiency and reduced body roll, which was particularly noticeable when braking. The new Civic Type R could brake later and achieve higher cornering speeds.
“The cornering speed of the new Type R is higher because the car has wider tracks and tyres, a longer wheelbase, a new multi-link suspension at the rear, and optimized aerodynamics that improve its stability,” said Kijima-san. “For example, drivers typically enter the corner after Metzgesfeld at around 150 km/h. Even in this corner, which is not very fast for the Ring, the Civic’s cornering speed is around 10 km/h faster than the competition due to its excellent stability.” Thanks to improved cornering performance, we were able to increase our speed through each corner, allowing the new Type R to achieve a much faster lap time.”
The test car that achieved this lap time was technically very representative of the production version’s specification. A roll cage was fitted for safety reasons, but its presence did not add significant rigidity to the body. The additional weight of the roll cage was offset by the removal of the infotainment system and rear seats. The car used road-legal, track-specific tyres.
Production of the new Civic Type R for European customers began in summer 2017 at Honda’s Swindon plant, the global production centre for the tenth-generation Civic saloon. The Type R would be exported throughout Europe and to other markets around the world, including Japan and the USA. Its arrival in North America marked a first, with the Honda-badged Type R now officially being sold there.
Renault, refusing to be left behind, developed the Megane RS Trophy-R in 2019, which managed to regain the lead with a time of 7:40.1. The car was significantly lightened version of the Megane RS and equipped with high-performance tyres, plus a suspension optimized for the track.
SEAT with its Leon Cupra and a time of 7:58.12 also tried its luck on the Nürburgring, obtaining impressive results but failed to dethrone the Civic and other Meganes.
A great year, with a new record of 7:44.881, confirmation that the Civic Type R 2023 had further improved its dynamic performance compared to the previous model.
Based on the 2.0-litre VTEC turbo engine, inherited from the previous generation Civic Type R, the mechanical performance had been further improved to provide a maximum power of 243 kW thanks, in particular, to the adoption of an all-new turbocharger. Cooling was optimised and the evacuation of engine calories was achieved by enlarging the front grille and the ventilation of the radiator.
Progress was also made on the aerodynamics: downforce had been substantially improved, which increased stability.
The braking, inherited from the previous generation Civic Type R, had been modified to better control the slowing down of the car at all speeds. In addition, by increasing the amount of air admitted by the brakes, their temperature could be lowered to ensure consistently constant braking.
On the tyre side, the Michelin Pilot Sport CUP 2 Connect was developed jointly with Michelin, using the know-how acquired during the development of the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, the tyre supplied as standard on the Civic Type R. The Michelin Pilot Sport CUP 2 Connect improved grip on dry ground while maintaining perfect handling.
