Honda is aiming to reinforce the class-leading status of the award-winning Civic Type R. The brand will do it by using a squad of racing stars to set new lap time benchmarks at iconic European racetracks. The complete driver line-up is still under construction. But Honda confirmed that 2009 Formula 1 World Champion and current NSX Super GT driver Jenson Button will take part in the challenge. WTCR drivers Tiago Monteiro, Esteban Guerrieri and NSX Super GT star Bertrand Baguette will join Jenson for the challenge.
A similar challenge in 2016 saw benchmark lap times set at Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps, Monza, Estoril and Hungaroring. Then the team used the previous generation Civic Type R. The drivers included racers from the British Touring Car Championship and World Touring Car Championship.
For the 2018 edition, Honda will aim to exceed the times set at Silverstone (Great Britain), Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) and Estoril (Portugal) in 2016. There will be more tracks in the program, Honda will announce them in due time.
A squad of racing stars will set new lap time benchmarks at iconic European racetracks with the Civic Type R. 2009 Formula 1 World Champion and current NSX Super GT driver Jenson Button will take part in the challenge
The new Honda Civic Type R retains the heritage of Honda’s high-performance hatchback bloodline. And it is the fastest accelerating and quickest car in its class. The latest car to sport the famous ‘red H’ was part of the all-new tenth-generation Civic’s development programme. It features a lightweight, highly rigid bodyshell, low centre of gravity, and sophisticated dual-axis strut front suspension system, which reduces torque steer and enhances on-the-limit cornering.
The new Honda Civic Type R is powered by a 2.0-litre VTEC TURBO engine. It offers a peak power output of 320 PS at 6,500 rpm and peak torque of 400 Nm from 2,500 rpm to 4,500 rpm. The car has a top speed of 272 km/h (169 mph) and 0-62 mph is achieved in just 5.7 seconds. In April 2017 a production development car became the fastest front-wheel drive production car ever around the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Its lap time was 7min 43.8sec.
Honda will show the 2018 Time Attack Civic Type R at the Geneva Motor Show from 8-18 March.
