TRACK ATTACK
Nürburgring lap record in hand, Honda’s latest fast Civic might be its most exuberant Type R to date … but it’s also its best
LIKE it, or sneer at it, but in the metal it’s impossible not to marvel at the sheer exuberance of the new, fifth-generation Honda Civic Type R. Developed specifically with front-wheel-drive Nürburgring lap records in its sights, the knowledge that every flare, perforated spoiler, roof-mounted horn and diffuser protruding from this member of the usually tame Civic family played a crucial role in helping this car set a brutally quick 07:43,80 Nordschleife lap record.
Refined alongside Honda’s new Civic hatch range, the FK8 Type R is built on the company’s Global Compact platform. Longer and lower than the short-lived FK2 model it replaces, the R is marginally lighter (16 kg) while offering 38% more torsional stiffness compared with the previous car. This, together with a stretched wheelbase (106 mm) and wider tracks, front and rear, suggests a sharper package than before.
The unapologetic sense of purpose exuded by the exterior styling of the new Type R is car- ried over into a cabin scattered with race-ready red highlighting and chrome-look trim bits. While massive bucket seats offer a welcome blend of comfort and support, it’s the presence of Honda’s legendary aluminium gearlever knob that steals the show. From a lower driving position (see Five highlights of the fifth-generation Type R), it’s via this endangered piece of beautifully crafted equipment that the full orchestra of red-badged FK8 goodness is conducted.
Mated exclusively with the slick six-speed manual transmission is the same turbocharged 2,0-litre engine that did duty in the outgoing Type R. While modifications to the free-flow exhaust system have unleashed an additional 7 kw of power for the FK8 in European markets, the unavailability of 98-octane fuel in South Africa dictates that the engine’s full 235 kw potential cannot be realised. Instead, the new Type R delivers the same 228 kw as before. It’s not all bad news, however, as modifications to the throttle mapping, a reduction in the final-drive