Following the debut of the Honda Civic Type R Challenge 2018 car at the Geneva Motor Show, the high-performance hatchback has set a new two minutes 1.51 seconds lap record for a front-wheel drive production car at the Magny-Cours GP circuit in France.
The Magny-Cours GP circuit is a 4.4km track with a mix of slow hairpins, high-speed chicane sections and long straights. The Civic Type R's optimised 2.0-litre VTEC Turbo engine produces 315bhp and 400Nm of torque, and its muscular performance helped Guerrieri to exploit the character of the track.
The car's comprehensive aerodynamic package, with a best-in-class balance between lift and drag, was perfectly suited to the French circuit. In the Civic Type R's +R mode, the Adaptive Damper System produces a firmer, flatter ride and greater agility for high-performance handling.
Speaking about the lap record, Esteban Guerrieri said, "The best thing about the Type R is that it gives you confidence. It's very responsive and gives you good feedback. People call the Type R the ultimate performance hot hatch and we proved today that it really is; the car continues to push the boundaries of what's possible from front-wheel drive."
Commenting on the flexibility of the Type R as a road and track car, Guerrieri added, "The beauty is we could use +R mode on track but then switch to Comfort mode and drive home."
