The Subaru WRX STI might be dead for now, and there’s new competition in the Toyota GR Corolla hatchback, but we’re still excited for the imminent unveiling of the next-gen Honda Civic Type R, which will build on the great new—okay, somewhat recycled but nonetheless great—foundation that is the 11th generation Civic. As we hurtle towards its scheduled debut this summer, Honda is teasing us with what it’s been working on at least one more time. New video of the Type R prototype running around the famous Nürburgring track in Germany shows the car in full attack mode, and it looks and sounds very good so far.
Honda already sent the car out to set a new lap record for front-wheel drive cars around Suzuka Circuit in Japan, and now it seems like there’s a coordinated effort to set a solid time around the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany. Over the years, Nürburgring lap times have become something of a performance benchmark for automakers to measure the abilities of their cars through the varying conditions and challenges of the nearly 23 km (14 mi) long track.
Back in 2017, the outgoing Type R set a new front-wheel drive record with a time of 7 minutes and 43.8 seconds, so the new one has to at least be able to beat that time, we’d imagine. A second video offers the same audio and visuals of the Type R prototype at the track, in English:
We expect a more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with more than 300 horsepower, upgraded brakes with red Brembo calipers likely (they are visible behind this prototype’s blacked-out wheels), and special bucket seats, at least, and the prototype has been spotted wearing Michelin Pilot 4S tires. Details have been limited so far, but we know we’re getting the full reveal sometime soon this summer.
Keyword: Now, One Last Good Look at the 2023 Honda Civic Type R Prototype Before It Debuts