Top ten Cars the two thousand seventeen Honda Civic Type R Hammers on the Nurburgring
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The two thousand seventeen Honda Civic Type R is once again the fastest front-wheel-drive car around the Nurburgring.
The previous-generation model held the record with a lap time of 7:50.63 until the fresh Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S came around and set a fresh mark with 7:47.Nineteen. But now there’s a fresh Civic Type R, and the Japanese automaker has reclaimed the title with a lap time of 7:43.80. Not only is this an amazing improvement over the last-generation model’s record, it bests Volkswagen’s entry by almost four seconds.
More remarkably, that puts the two thousand seventeen Honda Civic Type R in the company of some very prestigious supercars, despite being a front-wheel-drive hatchback sporting a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Sure, some of the cars on the list are a bit outdated and newer versions turn in better lap times, but you have to be astonished to hear a Civic is swifter than a Lamborghini on the Nurburgring. Here are ten of the most interesting cars the fresh Honda Civic Type R strikes around the Nurburgring.
Ten. Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S
There’s no better car to commence the list off than the one Honda just re-took the record from. The Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S is essentially a purpose-built machine to take on the Nurburgring, throwing out the back seats and reworking the suspension to tackle the turns. There are extra aero components to provide downforce while the powerplant provides three hundred six horsepower and two hundred eighty pound-feet of torque. Production on the model was limited to just four hundred units and it never made it to North America.
9. BMW M3 GTS
Sport Auto recorded a lap time of 7:48 for the BMW E92 M3 GTS, a track-oriented model designed to be a lighter, more powerful version of the sports coupe. Like other track-oriented variants, the M3 GTS threw out its rear seat, center console, and door trim to shed weight, while shoppers could opt for no air conditioning. Even the audio system and sound insulation were discarded while a standard roll bar and fire extinguisher were installed. Power was bumped to four hundred forty four hp and torque came in at three hundred twenty five lb-ft, but even all that nets the E92 M3 GTS a slower lap time than the fresh Honda Civic Type R.
8. Chevrolet Corvette C6 Z06
When the Chevrolet Corvette C6 Z06 was very first introduced, it was at the time the fastest Corvette the American automaker had ever produced. Packing five hundred five hp, the Corvette Z06 featured a 7.0-liter V8 engine under the fetish mask and even all that power isn’t enough to best the Two.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder Civic Type R. Sport Auto recorded a Nurburgring lap time of 7:49 for the Corvette Z06 on June 22, 2007.
7. Ferrari five hundred ninety nine GTB Fiorano
The Ferrari five hundred ninety nine GTB Fiorano very first came onto the market as a two thousand seven model, substituting the 575M Maranello. Powered by a 6.0-liter V12 engine, the five hundred ninety nine GTB Fiorano cranked out six hundred twelve hp and four hundred forty eight lb-ft of torque and served as Ferrari’s two-seat flagship. It might be over ten years old, but the GTB Fiorano managed a 7:47 lap time as recorded by Sport Auto. Yep, the Honda Civic Type R is almost four seconds swifter than a Ferrari with a V12 engine.
6. Porsche nine hundred eleven GT3 RS (996)
There’s no arguing Porsche knows a thing or two about producing prompt sports cars. In fact, for fairly some time, the German automaker held the fastest Nurburgring lap time for a production car with the Porsche nine hundred eighteen Spyder until the Lamborghini Huracan Performante came around with its fancy aerodynamics. But still, the 996-generation GT3 RS with all its race-inspired goods turned in a 7:47 lap time courtesy of Sport Auto.
Five. Porsche nine hundred eleven GT2 (996)
There are certainly much swifter nine hundred eleven GT2 models in latest years, but the nine hundred ninety six generation is actually slower than the two thousand seventeen Honda Civic Type R around the Nurburgring. In June 2001, Sport Auto turned in a lap time of 7:46. At the time, the Porsche nine hundred eleven GT2 was the most powerful series-produced Porsche ever built, sporting four hundred fifty six hp and four hundred fifty seven lb-ft of torque. But also keep in mind, when the 996-generation Porsche nine hundred eleven GT2 very first went on sale, it was priced around $185,000, which is significantly more than the mid-$35,000 range Honda is promising for the Civic Type R.
Four. Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera
It’s only fair if a Ferrari makes the list that there’s a Lamborghini model as well. The Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera managed a lap time of 7:46 by Sport Auto in September 2007, a few ticks slower than the fresh Civic Type R. The Superleggera was a xxx version of the Gallardo, shedding weight while boosting spectacle to five hundred twenty three hp and three hundred seventy six lb-ft of torque from its Five.0-liter V10 engine. Like other cars on the list, you could argue it’s not fair comparing a 10-year-old car to the fresh Civic Type R, but this is a Lamborghini we’re talking about here.
Three. Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
Mercedes-AMG has since substituted the SLS with a fresh sports car, the GT. And while that model is incredible on its own at the Nurburgring, the SLS AMG is actually slower than the front-wheel-drive hatch. Auto Bild Sportscars registered a lap time of 7:44.42 in November 2010, but it’s worth noting that Sport Auto turned in a 7:40 time, so there’s certainly some variance with the model’s lap time.
Two. Pagani Zonda S
There’s no confusing a Pagani exotic. They’re some of the finest machines in the world, which makes it even more shocking that a Civic Type R hits any Pagani model around the Nurburgring. The Pagani Zonda S has a recorded lap time of 7:44 by Sport Auto in February two thousand five and that’s with a massive 7.0-liter AMG-sourced engine with five hundred forty hp. There is, of course, the race-only Pagani Zonda R with a 6:47.50 lap time, proving Pagani knows a thing or two on how to conquer the ‘Ring.
1. Audi R8 V10
Sure, Audi has improved on the R8 with the introduction of the second-generation model, but the first-gen R8 V10 has a lap time of 7:44 as recorded by Sport Auto in September 2009. Keep in mind this is a supercar powered by a Five.2-liter V10 engine with five hundred twenty five hp and three hundred ninety one lb-ft of torque.
Like we said before, it may not be entirely fair to compare the two thousand seventeen Honda Civic Type R with vehicles introduced last decade, but it goes to showcase just how rapid a front-wheel-drive, turbocharged four-cylinder hatchback can become with a few years of research and development behind it.