2023 Honda Civic Type R is new FWD king of the 'Ring

2023 Honda CTR is fastest FWD at Nurburgring

If you're still not convinced with the improvements Honda has done to the all-new Civic Type R, well this might end the debate once and for all.

Honda has reclaimed the record for the fastest front-wheel-drive production car at the Nürburgring Nordschleife with the 2023 Honda Civic Type R.

Also known as the FL5, the all-new Civic Type R is powered by a 2.0-liter, inline-four cylinder DOHC VTEC Turbo engine that makes 330 PS (Euro and Japan version) – other countries get the model with 320 PS – and 420 Nm of torque.

After conquering the S curves and the daunting 130R corner at the Suzuka circuit last year to set a 2-minute and 23.120-second lap time around the 5.8-kilometer track, it was time for the FL5 to take its act to the Green Hell, and boy, did it solidify its position as one of the fastest front-wheel-drive production cars in the world.

In just 7:44.881, the Civic Type-R lapped the 20.8-kilometer (12.93 miles) Nürburgring Nordschleife and demolished the previous 7:45.399 record set by the Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R (a track-only, stripped down model without rear seats). The record-setting Civic Type-R was all stock except for its Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 track tires.

Civic fans may recall that the previous generation CTR set a 7:43.80 lap time at Nürburgring Nordschleife in 2017, so how can the current-gen model be faster?

That is because the track run by the 2017 CTR was only 12.8 miles (20.59 kilometers). In 2019, a new set of rules for lap records were implemented, which included the short front straight section of the track that increased the official length of the Nürburgring to 12.93 miles (20.8 kilometers).

If the FL5, with four seats and all the bells and whistles, can do that, imagine what a limited edition, a track-only model with no second-row seats can do.

Honda Cars Philippines is about to welcome the second batch of units of the FL5 soon, so if you want to get a hold of the new front-wheel-drive king of the 'Ring, the order books are open.