---
title: "The 2017 Honda Civic Type R Breaks the FWD Nurburgring Record"
description: "At 7:43.80, America's first Honda Civic Type R is now your front-wheel-drive King of the 'Ring."
date: "2017-04-24"
modified: "2017-04-24"
authors:
  - name: "Chris Tsui"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/chris-tsui"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/9600/the-2017-honda-civic-type-r-break-the-fwd-nurburgring-record"
categories:
  - "Honda News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
tags:
  - "Civic"
  - "Civic Type R"
  - "compact"
  - "Hatchback"
  - "honda"
  - "nurburgring record"
  - "sports car"
  - "Videos"
---

# The 2017 Honda Civic Type R Breaks the FWD Nurburgring Record

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/04/civictyper_nurburgring_004-e1493021650567.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

It's official. The upcoming Honda Civic Type R—[America's first Type R](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/9146/production-spec-honda-civic-type-r-spotted-on-california-highway>)—is the fastest front-wheel-drive production car around the Nurburgring Nordschleife. Honda's hot hatch blitzed around the 'Ring in 7 minutes 43.80 seconds, topping the previous front-wheel-drive record set by the [Volkswagen GTI Clubsport S](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/3328/the-volkswagen-gti-r-clubsport-s-just-set-a-n-rburgring-record>) by over 3 seconds. It also marks a 7 second improvement over Honda's previous generation CTR—you know, the [FK2](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Civic_Type_R#4th_generation_.28FK2_chassis.29_.282015.E2.80.932016.29>) we never got stateside. The car's lead chassis engineer, Ryuichi Kijima, attributes the blistering time to higher cornering speeds due to "a wider track and tires, a longer wheelbase, a new multi-link suspension in the rear and optimized aerodynamics that improve stability."

Despite what some of you—including James May or [certain Porsche execs](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/9456/porsches-gt-boss-admits-the-nurburgring-ruins-cars>)—might feel about Nurburgring lap times, setting a record-breaking time at what is arguably the world's most demanding track is not a technical achievement to sneeze at. Perhaps Honda will show up next year with that [cheaper, lighter Civic Type R](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/9576/a-cheaper-lighter-honda-civic-type-r-might-be-a-thing-in-2018>) and raise the FWD bar once again.

Fun fact: at 306 hp, the new Civic Type R will officially be the most powerful Honda ever sold in America. Yes, the new hybrid [NSX](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/2535/does-the-2017-acura-nsx-have-a-soul>) obviously makes more power, but that's not sold as a Honda over here, now, is it?

https://youtube.com/embed/6LAB4cZ2V3Y

![message-editor%2F1493022389503-civictyper\_nurburgring\_001.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1493022389503-civictyper_nurburgring_001.jpg>)
*Honda*

![message-editor%2F1493022400799-civictyper\_nurburgring\_003.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1493022400799-civictyper_nurburgring_003.jpg>)
*Honda*

![message-editor%2F1493022409697-civictyper\_nurburgring\_006.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1493022409697-civictyper_nurburgring_006.jpg>)
*Honda*

![message-editor%2F1493022419901-civictyper\_nurburgring\_014.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1493022419901-civictyper_nurburgring_014.jpg>)
*Honda*

![message-editor%2F1493022427027-civictyper\_nurburgring\_019.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1493022427027-civictyper_nurburgring_019.jpg>)
*Honda*

![message-editor%2F1493022431579-civictyper\_nurburgring\_021.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1493022431579-civictyper_nurburgring_021.jpg>)
*Honda*

## Author
Chris Tsui is *The Drive*'s former Reviews Editor and current freelance automotive journalist. He's based in Toronto.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/cltsuii/>)