Credit where it's due to Honda Australia: given the entire 7.692 million square kilometre land mass is only receiving 20 Civic Type R Limiteds, the PR operation is going to some effort in promoting it. Like getting a car to Suzuka and setting a front-wheel drive production car lap record. Old habits really do die hard at Honda; that's now Bathurst, Spa, Estoril, the Hungaroring and Silverstone they've ticked off...
All that being true, this one remains notable. Firstly because the Type R Limited was ruddy fast at Suzuka - 2:23.993 on Honda's watch is quicker than the times FastestLaps has recorded for a Megane 275 Trophy R, Porsche Carrera GT, Ferrari F40 and F50 - but also because there's something so right about seeing a fast Honda at Suzuka. It was Sochiro Honda who demanded a venue for motor racing in 1959 near the Suzuka factory - "Automobiles cannot be improved if they are not put through their paces on the racing circuit" is his quote - and that was completed in 1962. This is a circuit with a Spoon curve, the track where Senna brought his loafers out to play in an NSX-R and where Best Motoring have thrashed all manner of Civics and Integras - you'd call it Honda's home almost, were it not for its Twin Ring Motegi track as well...
As for the lap itself, it's the Civic's cornering grip is what really stands out - those standard Michelin Cup 2 tyres prove their worth throughout the lap, with little understeer even around Suzuka's longer corners. This being a Civic Type R, too, it's rapid: the 320hp VTEC turbo gets the Limited to 225kph (140mph) on the approach to 130R. Note as well the immense traction out of the Casio Triangle, a chicane that can often catch cars out.
It's an impressive showing from the Limited, then. While there's only so much to gather from an onboard vid, this lap combined with the promising list of modifications and the manifest talent of the standard Type R means there's considerable cause for elated optimism. As for finding out whether that faith can be rewarded, we'd expect a first drive of the Limited in the next couple of months. But most likely not at Suzuka - pity.
1 / 7