Last February, Honda unleashed the 2021 Civic Type R Limited on the Suzaka Circuit in Japan to see how roughly 28.2 fewer pounds on the vehicle would affect its performance. Driven by Super GT driver Takuya Izawa, the Type R’s result on the Formula 1 racetrack was a 2:23.993 split, a new record for a front-wheel drive car. It should be noted that the record was achieved in a Euro-spec Type R meaning no A/C, no Honda Sensing hardware, or Honda’s display audio system. Everything else was factory stock, including the lighter BBS wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.
Only 600 of this year’s Type R will be manufactured. Buyers will get the same 2.0L turbo under the hood that cranks out 306-hp and 295 lb-ft. torque seen in the current model. Transmission is a 6-speed manual with a limited-slip differential.
Honda will put the Type R up for sale later this year. No pricing yet, but considering that the 2020 Type R lists for over $37,000 out the door, it would be no surprise to see Honda add a few more bucks to the price for a car with a record-breaking pedigree. You can check out the in-car lap video from Honda by clicking on the video above. By the way, the F1 lap for the Suzaka circuit is 1:27.32 set by Lewis Hamilton in 2017. Granted his Mercedes-Benz racecar was not street legal and easily cost a million dollars more than the Type R Limited available from your local Honda dealer.
You can get a walk-around of the 2021 Type R here that Alex from TFLcar captured back in February, plus our own test-track review of the 2020 Type R with Paul Gerrard behind the wheel below that.
