The Honda Civic Type R has continued its domination at European race tracks, and racked up another lap record – it’s final for the 2018 Type-R Challenge - this time at the Hungaroring in Hungary.
Following records at the Nürburgring, Magny-Cours, Silverstone, Estoril and Spa-Francorchamps, Honda UK took a production spec FK8 Type-R, and planted former Formula 1 World Champion and former McLaren-Honda racer Jenson Button in the driver's seat, who proceeded to set a new FWD lap record at the Hungaroring, with a time of 2:10.19 - beating the 228kw FK2's time by just 0.66 of a second.
The iconic Hungaroring is 4.3km long and is an incredibly technical track, as proven in the recent Formula 1 race held at the circuit. There are a handful of quick directional changing sectors, as well as parts of the track that test the stability and braking ability under extreme braking. Interestingly, the 235kw FK8 was only 5 seconds off the Ferrari 488GTB’s pace at the Hungarian track.
Speaking about the benchmark time, Jenson Button said: “We came here to the Hungaroring, where I won my first F1 race in 2006 with Honda, to set a new front-wheel drive production lap record in the new Type R, and I’m very happy that we did it!”
The new benchmark time at Hungaroring is the fifth front-wheel drive lap record set by Honda in 2018. The endeavour mirrored a similar effort by Honda in 2016 with the previous-generation Type R, which set front-wheel drive benchmark times at Estoril, Hungaroring, Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps.
The South African spec Civic Type-R produces slightly less power than the UK-spec model, due to our extreme climate. Power is down from 235kw to 228kw, but the 2.0-litre turbocharger motor’s torque remains constant at 400nm. Expect 0 to 100kph in just 5.8 seconds and a top speed of 272kph. Honda retails the FK8 Type-R for R635 500 in South Africa, and it comes standard with a 5-year/90 000 km service plan and a 5-year/200 000 km warranty.
Also worth a look: the Honda Amaze and the Honda Elevate: WR-V Successor Debuts in SA.
FAQ
Q: What does the Honda Civic Type R FK8 cost in South Africa?
The Honda Civic Type R FK8 retails for R635,500 in South Africa, which makes it one of the most expensive hot hatches you can buy locally but also one of the most capable.
Q: How much power does the South African Honda Civic Type R produce?
The South African spec Honda Civic Type R produces 228kW and 400Nm of torque from its 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, which is slightly less than the 235kW UK model due to our extreme climate conditions.
Q: Is the Honda Civic Type R FK8 worth buying?
The Honda Civic Type R FK8 is absolutely worth buying if you want a proper track weapon that doubles as a daily driver, especially considering it holds multiple lap records and can hit 100kph in just 5.8 seconds.
Q: What makes the Honda Civic Type R FK8 special compared to other hot hatches?
The Honda Civic Type R FK8 stands out because it holds front-wheel drive lap records at five major European circuits including the Nürburgring, and was only 5 seconds slower than a Ferrari 488GTB at the Hungaroring.
Q: What warranty does the Honda Civic Type R come with in South Africa?
The Honda Civic Type R comes standard with a 5-year/90,000km warranty in South Africa, giving you proper peace of mind for your R635,500 investment.
Should You Buy It?
The best track-focused hot hatch under R700,000 in South Africa is definitely the Honda Civic Type R FK8 at R635,500. This is a proper yes from us. You're getting a car that can embarrass supercars costing three times as much on track, hit 100kph in 5.8 seconds, and still haul your weekly shopping. The fact that Jenson Button used one to set lap records at legendary circuits like the Nürburgring and Hungaroring proves this isn't just marketing hype. Sure, R635,500 is serious money for a Civic, but you're not just buying a Civic, you're buying a lap record holder that happens to have Honda reliability and a 5-year warranty. If you want the ultimate front-wheel drive weapon and have the budget, don't think twice.
