New Civic Type R GT Begins Testing

You won’t find the Honda Civic Type R GT at your Honda dealer, but this car means business. The Civic Type R GT was recently unveiled as a car built for Japan’s GT500 sports car racing class. The car is planned to run in the 2024 season in Japan’s Super GT Series top GT500 class. The first on-track appearance is set for July 25-26 at Okayama.

11th Generation Honda Civic Type R

The new Honda Civic Type R (CTR) is a high-performance hatchback that you can check out at your Honda dealer. It’s fast and it delivers up to 315 horsepower with its turbocharged and intercooled 2.0-liter engine. The lower ratio gearbox allows the Type R to get incredible acceleration, going from casual revs to top speed.

But the CTR GT is expected to run in Japan’s top-class GT500 series. The rules of Super GT limit the size of engine that auto manufacturers can run in their cars. A turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder is the biggest you can have, and it’s also required that the cars have a six-speed sequential transmission with RWD. The CTR GT is expected to deliver power between 550 and 650.

Pictures of the CTR GT in its Super GT state have surfaced, showing sleek aerodynamic specifications. One can’t help but wonder how it would stack up against the already-fast Honda Civic Type R.

First Track Testing

Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) initially announced the CTR as the company’s new flagship vehicle for the GT500. The night and day look between the GT500-ready car and the original CTR is quite eye-catching. Unlike the engine limits, the class rules give automakers liberal leeway to alter the car’s exterior. This is evidenced in the CTR GT’s wide stance and large rear wing.

According to the president of HRC, the CTR GT is a race machine with a cutting-edge combination of technology, performance, and aerodynamics. In 2024, HRC will be competing in one of the most prestigious Japanese auto racing series.

The two-day test in Okayama will include a few other track stars in the Toyota GR Supra and the Nissan Z, which will both feature aerodynamic upgrades for the GT500. The president of HRC is setting expectations high by saying the goal is to win the championship in the first year.

Comparisons

The CTR road car that you can find at your Honda dealer makes 315 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque as mentioned earlier, but it also comes with a six-speed manual transmission and FWD. Despite the less eye-catching details, the regular CTR is still pretty fast. It recently set a new record for FWD cars at the Nurburgring Nordschleife where it lapped the 12.6-mile track in 7:44.8.

The CTR GT is the second racing version of the CTR. The first was designed for TCR regulation and made its racing debut earlier in 2023. Unlike the CTR GT, the CTR TCR races in North America and can be seen in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series.