Another Day, Another Civic Type R Track Record, This Time At Estoril

Honda has bagged yet another track record with the latest Civic Type R, this time at Portugal’s Estoril race track.

In the hands of the company’s WTCR driver Tiago Monteiro, the compact hot hatch completed the 4.2km (2.6mi) long circuit, with its two hairpins, a chicane and a long main straight, in 2 minutes and 01.84 seconds.

Commenting on the achievement, Tiago Monteiro said: “We came here with a goal to beat the existing lap record set by the previous car, but you never take anything for granted – I mean it’s a lap record, so it’s no easy feat. You have to have supreme confidence in the car to attack around Estoril, and the new Type R is just so powerful, smooth and confidence-inspiring. We beat the lap record, smashed the record actually.”

Watch Honda Civic Type R Set A Record Around Spa-Francorchamps

Previous lap records for the fastest production front-wheel drive car were set by the Honda Civic Type R at Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps and Hungaroring. Also, the Japanese hot hatch still holds on to the Nurburgring crown, but that record could be shattered soon, by the newly introduced Renault Megane RS Trophy.

When they’re not looking for new tracks to unleash the Civic Type R, Honda;s engineers and designers are working on a facelifted version of the car. Spied testing earlier this month, the hot hatch will come with some styling updates on the outside and improvements to the interior.

It’s possible that the company’s engineers will also massage the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine to produce a bit more over the current output of 310PS (306hp / 228kW) and 400Nm (295lb-ft) of torque.