HONDA'S new Civic Type R has set a Nürburgring Nordschleife lap record for front-wheel-drive cars.
It's time of 7 minutes 43.8 seconds is three seconds quicker than the lap set by the last record holder, Volkswagen's Golf GTI Clubsport S, at the famed German race track.
The 12.9 mile circuit is regarded as one of the sternest tests for high performance cars, let alone drivers - thus its 'Green Hell' nickname.
Honda explained that its time was achieved "during the final phase of the model’s testing regime, on a dry track with an optimum ambient temperature for the best tyre and powertrain performance".
To put the pace of progress when it comes to performance cars into some context, the new Type R's time is seven seconds faster than that recorded by its predecessor.
The new Civic Type R's engine is slightly more powerful, at 316bhp compared to 306bhp, and makes the same 295lb.ft of torque as the outgoing car.
The upcoming Type R is also a little lighter - by 16kg - and has a body that is 38 per cent stiffer than the old Civic.
Ryuichi Kijima, lead chassis engineer for the Honda Civic Type R, says it is a very focused machine.
"The cornering speed achieved in the new Type R is higher because the car features a wider track and tyres, a longer wheelbase, new multi-link suspension in the rear and optimised aerodynamics that improves stability," he explains.
"For example, drivers typically enter the corner after Metzgesfeld at around 150 km/h. Even at this medium-speed corner, the speed is around 10 km/h higher due to the new Type R’s excellent stability.
"So, with improved cornering performance, we can increase the speed throughout the lap, helping the new Type R to achieve a much quicker lap time."
Honda said that the development car that achieved the lap time was "technically representative" of production specification.
A full floating roll cage was installed for safety reasons, but Honda insisted that its presence did not provide any additional rigidity to the body frame.
The extra weight of the cage was compensated for by the temporary removal of the infotainment system and rear seats. The car was using road legal track-focused tyres.
