Honda->ke34 recently announced that U.K. customers have swooped up every available 2016 Honda Civic Type R in the country and it is all sold out until next February, which is a bit of a downer for those hot-hatch fans left waiting around for new models to be built. However, it appears as though the automaker managed to stash a single Type R fresh off the assembly line, and now, it’ll give it away to whichever Brit that manages the fastest lap in a simulated run around the Nurburgring.->ke999
It’s called the “King of the Hell” competition, and soon virtual pilots will be invited to tackle the notorious German race circuit via “state-of-the-art training simulators.”
Details are a bit sparse, but it appears as though participants can get in on the action by showing up at a Type R roadshow at one of 15 designated locations scattered around the U.K. between July 17th and November 1st. There, they will set a qualifying lap in an “X-box race simulator.” Once qualified, the participant can set multiple lap times in the “Type R simulator,” with the quickest time counting towards the competition.
Winner takes all, which means a gratis 12-month loan of a brand new Civic Type R.
Honda made headlines earlier this year when it announced that its new turbo rocket had managed to set a time around the ‘Ring in 7:50.63, making it essentially the fastest FWD hatchback->ke304 on Earth.
Continue reading for the full story.
Why it matters
Ah yes, auto promotions and video games.->ke2888 I think the two work quite well together. This “King of the Hell” promo is a bit reminiscent of what Mazda->ke53 did with Forza Horizon 2, wherein talented digital racers competed against one another for a chance to win a brand new MX-5.
However, this one is a bit different. Instead of sitting around doing endless laps in your underwear, anyone looking to get the Civic->ke236 will need to actually show up outside, you know, in public, where the competition will be waiting behind you to best your time, critiquing your every move.
It’s far more pressure than you’d get perched in front of your home television covered in Cheeto dust.
But that shouldn’t stop folks from prepping for this with their own platforms prior to the live runs.
It also wouldn’t hurt to give the in-car footage of Honda’s record-setting sub-8-minute ‘Ring run an in-depth perusal.
Finally, you can check out the “King of the Hell” website for some track tips straight from the brain of Italian racing driver Gabriele Tarquini, a man with extensive experience tackling the track at the helm of both Formula 1->ke190 cars and GT cars.
2016 Honda Civic Type R
With a new, 306-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine, oversized brakes and wheels, flamboyant-but-functional aerodynamics, and a 167-mph top speed, the new Type R is over the top in all the right ways. Thankfully, the only transmission option is a six-speed manual, while a trick Dual Axis Front suspension helps to reign in the torque steer. Honda claims a 0-to-60 time of 5.7 seconds.
Read our full review here.