It's been some time since the new Honda Civic Type R hit the market and the Japanese hot hatch is still making headlines. On top of bringing it to the U.S. for the very first time, Honda is also using the Type R to set records for FWD cars on Europe's most iconic race track. After setting new benchmarks on the Nurburgring and Magny-Cours GP circuits, the Type R established a new record on Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps track too.

The beefed-up hatchback lapped one of the longest tracks in the racing season in two minutes and 53.72 seconds, the quickest of any production car with front-wheel drive. The benchmark was obtained with a stock vehicle driven by former FIA WEC LMP2 class champion Bertrand Baguette, who is currently racing a Honda NSX-GT in the Super GT series. "For me as a race car driver, it’s clear that Type R is born for the track, but it also feels just as right on the streets in everyday driving," Baguette said at the end of the run.

This is the second time the Civic Type R has set a record at the Spa-Francorchamps. This year's benchmark is an improvement to the record from 2016, when the previous Type R also claimed records at Silverstone, Estoril, and the Hungaroring. Honda is planning to improve those times with the new model too, so expect more records to follow in 2018.

Honda Civic Type R Performance Specifications

References

Read our full review on the 2017 Honda Civic Type R.

Read our full review on the 2018 Honda Civic.

Read more Honda news.