2017 FK8 Civic Type R Takes to the Track
This 2017 Honda Civic Type R went from a pampered daily driver to an all-out time attack machine in the span of 7 months!
Daily Driver to Track Car
For Jose Mejia, the 2017 Honda Civic Type R you see featured here started life as a brand-new pampered daily driver. A car that he admits to driving with a red towel on the driver's seat to keep it from being worn. We all know just how capable the Civic Type R is engineered to be out of the factory, though. So, it was only a matter of time before the temptation of taking the car to the track became too strong for Mejia to resist!
Photos: Motortrend
Clocking In at Buttonwillow
Taking the completely stock Type R to the Buttonwillow Raceway, he was able to clock an impressive lap time of 1:59.2. More than showing Mejia how fast the stock car is, it got him curious about the platform's ultimate on-track potential. That's when he decided to go full force ahead and maximize the car's performance with a goal of a sub-50 time at Buttonwillow.
>>Join the conversation about this track Civic Type R right here on S2Ki.com.
7-Month Build
"I approached the idea of building a Street Class car to Angel from Art of Attack and he was instantly on board. Seven months after this initial thought, the build was complete." Mejia remarked. They proceeded to test the car on the track, working through some issues and tune it to Mejia's liking. With no time to spare, the got the CTR ready for Global Time Attack (GTA) Finals at Buttonwillow.
>>Join the conversation about this track Civic Type R right here on S2Ki.com.
Hitting the Mark
With all the improvements in place, Mejia was able to record a top lap time of 1:50.6 during the 2-day event, setting a new FWD Street Class record in the process. As good as that setup was, it was just shy of the sub-50 goal he had set out from the start. He wasn't about to give up, though. And with some more fine-tuning, he was able to get a 1:49.9 lap time just a month later.
>>Join the conversation about this track Civic Type R right here on S2Ki.com.
Bolt-On Power Adders
The on-track performance may have seen massive improvements in comparison to the factory Civic Type R. But the build is a lot less invasive than you might think. Starting with the power plant, P600 turbo, intercooler, downpipe, titanium turbo inlet pipe, and intake were implemented by PRL Motorsports. With the help of Hondata's Type R fuel system upgrade and a custom exhaust system, the power output was improved to 480 horsepower.
>>Join the conversation about this track Civic Type R right here on S2Ki.com.
Suspension Goodies
In the suspension department, the name of the game was enhancing what the Honda engineers have equipped the stock FK8 CTR with. JRZ 2-way coilovers, Swift springs, SPC rear camber arms, and Karcepts rear sway bar are in play at the back. And a J's Racing shock tower bar is all that is needed at the front.
>>Join the conversation about this track Civic Type R right here on S2Ki.com.
Looks The Part
Aside from performance enhancements under the skin, the Honda also receives a host of body upgrades. These aren't all cosmetic. Though they do give the car a stylishly more aggressive look. But the front splitter, ducting in the front bumper cover, the side skirts, and the large rear wing all work to improve aerodynamics on the race track.
>>Join the conversation about this track Civic Type R right here on S2Ki.com.