Civic Type-R GT to replace NSX-GT Type S on 2024 SuperGT race series

Starting 2024, Honda will replace the NSX-GT Type S with Civic Type-R GT as an entry on the top GT500 class of SuperGT. The change is in response to Honda discontinuing the NSX globally and currently the Civic Type-R sits at the top of Honda performance car offering that is sold publicly. Civic Type-R GT will still be powered by Honda own 2.0L turbocharged engine per the FIA Class One rule that Super GT adopts.

2024 Honda Civic Type-R GT


The Civic Type-R GT as a sedan will surely draw quite a chatter on the paddock as the source car is a sedan, a far cry from the typical performance car that is usually a two seater or at maximum a 2+2 (basically still a 2 seater but with kind of acceptable back seats for kids or small statured people), for example any Porsche 911 or Mazda RX-8. Typical sports cars are compact to reduce weight and easier to manage aerodynamics which is not always the case for a sedan.

Japan Super GT is no stranger to odd car entries, after all, Toyota Prius and Subaru Impreza was fielded and both a 4 door car. However, both cars runs on the lower end GT300 class while Honda Civic Type-R GT will run against Toyota and Nissan best sports cars, the Supra and the Z. Japan Super GT obviously is not a production based race as it’s a silhouette racer series, meaning that the car raced on the series is only based off the physique of a production car with standardized components. For example, Toyota Supra being raced on Super GT is not the same Toyota Supra being sold on the market. The publicly sold Toyota Supra is using a 2.0L turbo engine made by BMW, while the Super GT Supra is using a 2.0L turbo engine made by Toyota. Same goes to the transmission and suspension system which is using standardized components for all participants.

By using Honda Civic Type-R gen V chassis, Honda racing engineers have quite a handful issues to tackle. First thing first, sports cars are low slung short cars for weight and aerodynamic reasons mentioned above. The Civic Type-R as it is based off a 4 door family hatchback is well, quite big. The production Civic Type-R has 1,890 mm width, 4,595 mm length, and 1,404 mm height. For size comparison, the production Toyota Supra has 1,865 mm width, 4,380 mm length and 1,290 mm height. Aerodynamic wise, Honda racing engineers needs to deploy every trick they have learned from decades of racing experience. As a spectator of the sport, I don’t know how to tackle the height of the car, but I do sure know that Honda engineers can take advantage of the extra length of the car to maximize ground effect just like current Formula 1 cars.

So sayonara NSX, thank you for the dreams, konnichiwa Civic Type-R, I’m expecting great things.

Debut Honda HSV Memenangkan Balapan Super GT

Pada debut balapan perdana, Honda dengan mobil HSV-nya langsung menyabet gelar pemenang melalui tim Weider setelah pertempuran yang sengit dengan tim Lexus Petronas Tom’s SC430 selama seri berlangsung tahun ini.

Honda HSV (Honda Sport Velocity) adalah mobil yang seharusnya diluncurkan untuk bertanding dengan Nissan GT-R dan Lexus LF-A. Namun dikarenakan kondisi ekonomi dunia yang sedang menurun beberapa tahun lalu dan perpindahan fokus Honda ke arah ramah lingkungan, Honda HSV menemui ajalnya bahkan sebelum diluncurkan. Meskipun begitu, prototipe yang secara notabene sudah selesai dimanfaatkan oleh Honda untuk berpartisipasi di ajang balapan paling bergengsi di Jepang yaitu Super GT. Honda sendiri memanfaatkan lubang didalam aturan Super GT karena ajang balapan bergengsi ini hanya mengijinkan partisipasi melalui produk mobil yang beredar di pasaran.

Honda HSV adalah mobil pertama Honda yang akan menggunakan mesin V10 berkapasitas 5000 cc dengan target tenaga kuda hingga 500 ps/pk dan menggunakan sistem penggerak 4 roda yang mampu memindahkan tenaga tak hanya untuk roda depan dan belakang namun juga kiri dan kanan. Rencananya, Honda akan menggunakan merek Acura untuk meluncurkan mobil ini di Amerika dan merek Honda sendiri untuk di Jepang.

Spesial untuk balapan Super GT ini, Honda menggunakan mesin V8 berkapasitas3400 cc dengan tenaga kuda 500 ps/pk. Mesin ini adalah mesin yang sama digunakan oleh Honda untuk balapan Formula Nippon.

Selamat untuk Honda dan tim Weider! Semoga dengan kemenangan ini, keputusan untuk menjual HSV dalam bentuk produk produksi dapat dilaksanakan. Hal ini sangat sesuai untuk menciptakan sebuah produk “Halo” untuk menampilkan kemampuan insinyur Honda menciptakan sebuah kendaraan 4 roda yang dapat bersaing dengan Ferrari dan Lamborghini.

Sumber:

SuperGT.net: Halaman tim Weider

Honda Supercar Lives On Albeit Exclusively

When Honda announced they are pulling the plug from the almost finished supercar, automotive fans around the world begs an answer. The car is finished, and seen running around in “the ring”, heck, there’s a photo of its gorgeous interior. Killing the car is like doing an abortion at 8 months… It’s wrong, just wrong.

NSX render from Autoexpress

Just imagine the cost of development for the car, a new engine and probably transmission, chassis and manufacturing line will certainly costs Honda quite a lot, and not putting the car to good use is baffling. With Honda retiring NSX for good from SuperGT race in Japan, especially because there’s a new rule that dictates all cars must be a front engine rear wheel drive to participate… Everything looks grim for Honda and its racing heritage back in Japan.

Well, here it is folks, a glimmer of hope, the silver lining in the cloud, the M in M & Ms, Honda is actually putting the supposed supercar for good use, although more exclusive than you think.

Honda is making the new supercar to run in the Japan SuperGT race sporting a a 3.4L V8 engine producing as much as 500 bhp as limited by the rule. The car, officially dubbed the HSV or Honda Sport Velocity (that’s hawt!), will carry on the ideal of Honda racing spirit.

The available render from French sourced Leblogauto indicates that the car already receives the fender flares for the race, as it looks more menacing than the available spy shot of the car.

Well, to all Honda fans, at the very least this car will definitely be in a downloadable form for Forza Motorsport 3 (XBOX users) and be available when Gran Turismo came out next year (Playstation users). Well, this is just me talking, but chances are high, count that in.

Source:

Original French news source

Autoblog english translated source