Honda Civic Type R-GT Starts Track Tests For 2024 Super GT Debut

Honda Civic Type R-GT Concept at 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon

The 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon (TAS) held earlier this year saw Honda unveiling its latest GT500 contender, which is the Honda Civic Type R-GT. Based on the current-gen Honda Civic Type-R FL5, the unit displayed at TAS earlier this year was just a mere concept model, as the marque was still developing the car ahead of its racing debut in 2024.

2024 Honda Civic Type R-GT racecar

Today, however, saw Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) releasing a few photos of the actual Civic Type R-GT racecar, ahead of its first shakedown tests over the next few days. Compared to the concept model at TAS, the final version looks somewhat similar, with the sole notable difference being its new black-themed HRC livery, as well as the addition of several aerodynamics and cooling components.

Honda Civic Type R-GT racecar (left), side-to-side with the road-legal Civic Type-R FL5 (right)

Putting the racecar side to side against its road-legal twin, however, tells you a different story, as both cars look significantly different from each other, with the only prominent similarities being its headlights and taillights design. Being a full-blown racecar, the Type R-GT comes with aggressive aero parts, including its wide front bumpers with complex intakes, front splitter and racing canards, the equally-aggressive rear bumper featuring prominent rear diffuser, as well as its massive swan neck-style GT rear wing.

While you can see the reminiscence of the FL5 Type-R on its roofline, the Civic Type R-GT racecar bears no resemblance to said model below its shoulder line. The side now comes with thick side skirts, while riding on racing-style centre-lock wheels shodded in Bridgestone Potenza slick tyres.

Aside from the minimal styling cues and namesake, the Civic Type R-GT shares nothing much with its road-legal counterpart when it comes to mechanical bits. Under the hood, this racecar harnesses a 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbocharged mill with an undisclosed power output. Mind you, this is not the same 2.0-litre mill we saw on the FL5 Type-R, as HRC claims this engine is developed in-house from the ground up solely for racing purposes.

Aside from that, the Type R-GT shares the same underbone as the FL5 Type-R, albeit with some substantial alterations to make it track-ready. More importantly, this racecar sports a rear-wheel drive (RWD) setup instead of a front-wheel drive (FWD) we saw on the road-going Type-R – as per Super GT’s GT500 regulations.

The Honda Civic Type R-GT will commence its inaugural track testing at the Okayama International Circuit in Japan, beginning from July 25 to 26. The Civic Type R-GT will replace the NSX-GT as the marque’s new GT500 in the 2024 Super GT season, where it will compete against fellow GT500 rivals like the new Nissan Z GT500 racecar, as well as the Toyota GR Supra GT500.

Alleged Honda Civic Type-R FL5 spotted on a trailer truck in Malaysia. Launching soon?

While folks in Malaysia can’t really see the new Civic Type R-GT in action at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC), at least they can look forward to seeing its road-legal twin debuting into our local market soon. At this moment, Honda Malaysia has not issued any statements pertaining to the launching date of the new Type-R model, but with several wrapped-up models being spotted in public already, this could mean that we’re getting closer and closer to its eventual launch date.