Honda is working on its new contender for the Super GT series and is now previewing the model with a new concept car during the Tokyo Auto Salon in Japan. The so-called Civic Type R-GT race car is based on the current road-going Civic Type R and will replace the NSX-GT Type S. The concept car shown in Tokyo wears the corporate colors of Honda Racing Corporation. – Red, blue and white. The prototype debuted in Tokyo with HRC president Koji Watanabe.
Despite the obvious visual similarities between a street legal car and a race car, there are some major differences between the two. The track machine is rear-wheel drive unlike the Civic Type R’s front-wheel drive layout. No detailed information on the mechanicals is available, but Honda says the concept shows the direction the final version of the race car will take during the development process.
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We don’t even know what stage the development process is at right now, but the Japanese automaker has announced that the first track tests are scheduled for this summer. The final version of the Super GT series should be ready for the 2024 season when new regulations are introduced in the GT500 segment. Honda is expected to be the only manufacturer with an all-new competitor in the series as Nissan and Toyota continue with modified versions of their existing race cars based on the Nissan Z and Toyota Supra respectively.
That’s literally everything we know about Honda’s new Super GT race car that’s currently in development. As a reminder, the Grand Touring Car Championship was established in 1993 and was renamed to its current name in 2005. The series represents the highest level of car racing in Japan and currently has two classes – GT300 and GT500. Last year, Nissan took the crown in both classes and Honda’s last title is for 2020 with the front-engined NSX-GT.
The 2023 season in Super GT will begin on April 15 this year at the Okayama International Circuit. A total of eight races are planned for this year, although Honda will have to wait until 2024 to introduce its new Civic Type-R-based competitor.
