Well, we all knew this was coming. I mean, what do you expect to happen when you have a 320 horsepower front-wheel-drive car with active damping and trick differentials? It is going to go round the Nurburgring very quickly and become the new fastest FWD car. And that is exactly what’s happened to the 2017 Honda Civic Type-R.

Now, the 2017 Honda Civic Type-R that set the Nurburgring lap record of 7 minutes 43.8 seconds was technically a pre-production test car. But Honda promises the record-setting car is almost identical to the Type-R you will able to buy at the showrooms in Summer. Here’s the record lap in its entirety:

Among the main features enabling the 2017 Honda Civic Type-R to lap the Green Hell faster than any other front-wheel-drive car there is the 2.0-litre VTEC TURBO engine, producing 320 PS and 400Nm of torque, new six-speed manual gearbox with lower ratios, comprehensive aerodynamic package, and multi-link rear suspension. Production of the new Civic Type R will begin in summer 2017 at Honda of the UK Manufacturing (HUM) in Swindon – the global manufacturing hub for the tenth generation Civic hatchback.

“The cornering speed achieved in the new Type R is higher because the car features a wider track and tyres, a longer wheelbase, new multi-link suspension in the rear and optimised aerodynamics that improves stability, ” said Kijima-san. “For example, drivers typically enter the corner after Metzgesfeld at around 150 km/h. Even at this medium-speed corner, the speed is around 10 km/h higher due to the new Type R’s excellent stability. So, with improved cornering performance, we can increase the speed throughout the lap, helping the new Type R to achieve a much quicker lap time.”