Honda is working on its new contender for the Super GT series and now previews the model with a new concept car during the Tokyo Auto Salon in Japan. The so-called Civic Type R-GT race car has been developed based on the current road-going Civic Type R and is slated to 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 debuts in Tokyo next to HRC president Koji Watanabe.
Despite the obvious visual resemblances between the road-legal car and the race car, there are some major differences between the two. The track machine is driven by the rear wheels as opposed to the Civic Type R’s front-wheel-drive layout. No detailed information regarding the mechanicals is available, but Honda says the concept shows the direction in which the final version of the race car will evolve during the development process.
Gallery: Honda Civic Type R-GT Concept
We also don’t know at what stage the development process currently is but the Japanese automaker announces the first track tests are scheduled for this summer. The final version should be ready for the 2024 season of the Super GT series when new regulations in the GT500 segment will be introduced. Honda is expected to be the only manufacturer with a brand new contender in the series as Nissan and Toyota will most likely carry over with modified versions of their current race cars based on the Nissan Z and Toyota Supra, respectively.
This is literally everything we know about Honda’s new Super GT race car that is currently under development. As a reminder, the grand touring car championship was established back in 1993 and renamed to its current name in 2005. This series represents the top level of car racing in Japan and currently has two classes – GT300 and GT500. Last year, Nissan took the crowns in both classes and Honda’s last title dates back to 2020 with the front-engined NSX-GT.
The 2023 season in Super GT kicks off on April 15 this year at the Okayama International Circuit. A total of eight races are planned for this year, though Honda will have to wait until 2024 to introduce its new Civic Type-R-based contender.
