[Auto] Watch the 2023 Honda Civic Type R Go For a Little Rip Around Suzuka and Set the Lap Record

[Ga[M]er]

Update April 6, 2022: Honda has announced that the Civic Type R prototype discussed below has set the lap record at the Suzuka Circuit for a front-wheel-drive car. The track hosts the Japanese Grand Prix, and the hot new Civic (still covered up with camouflage, unfortunately) lapped the 3.6-mile course in 2 minutes, 23.12 seconds, beating the previous record held by the 2021 Civic Type R Limited Edition. You can watch in-car video in the clip below; the original story from January continues after. 
The next-generation Honda Civic Type R is on the way. If you've kept up with the latest buzz, then you've seen the red, black. and white camouflaged prototypes several times now. The eagerly awaited hatchback will debut this year as a 2023 model and once again is offered with a manual transmission—an option fast disappearing from the Civic family here in America. But while we continue to wait for the hot hatch's official unveiling, Honda has released footage of the Type R-still under that red, white, and black wrap-zipping through the Suzuka Circuit in Japan. This is essentially video of the same car captured in still photography last month at the same track.
When the 2023 Honda Civic Type R finally arrives, it should feature a more powerful 2.0 turbo-four, somewhere in the ballpark of 315 to 335 hp. In keeping with its track duties and sportier appearance, the front-drive hatchback will come fitted with red-painted Brembo brake calipers as the previous model. As for the inside, it appears that Honda is installing an updated version of the cloth bucket seats in the intense Flamin' Hot Cheetos color.
The teaser video gives us a sense of the all-new Type R's feral capabilities. Listen to that turbocharged sound—okay, at least in this clip, it doesn't sound like much, but the drone-y engine at least seems quick. We can't wait to try out the grip provided by those sticky Michelin Pilot 4S tires or the pull of that turbo I-4 for ourselves, as we expect the less manic-looking hatchback to push performance limits even harder than the predecessor while upping its already surprising maturity even further.
https://www.motortrend.com/news/2023-honda-civic-type-r-prototype-video-track/