For performance car makers, setting a lap record around the Nurburgring Nordschleife is about as monumental as achievements get. And of all the categories, few have been as competitive as the front-wheel-drive production car class. Four different car makers have held the title for "fastest FWD car around the track" since 2014. Now, though, Honda looks eager to reclaim that accolade, as demonstrated by the Civic Type-R prototype that's been spotted at the Nordschleife.

Showcased on the "supercarsfromeu" YouTube channel, this new footage gives us our first look at the US-bound Honda Civic Type-R as it pounds its way around the fabled German race track. And whilst there perhaps isn't too much to deduce from the clip, it's an interesting watch nonetheless.

Though there's not much to take at face value, there are a few things to deduce from the test car. For instance, it seems the surprisingly revvy engine under the Honda's hood is paired up with a manual transmission (huzzah!), and we're especially surprised to see the development car looking so planted on the undulating Nordschleife surface. Possibly also worth mentioning is that, as a DVLA license plate search reveals, the development car in these pictures was only registered for road use on September 28th, which does suggest testing at the 'Ring has only just begun. If the hot Civic's behaving this well already, maybe Honda well and truly has what it takes to reclaim that lap record title.