ARTA reveals Super GT500-inspired kit for Honda Civic Type R FL5
Putting to good use the insights gained from the racetrack
It’s no secret that every serious automaker infuses race-bred technology into its road-going cars, but there are instances where the racing teams do it themselves. Autobacs Racing Team Aguri (ARTA) is doing just that as they unveiled their Civic (FL5) Type R Project during the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon that goes beyond typical tuning.
Built on the FL5-generation Honda Civic Type R, the ARTA GT FL5 kit applies the knowledge gained from ARTA’s Super GT 500 race car efforts directly to the street. This isn’t a concept: only 20 complete kits will be sold to FL5 Type R owners. The catch? These will be exclusively sold in Japan, priced at ¥13.5 million for parts alone, and buyers still need to supply the car and cover installation.
The goal of the ARTA GT FL5 kit is to extract as much performance as possible from the FL5 while retaining full street usability. This explains why every modification is driven by function over form, where each one serves a measurable purpose in improving speed, stability, or engine cooling rather than visual impact alone.
A redesigned front bumper, splitter, and canards work together to generate much-needed downforce and improve front-end stability at speed, while the larger, more open lower grille significantly enhances airflow to the engine and cooling systems, critical for sustained high-performance driving on track.
The aero package is extensive: vented wide front overfenders, a hood with additional air outlets, dramatically widened rear fenders, a massive diffuser, and a swan-neck GT wing inspired by the ARTA GT500 racer.
Autobacs also hints at increased power with substantial turbo revisions, though exact figures haven’t been disclosed. For maximum handling, the suspension has also been reworked; the car sits lower, and it rides on unique 10-spoke wheels with a big-brake kit and AP racing calipers.
Out back, Honda’s triple exhaust is replaced with a twin-tip ARTA system. Inside the cabin, the changes are minimal, save for a Sparco race steering wheel with ARTA branding and competition-spec Recaro seats to hold the driver tighter than the original seats.
Developed with input from Aguri Suzuki, Keiichi Tsuchiya, and Super GT driver Tomoki Nojiri, the ARTA GT FL5 prioritizes genuine track performance without compromising road usability, backed by extensive on-track testing.
This is a rare example of a racing team, not a manufacturer, that funnels its top-level motorsport experience into a street-legal car that pushes far beyond typical tuning builds. This is not just a streetcar with racing looks, it’s building something much closer to a real race car that just happens to be road legal.
Would you convert your FL5 into this mind-blowing, race-bred performance machine? Comment down below.
