The 23-year-old NSX-R proves that the best driver’s cars aren’t about raw power
5 hours ago
- Honda built just 140 examples of the second-generation NA2 NSX-R, and one is up for sale.
- Despite lower power, the NSX-R’s connection with the road outshines modern supercars.
- Hagerty’s Henry Catchpole praises the classic for its pure steering and quick-shifting gearbox.
In an era when supercars routinely top 800 hp and 0-60 times are measured in milliseconds, a 23-year old Honda with a third as much muscle is a potent reminder that pure driving enjoyment isn’t about brute force. With just 276 hp, the 2002 NSX-R rewrote the rules of engagement for performance cars and nearly two decades later, it still makes modern exotics feel overcooked.
Although we’re all familiar with Honda’s Type R brand, very few people outside of Japan have seen, let alone driven the car that started it all, the 1992 NSX-R. And even fewer have been lucky enough to get behind the wheel of the facelifted NA2 version released 10 years later, of which just 140 were built.
An Unexpected Thrill
Hagerty’s Henry Catchpole was one of those people who’d heard stories about how great the NSX lightweights were to drive, and almost dreaded getting the chance to find out for himself in case they didn’t live up to the promise. But in his latest video he finds this is case of definitely do meet your heroes.
Also: This Supercharged 2002 Acura NSX Just Sold For New Ferrari Money
Catchpole is let loose on a Swedish race track in a Championship White NA2 NSX-R, which he refers to as an anti-numbers car. Even if the blueprinted 3.2-liter V6 did make a few horses more than the claimed 276 hp (280 PS) official rating, which was unchanged from the stock NSX and in line with Japan’s gentleman’s agreement on power outputs, it was still way behind the 400 hp (406 PS) outputs of contemporary rivals like the Ferrari 360 Modena. Today, even a Civic Type R makes 315 hp (319 PS).
Photos Broad Arrows
But Catchpole discovers that’s plenty, not least because Honda’s diet plan for the NSX that included carbon panels and bucket seats, thinner glass and less sound insulation resulted in a 100 kg (220 lbs) saving that gave a curb weight of just 1,270 kg (2,800 lbs). And as he points out, this isn’t one of those cheat ‘dry’ weights modern supercar brands use, but a true with-fluids measurement.
A shorter final drive also helps make the R feel much livelier than a stock NSX, but what really makes this car so special is the pure unfiltered connection between road, car and driver. I drove one of those when they were new and I can still remember the incredible feel of the unassisted steering, which is a million times preferable to the over-assisted, over-pointy, under-communicative rack in a modern Ferrari, the tight, short-travel gearshift and the induction howl from the V6.
Photos Broad Arrow
In a world obsessed with lap times and launch control, the NA2 NSX-R is a reminder that great driver’s cars are not built in dyno rooms, they’re engineered for feel.
Want One? Here’s How Much It’ll Cost You
If this video leaves you desperate to get your hands on your own NSX-R, you might be interested to know that the 10,000-mile (16,000 km) car in the video is for sale. It’s being auctioned by Broad Arrow on May 25, although the likely hammer price is well into modern supercar territory even if the horsepower isn’t.
The model’s rarity and cult status mean you can expect to fork out anywhere from €750,000 to €850,000 ($850,000-$1.07 million), according to the auction house’s estimates.