Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Japan, Supercars, Acura, Honda
Spoon to recreate NSX Type-R in LHD trim for U.S.
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Honda NSX-R.
Honda's decision to only offer one Type-R model in the U.S. – the DC2 Integra – is still considered a crime among Hondaphiles. And of all the models that could have benefited from a serious performance injection later in life, the NSX was a prime candidate.
Thankfully, Spoon Sports, a long-time motorsport partner with Honda, will rectify the matter by converting left-hand-drive US-spec NSXs into NSX-Rs. The conversion involves a long list of modifications, including stiffer springs and shocks, larger anti-roll bars, forged 17-inch wheels, a shorter final-drive gear ratio, slotted brake rotors, flat underbody trays and a rear diffuser. Part of the NSX-R's appeal was a product of Honda's desire to keep weight in check, so in order to get as close to the JDM version's 2,800-pound curb weight, Spoon will replace the hood, rear spoiler and seats with carbon fiber pieces, fit a smaller battery, manually-adjustable mirrors, thinner rear window glass, lightweight carpets and will rip out all of the sound deadening material and replace the spare tire with a can of expanding goo.
Spoon hasn't released details on how much the conversion will cost or when it will begin taking orders, but if it has Honda's blessing on the project, expect to see the first few models on the road just ahead of the new NSX's launch in 2010.
Gallery: Honda NSX-R
[Source: JPCNews]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
jcar302 7:08PM (8/20/2008)
Am i reading this right, they are going to start tuning a car that at it's newest is 4 years old?
I'm no nsx or honda expert, so correct if i'm wrong
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Cong 9:41PM (8/20/2008)
It's never too late. Considering the design directions Honda/Acura is heading in these days. The NSX is still sexy even for today.
tankd0g 10:54PM (8/20/2008)
This would be analogous to them taking R34 GT-Rs and turning them into V-Spec II Nurs. I don't think they'd have any trouble finding buyers for those, either.
Robert112 12:11AM (8/21/2008)
This is the most exciting Honda news in the past 2 years. Been getting bummed out with the news of them killing off their sweet ass models and beating the remainder with an ugly stick.
Franz 12:50AM (8/21/2008)
Hell, if I had the money I'd buy one. The NSX has always been the only real Japanese supercar IMO.
xpolarx 7:08PM (8/20/2008)
Well...better late than never? A bit irrelevant though, considering.
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RG 7:13PM (8/20/2008)
Hmmm, by 2010, the new Acura sports car will be out with 550-hp and SH-AWD. Knowing Spoon's quality and price, I wonder how much cheaper this will be than the new car.
Really awesome concept though.
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dmrn 7:34PM (8/20/2008)
I would keep it for ever, its a perfect automotive moment in time, and the best example you could get of a certain thing
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PJ 7:50PM (8/20/2008)
One person's "old" car is another's modern classic; the NSX was significant (and relatively rare) enough that we'll probably be fawning over well-kept specimens thirty years from now, especially these Type-Rs.
And old or not, anything mid-engined, naturally aspirated, manually shifted, hydraulically steered, ~2,800 lbs, and Honda-reliable has a place on my wish list anyday.
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LloydChiro 9:07AM (8/21/2008)
The days of sub 3000lb sportscars are drawing to a close. Too bad.
shadysi 7:51PM (8/20/2008)
Cool, but a little late. I'm sure it will be upwards of 100K. So much more can be bought for what they'll ask for this.
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nastinupe 8:04PM (8/20/2008)
Pretty cool. I'd love to see one over here. I guess that this would be good for an NSX owner who has already finished his payments and doesn't see anything else that he wants to spend his cash on. It's like getting a new car, but keeping the same one. I wonder if they will paint all the cars white?
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ugg.tryptophan 9:50PM (8/20/2008)
spoon? the band?
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tankd0g 10:24PM (8/20/2008)
I hope they also have plans to give it another 100hp
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Cameron 11:18PM (8/20/2008)
270hp in an NSX is still MORE than enough to let ANYONE know where their talent ends and where physics begins.
tankd0g 1:20AM (8/21/2008)
You'd say no to 370hp? Keeping in mind this will cost as much as an Audi R8.
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accelerating_cubicle 3:57AM (8/21/2008)
Yea it's not gonna be cheap. you have to be a honda nut to pay $100,000 for this car.
Hey Honda, how about doin' something really useful???
How about making the ecu code and other electrical info available to usdm tuners??? at least that'll let us FIX our problems stateside.
How about it Honda????
We need something more useful than coughing up $100,000. really. I'm serious.
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Dustin 7:56AM (8/21/2008)
First of all, this article is about Spoon Sports, not Honda. HMC has nothing to do with it. Spoon is using a Honda product, that's all.
Secondly, as no price has been announced, I think it's wrong to start throwing out six figures like it's fact.
And yes, I am aware that the Acura NSX sold for nearly $90k. That is irrelevant.
Alex 7:07AM (8/21/2008)
seeing the direction of the coming NSX (i.e. Front-engine layout), this type of news brings a slight smile to my face.
i'm in a Honda S2000 right now, but came from an N/A Toyota MR2. while i love my S2K, and it's more than enough car for me to handle, i still miss the roar behind my head and the handling intricacies that an MR car brought.
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MONTE 12:30PM (8/21/2008)
Honda should just bring out the old NSX again since the new one won't be out for another decade. They will test and test and test the new one until it won't be relevant when it comes out. Typical Honda in everything they do on the automotive side. Why can't they be more like their street bike division and kick ass when they come out. Ever since DSM showed what a turbo 4cyl can do Honda still tries to push a Civic Si onto us? It really sucks to be a diehard Honda fan for all these years when everybody talks about their quality from testing but in the end if the cars they release are out of date does it really matter? Good thing they got rid of the one car that was actually fun to drive recently (RSX-S) because we wouldn't want to have any of those running around, would we?
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