2002 Other Makes

Honda NSX-R NA2

A second generation of the NSX-R was launched in 2002 that was based on the facelifted, NA2 NSX. This was again available exclusively for the Japanese market and Honda’s primary focus was to make a lightweight, no compromise racer for the road. The chassis was based on the hard-top NSX and carbon-fibre was used extensively throughout the body to reduce weight, including the spoiler, hood and deck lid. Honda repeated the same weight saving techniques that were used in the original NSX-R, which included removal of the air conditioning, audio system and sound deadening. The power-steering was also removed and Recaro carbon-kevlar racing seats were installed. Lighter wheels were also fitted which resulted in a total weight reduction of almost 100 kg to 1,270 kg.

Not only did the body undergo changes for the NSX-R, Honda’s engineers also turned their attention to the 3.2-litre DOHC V6 engine. Again, each engine was hand assembled by a skilled technician using techniques normally reserved for racing programs, like the original NSX-R. All the components of the rotating assembly of the engine were precision machined to a very small tolerance and the entire rotating assembly itself was balanced to a level of accuracy ten times that of a typical NSX engine. This resulted in a more free-revving engine with better throttle response. Despite this changes Honda still maintained that the NSX-R engine produced the same power as the standard NA2 NSX (290hp); however, many motoring journalists believed that the NSX-R produced more.

Although the NSX-R was based on a 15-year-old design, the changes made meant that it could still challenge the latest sports cars available at the time. For example, Japanese race and test driver Motoharu Kurosawa drove a 2002 NSX-R around the Nurburgring road course in 7:56, a time equal to a Ferrari F360 Challenge Stradale. The NSX-R managed to do this despite being out-powered by the Ferrari by over 100hp.

NA 2 Type Rs were JDM only.