Identifying the absolute most desirable model from a given marque can be an extremely tricky (and subjective) endeavour, especially when it comes to Ferrari or Porsche for example, who have so many greatest hits in their catalogue. However, in the case of Honda, the model that sits at the top of everyone’s wishlist sticks out like a Formula Red NSX-R, which just so happens to be the car in question today.
One of just 140 ever made exclusively for Japan, this NSX-R is rarer still as one of just 10 Formula Red examples of the hardcore facelifted variant of Honda’s mid-engined Ferrari killer. Like the pop-up headlight toting NSX-R of the 1990s, this 2002 example was given a harder edge through drastic weight saving measures that dropped nearly 100 kilograms from the NSX’s curb weight, resulting in a car that tips the scales at just 1,270 kg. This was achieved through extensive use of carbon fibre, such as on the bonnet — which was the single largest carbon fibre piece fitted to a production car at the time — and on the decklid and spoiler. Thinner glass was also fitted, while the power steering, AC, and sound systems were deemed dead weight and deleted.
Then there was the glorious VTEC-equipped 3.2-litre V6 engine. Each NSX-R featured a special hand-built unit constructed by Honda’s master technicians who typically only assembled their racing engines, while the entire rotating assembly was meticulously balanced to a level of accuracy ten times greater than on a standard NSX. This wasn’t done for the sake of ludicrous power figures — Honda was still abiding by the gentleman’s agreement that restricted output below the 300 horsepower mark — but rather for improved throttle response, and in the end the NSX-R made do with ‘just’ 290 horsepower.
This particular example for sale with The Octane Collection made its way to the United Kingdom in 2016 and currently shows a highly respectable 50,447 miles on the odometer with just one owner since making the trip to Britain. Far from an undriven museum piece, this ultra-rare NSX-R carries a light patina of stone chips on the front as a result of many happy miles, and we hope that the next custodian doesn’t shy away from using this JDM icon so others can potentially have their very own unicorn sighting on England’s highways.
