Before all of the articles disappear from their hosted pages on the net, here's a few of the reviews of the NSX-R GT
They say you should never meet your heroes. For the most part that’s true, I’ve never been more disappointed than after my first drive in a DeLorean DMC-12, childhood dreams of time travel completely squashed. When I was eleven I picked out the colors for a friend’s dad’s new NSX — red with a black top — and even though I’ve never driven one, it’s been on top of my supercar wish list ever since. So when the guys from 0-60 Magazine called and said they wanted to fly me out to Infineon to drive not just any NSX, but the Spoon Honda NSX-R GT, a tuned version of the rarest NSX ever made, I didn’t hesitate.
Based on the second generation, 2002 NSX-R, the GT was created specifically to comply with homologation regulations for Japanese Super GT racing. Those regulations stated any car that wanted to compete in the series had to be based on a production car with at least five examples. So Honda made five NSX-R GTs. Honda never stated what, if any, changes they made to GT underneath its wild new bodywork.
We do know what enhancements Spoon made to one of those five cars. Starting with the NSX-R GT’s functional carbon fiber aero aids, flat undertray, non-functional snorkel (there for homologation purposes only), complete absence of sound deadening, single pane rear glass (the only thing separating you from the engine) and carbon/Kevlar Recaros, the Japanese tuner added its own upgraded suspension and brakes as well as a giant turbocharger and remapped ECU to boost the 24-valve 3.2-liter V6’s from 290 to 420 HP.
This isn’t just the car I’ve always lusted after. It’s the single rarest example of that model and not a plain version of that either, but one that’s had the bejesus tuned out of it.
Infineon is an intimidating place to drive any car, in place of run off, concrete walls are installed right next to most of the track, restricting not only your options should something go wrong, but, in a car as low as the NSX, your vision too. What parts of the track are unencumbered by concrete feature huge elevation changes. It’s my first time here and I’m having trouble remember which corners go right and which ones left. The track is especially intimidating given the complete absence of driver aids in this priceless one-of-a-kind car. Sure, there’s ABS, but there isn’t traction control stability control, magnetic suspension or drive-by-wire anything.
Dating from 1990, the NSX hails from a completely different era of car design, one that put emphasis on the fundamental rightness of a low curb weight, lower center-of-gravity, an engine mounted amidships and the kind of subtle control that’s only available in the absence of electronic assistance. The GT’s bodykit also adds down force, lots of it.
Turn six at Infineon is an impossibly fast, downhill, off camber, near 180-degree hairpin. Its exit is bordered by a three-foot high, six-inch thick piece of poured concrete. Taking it fast takes commitment and more than a little faith. Gripping the tiny Momo wheel with white knuckles, it takes all my strength to turn the NSX onto a tighter line. The downforce that kicks in at close to three-figure speeds combined with the huge amount of caster means the steering gets heavier as you go faster, lots heavier. But that’s just a side effect to the reason for those two changes; with them, the NSX-R GT will make it around any corner, at seemingly any speed, with an absolute absence of drama. As long as you keep your right foot planted, just like the 911 before they made it a luxury car, the mantra for any NSX-R GT driver needs to be “Never Lift.”
Oh, and there will be NSX-R GT drivers too. Even though this specific model will remain very special, starting next year Spoon will sell you a brand new one that looks and goes just like this for only $150,000. And yes, it will be road-legal and available in left hand drive. Neither will they be mere replicas, but built using a supply of left over NSX-R chassis Honda has squirreled away somewhere in Japan.
That money won’t buy you a luxury car. While the original equipment carbon/Kevlar Recaros are supportive and comfortable, the air-conditioning cold and the tape player functional, the interior is cramped and difficult to access in a way expensive cars simply aren’t any more. It’s loud in here too; only a single pain of glass separates you from the grumbling tuned engine and its big, popping exhaust. Don’t think of it as Spartan, think of it as purposeful. Decades old design has its benefits; the view out is unencumbered by hood, fenders or power bulges, while the A-pillars are thin, enhancing your vision. The view out of the NSX is unrivalled and uncompromised, allowing you to concentrate on doing nothing but going fast.
And it does go fast too. Weighing just 2,795 Lbs (the 480 HP Nissan GT-R weighs over a thousand pounds more), that 420 HP can propel it to 60 in less than four seconds and on to a top speed somewhere in excess of 186 MPH.
They say never meet your heroes because they won’t live up to your expectations. But, this NSX-R GT doesn’t just feel as good as I expected, but better than I could ever have hoped. Unlike other classic super cars, the passing of time has been kind to the NSX. It suffers from neither high weight nor over complication of modern super cars, but adapts their up-to-date running gear, brakes and tires to give itself modern performance. Classic involvement with modern speed? That’s a fantasy we’re glad came true.
To read more, including a comparison against the 2009 BMW M3, pick up a copy of 0-60 Magazine issue 6, it hits stands nationwide today.
Photography credit: Robert Kerian
Thanks to: Edmun at Spoon Sports[/QUOTE]
Lap Time: 1:31.09
There's simply no debate: The Spoon NSX-R GT is the most thrilling and fun-to-drive car in this group...perhaps the world. As soon as you slip into the Recaro racing seats, the 2-seater fits like an extra layer on your custom-tailored racing suit, with everything from the steering wheel, pedals and shifter in precisely the right location. Turn the ignition key and the Spoon NSX-R GT lets out a spine-tingling wail.
It's no surprise that this unique Honda/Acura sports car feels the way it does. Spoon, which has been tuning Honda automobiles for nearly 15 years, is named after a corner on Suzuka Circuit, Japan's most famous racetrack. Company founder and president, Tatsuru Ichishima, a virtual rock star to the Honda faithful worldwide, emphasizes that driving is something that should be enjoyed, and he injects this principle into all of Spoon's road cars. The NSX R-GT is the archetype of that philosophy.
The Acura NSX was discontinued in 2005, but we were able to get our hands on a stock example for comparison purposes. The stock Acura 2-seater did well negotiating the tricky turns of our 1.8-mile road course, completing a lap in 1:32.59. But the mid-engine sports car felt nervous through the faster corners, with the rear end wanting to come around whenever the handling balance was upset even slightly. The steering felt numb and heavy, and the power came on strong when the engine was wound up to about 4000 rpm. The Spoon NSX was a different animal altogether. The handling balance was neutral, the steering felt super quick and the car exhibited rock-solid stability through every corner on the track. Sure, it under- and oversteered slightly if you got too rambunctious with the throttle, but it behaved in such a predictable way that you rarely found yourself in trouble. Everything about the Spoon NSX-R GT felt pure, from the non-power-assisted steering to the power delivery.
The Spoon NSX R-GT started life as the Honda NSX-R GT, of which only five were made in 2002 for homologation purposes for the Japan Grand Touring Car Championships (now known as Super GT Series). The NSX-R GT is essentially a limited-edition version of the NSX Type-R, marketed in Japan only. Spoon tore the R GT apart and then put it back together after reengineering it into the ultimate road/track car.
Most of the major changes were performed under the sheet metal. The entire suspension system has been swapped with Spoon's custom damper kit, which helped our test car run through the slalom at 70.2 mph and pull 0.97g around the 200-ft.-diameter skidpad. An HKS GT3037 turbocharger has been installed, raising the 3.2-liter V-6's output to 420 bhp at 7500 rpm and 289 lb.-ft. of torque at 5500 rpm. This allows the 2795-lb. car to race to 60 mph in a scant 4.0 sec. and to the quarter in 12.5.
And like a symphony orchestra, all the parts come together in perfect harmony on the racetrack. The transformed Honda lapped the Streets in 1:31.09 — 1.5 sec. faster than the stock NSX. An impressive time, yes, but it was the difference in how the cars felt that was the biggest surprise. The stock NSX felt like a Honda Accord in comparison.
While this particular vehicle may be out of your price range at an estimated $500,000, Spoon produces parts for many Honda models, so whether you own a Civic or an S2000, Spoon has something to make your car better. As Honda builds more sporty cars in the future, you can be sure that you'll be hearing more from this specialty company.
Spoon (c/o Opak Racing): (650) 204-9483,
Over the 23 years Spoon Sports has been in business it has firmly established itself as one of the biggest names in Honda circles. With the simple motto that every 1/1000 of a second counts they have created their own tuning philosophy and applied it successfully to both road and race cars. Ichishima-san has always preferred to dedicate himself to the affordable spectrum of Honda production cars, almost ignoring one of Honda's greatest creations, the NSX. So you can imagine how excited everyone got back in 2008 when he came out of nowhere with the car you see here.
Built to celebrate Spoon's 20 years of race entries, Ichishima decided to go full out and build a special racing version of the NSX-R GT that he would, later on that year, enter in the Macau Grand Prix.
It's not every day you get the chance to take a look at such a rare car, so when Ichishima invited me to Motegi during one of the final test sessions before the car was due to be shipped out, I definitely didn't turn him down.
Applying Spoon's knowhow to the C32B can only give incredible results, and this particular build showed the just how extreme Spoon can really go if they want. So boosting power and response of the V6 is a fully balanced one-off stroker kit that lifts capacity to 3.5L. The heads are ported to increase airflow and boost response and fitted along with special Spoon camshafts. Once sealed along with the Spoon metal head gasket an 11.0:1 compression ratio was achieved.
While fully custom race headers and exhaust were created the intake side employes a Toda Racing injection kit made up of a six-throttle conversion and special blue-anodized velocity stacks. Yes the sound is insane! Ichishima says power is around the 400 HP range but seeing the car blast down the Motegi short course I'd guess that was a very conservative estimate.
The work that went on behind this build is nothing short of mind-boggling, it is a true race car in every sense of the word. The all-aluminum chassis was further stiffened and fitted with a custom cage before being painted in gray, a special color that Spoon uses on all their race cars. Simplicity rules inside with a Takata race harness equipped lightweight carbon-Kevlar race seat and the same Spoon steering wheel that is sold on the Spoon catalogue.
Stock instrumentation is replaced with an LCD race display. If you recognize the orange character you will also be able to figure out who took care of creating the lightweight dry carbon…
…dashboard and body parts!
The stock 6-speeder is joined by a ton of Spoon parts like the clutch disc, lightweight flywheel, release bearing, clutch hose, special LSD and a 4.4 final.
A look at the carbon doors.
A lot of effort went into shaving weight off (down to 980 kg!) so along with the doors the NSX-R also sports a carbon hood. The "GT" front…
…side and rear treatment help enhance looks, especially with the blue and yellow livery. Oh and that "unicorn" air intake is a must for feeding air to those six hungry throttles!
A staggered set up is run with 9.5Jx17" SSR Type-C RS and 240/640R17 Advan slicks at the front, with the rear running 10JX18" rims and 250/660R18 rubber.
A set of Tein adjustable race dampers are used at each corner while unmistakable Spoon monobloc 4-pot calipers take care of braking.
Ichishima had a bit of trouble in Macau on during the qualifying session of the 2008 race, smashing the side of the car against the barriers as the rear end kicked out when exiting the last corner of the street course. The mechanics stayed up all night to fix the car and it was as good as new for race day.
He finished in third in his class and 6th overall, a great success for the team and the car. You can check out this cool film of the race here, and hear that screaming V6 for yourselves! I'm not sure where this car is kept now, but since I have to head over to Spoon Sports in a few days I can see if it's still kept at the shop and maybe get a few pictures. More on Spoon soon!
Spoon Sports
-Dino Dalle Carbonare
After my driving stint was over in the 25 Hours of Thunderhill endurance race in 2007, Spoon Sports President Tatsuru Ichishima asked me if I would be interested in driving a U.S.-spec NSX Type-R. It struck me as an odd question because never made its most potent sports car available in the U.S. market. "Of course, I would...if such a thing existed," I answered.
He said, "Great. You'll be the first to drive it."
Perhaps he was fatigued; after all, it was the middle of the night, and we had been working throughout the race to keep our Spoon race car in contention, an exhausting task when you consider how many "incidents" we experienced. (You can read all about it at roadandtrack.com/thunderhill.)
Several months ago, Taro Koki, a U.S. Spoon representative, called saying the NSX Type-R was almost ready. At first, I didn't know what he was talking about, but slowly the clouds in my mind began to clear, and I recalled that moment at Thunderhill almost two years ago.
Ichishima hadn't been delusional after all.
The Type-R came to R&T this month, a bright red model with the steering wheel on the "proper" side. This was my third time driving the NSX Type-R (but the first sitting on the left-hand side). For those unfamiliar with the car, it's basically a race-ready edition built by the factory, representing the highest-performance model in the lineup. The 3.2-liter V-6 sang loud and melodically, and you could feel the car's go-kart-like nature as soon as you depressed the throttle pedal. There's no TCS (traction control), so the Honda will smoke its rear tires at launch. Despite its lighter curb weight (2800 lb.), the Type-R ran to 60 mph and through the quarter mile in about the same time as the stock car, at 5.0 seconds and 13.3 sec. at 107.3 mph, respectively. (Spoon offers a supercharged version that takes output from 280 bhp to 420.) The difference is in how the car handles.
The NSX Type-R features different shocks and springs that result in a Spandex-tight handling feel, with sharp steering responses and neutral balance. I was having so much fun driving the car that I almost forgot to ask the question: Why does this thing even exist?
Ichishima explained: "There are many countries that have left-hand-drive cars, like Dubai and China, not just the U.S. And with the limited availability of the Type-R, I wanted Honda fanatics all over the world to have a chance to drive this marvelous sports car. We're not interested in producing thousands of models to make a profit. My intention for this car is to provide those who love Honda performance with the company's best product."
Exclusivity is guaranteed because of the price tag of more than $100,000. The bulk of the cost is attributed to the car's conversion process. Spoon engineers take a "normal" left-hand-drive NSX, strip it down to its bare chassis and then rebuild it using original Type-R components. Needless to say, Spoon has deep access to Honda's parts bins (the two companies are business partners). The completed car is tested for 600 miles before it's sent to the customer. So even though the NSX has not been produced for nearly five years, these cars are essentially brand new. Ichishima says he doesn't know how many of these special models Spoon will build, but his plans right now are for 20 units.
It's good to see Spoon, a highly regarded Honda tuner and race team in Japan, creeping its way into the world market. With Honda canceling the next-gen NSX, not to mention its premature departure from Formula 1 (with the Brawn GP F1 team cashing in on all of Honda's development work), the company needs someone to fight the good fight more than ever. Ichishima is that guy.
Spoon's race-prepped placed 3rd in class at the Road Sport Challenge at the Macau Grand Prix this past November, and will be at this year's 25 Hours of Thunderhill again, after racing in the Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race in Malaysia. Ichishima asked me to join his driving team again, and maybe when my driving stint is over, he'll offer me a drive of a future Honda F1 car, or at the very least, the next-gen NSX when/if it gets the green light for production.
