Type R has been part of Honda’s DNA since the early 1990s and has turned ordinary, mundane showroom models into performance throughbreds.
Starting with the NSX in 1992, Type R’s red badge has adorned four of Honda’s models in the last 30 years delivering some classics along the way.
The NSX Type R was first available in 1992 and produced for three years until 1995 in limited numbers. Suspension and a lighter weight was where the Honda engineers worked to deliver a faster package through the removal of sound deadening equipment, power windows, air conditioning and audio systems.
Only available in Championship White to acknowledge Honda’s first Formula 1 entry in the early-1960s, the NSX Type R was solely available in Japan.
Further iterations of the NSX-R and NSX-R GT arrived in Honda’s Japanese showrooms in extremely limited numbers.
The NSX-R featured a more powerful 3.2-litre V6 engine with a precision balanced crankshaft, six-speed manual transmission, carbon fibre bodywork, pass-through hood and larger rear wing of which 140 were produced. Tuned for the track were the suspension and brake packages to ensure this was the ultimate NSX until…
Just five of the NSX-R GT were built to meet homologation requirements, so the wild and aerodynamically refined bodywork could be used in the GT500 class of Super GT.
The first Type R product to be offered globally was the Integra in 1995, which was later introduced to the US market in 1997 under its Acura luxury brand.
It proved a popular choice around the world and gave Honda confidence to introduce further Type R models headlined by the Civic version.
The Integra was popular in the rapidly increasing tuner market at the turn of the millennium and the final DC5 model in 2006 proved a sad culmination of a much loved nameplate.
Continuing to grow through the rise of the Civic Type R through initially the EK9 released exclusively in Japan, then the lauded EP3 generation in 2001.
Utilising the famed VTEC power plant famous for its high revving performance, the Civic Type R has continued to raise the stakes and provided Honda with its touring car hero for the best part of 20 years.
A major shift was made appearance-wise when the FN2 was introduced in 2007, before the FK and FK8 combined these with increased performance levels.
The current FL5 punches above its weight compared to not only its hot hatch rivals, but much higher ranked models.
At 235kW, the FL5 Civic Type R has combined solid power, light weight and agile handling to ensure its at the of the pecking order.
One Type R variant not to make it to Australia shores was the Accord, but this proved just as potent for an eight-year model run in both Japan and Europe.
Producing 217bhp from a 2.0-litre 16-valve inline 4-cylinder engine made the Accord lose its geriatric tag and provided a great base for JAS Motorsport’s touring car version based on the European S2000 regulations.
There is plenty more in the Type R nameplate left, with Honda already successfully changing its profile through this nameplate and its racing involvement.