2022 marked the 30th anniversary of the launch of the NSX-R, the starting point of Honda Type R, a series of pure sports models that pursue both speed and the overwhelming driving pleasure of racing cars. Two engineers from different generations look back at the twelve Type R models, while discussing Honda's sports spirit passed down from generation to generation, and the Type R of the future.

Any car enthusiast would immediately recognize Type R, when they see a vehicle that wears the ivory white body color called Championship White and a red “H” emblem.　Here are the stories behind the creation of the Type R brand, which symbolizes Honda’s Challenging Spirit.

The first Type R model was introduced on November 27, 1992. It was the NSX-R, a special version of the first-generation NSX that took the world by storm with its “human-centered supercar concept.”

The body coloring of Type R models is derived from the RA272, the purely Japanese-made F1 machine with which Honda captured its first F1 victory in 1965. The color indicates that Type R models are the continuation of Honda’s F1 lineage.

When the first-generation NSX was introduced to the market, there was an unprecedented F1 boom, triggered by the 1987 F1 Japanese Grand Prix held at the Suzuka Circuit. Although many people had been enjoying sports driving on circuits before then, this F1 boom made many people yearn for speed, and the Japanese racing environment became increasingly full-fledged.

Naturally, Honda engineers were passionate about creating a sports car so fast that everyone would be amazed. This desire of Honda engineers was encouraged by the owners of the original NSX, which was created before the NSX-R, who wanted a car that could be more aggressive on the racetrack, then started moving toward the realization. Ryoji Tsukamoto, Expert Engineer who was involved in NSX-R development tells the stories.

It may sound simple, but it was not an easy feat. At the time, there was a voluntary regulation in Japan’s auto industry that limited the output of registration vehicles (standard cars) to 280 or less horsepower, which the first-generation NSX had already reached. Due to this regulation we could not take the simplest approach, which was to increase engine power to make the car faster.

In the 30 years since then, technology and philosophy amassed through the development of NSX-R have been passed down from generation to generation, and the current Type R models have matured to the point where they perform strong on the racetrack without sacrificing occupant comfort. A total of twelve Type R models have been introduced to date. Let’s take a look at the history of the Type R.

Although the NSX-R was an epoch-making car, its price of over 9 million yen made it difficult for most people to afford at the time. Under such circumstances, the Integra Type R was introduced at a price of 2.22 million yen.

Although it was based on an engine for the production model, the engine of Integra Type R was uncompromisingly fine-tuned, which included handwork polishing of engine parts by skilled craftsmen. Thanks to this fine tuning, the engine generated maximum output of 200hp at 8,000rpm, the world's highest output per liter for a naturally aspirated engine for production cars at the time, peaking at 111hp per liter.

The first-generation Civic Type R was the vehicle that solidified the popularity of Type R models. Released on the heels of the Integra’s popularity, it was a lightweight vehicle weighing 1,090kg equipped with a high-powered engine that produced 185 horsepower despite its 1600cc displacement. With its sharp and emotionally-appealing response and handling performance that defied the conventional wisdom of front-wheel drive (FF) cars, it made a name for itself as Honda's definitive lightweight sports car.

The following year, the Accord Type R was launched in Europe. Although not well known in Japan because it was not sold in Japan, Accord Type R was a model that followed the “Type R formula,” with the base model modified with a special high-output engine and fine-tuning that included weight reduction and increased body rigidity.

In the 2000s, the Type R took on an even more aggressive direction. Both the Integra and Civic gained even more power with the K20A 2-liter DOHC i-VTEC engine. The NSX-R, which could not increase engine power due to the 280-horsepower voluntary regulation, enhanced its sports performance by tweaking the aerodynamics.

Unlike racing cars, Type R models are subject to the minimum ground clearance set by safety standards, so it was considered difficult to achieve the desired aerodynamic performance. However, we were able to achieve our targets by applying various measures such as conducting wind tunnel tests using moving belts and aerodynamic simulations.

This Civic Type R (FK2), introduced in Japan in 2015, was the first Type R model equipped with a turbo engine. It set the fastest lap time for an FF model at the Nürburgring North Loop in Germany, which is said to be the toughest circuit in the world and sacred to automobile development, greatly enhancing the Type R brand.

With the Civic Type R (FK8) launched two years later, the fundamental performance as a vehicle was improved, and driving performance as an ideal FF sports car was thoroughly pursued. As a result, the Civic Type R once again set the fastest lap time for an FF model at the Nürburgring North Loop. In the meantime, the addition of three selectable driving modes aligned to the driving situations and driver’s feelings made this model an unprecedented Type R that gave due consideration to everyday driving comfort.

In 2022, the 30th anniversary year for the Type R series, the all-new Civic Type R (FL5) made its debut. The Type R, which once tended to choose drivers who preferred a harsher ride (stiffer suspension), evolved into a sports car that offers both sporty performance and comfort at a high level, as the times have progressed and technology has evolved. The Type R models are now equipped with Honda LogR, a data logger exclusive to the Type R, that provides the driver with real-time data on the vehicle's mechanical performance and other key data. The FL5 offers a new joy of driving.

Honda has always gone beyond its past achievements and created value unique only to Type R. This spirit permeates the entire Type R development team. Dai Hara, who worked on the exterior design of the FK8 (2017) and FL5 (2022), joyfully says, "While developing a Type R model, everyone somehow switches off our limiter.”

Hara has been pursuing the ultimate design for speed. He remembers that designing vehicle parts which are directly linked to the driving performance including aerodynamic performance was particularly difficult for the FK8, the first Type R model he worked on.

Despite the difficulties he faced, Hara says that the team worked as one to perfect FK8 to the point where they could say for a fact that there was nothing else they could do. For the development of FL5, the team went a step, or even two steps further in advancing the level of perfection.

While complying with all required specifications and regulations, the FL5 was developed as the ultimate sports car customers can enjoy as a “street legal racing car.” In addition to stylists, design engineers, engineers, test drivers and all development team members from different areas of expertise shared ideas and spend a lot of time discussing while sometimes stepping into each other's area of expertise to enhance the functionality and styling of the FL5.