Values of first-generation Acura NSXs (badged as the Honda NSX elsewhere) have surged in recent years, especially for pristine, rare, or manual examples. The sports car’s timeless style and engaging driving experience have endeared it to JDM fans everywhere, and the desire for clean first-gen NSXs shows no sign of waning.
But you’ll need deep pockets to get close to the 1995 Honda NSX-R that’s currently listed on Bring A Trailer. One of just 483 examples produced for the Japanese market, this particular NSX is nearing a bid of $400,000. What makes it so special, then?
Related: These Are The Coolest Cars I Saw During My Time in Japan
An Even More Focused NSX
1995 Honda NSX-R
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Introduced in Japan in 1992, the NSX-R was a track-focused version of the Honda. Unlike the standard car, which was designed to offer a better balance between performance and daily usability, the NSX-R delivered a more unfiltered experience from behind the wheel.
Weight-saving measures for the NSX-R cut roughly 265 pounds from its weight, and included the removal of sound-deadening materials, the air conditioner, the sound system, the spare tire, and even the traction control system. There’s no power steering, so if you miss your morning workout, no problem. Some of these could be added back as options, but Honda’s ambitions for the car were clear: Performance first, and everything else second.
This particular example does have a space-saver spare tire, and the selling dealer notes a few modifications, such as an AEM fuel pressure sensor, a Link G4X XtremeX ECU, and Injector Dynamics 1,050cc fuel injectors. It shares the 3.0-liter VTEC V6 engine with the normal NSX, but the R gets a blueprinted and balanced crankshaft assembly. Producing 270 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque, the NSX-R has a five-speed manual transaxle and power goes to the rear wheels.
The 4.235:1 final-drive ratio is unique to this car (4.06:1 on the standard NSX), and the cumulative changes result in a slightly quicker 0-60 time. This particular NSX-R has covered only around 12,000 miles.
Flawless Exterior and Interior
1995 Honda NSX-R
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This NSX-R is finished in Championship White with matching white wheels and a contrasting black roof panel. The Enkei forged alloys measure 16 inches in front and 17 inches at the back, and are wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS tires.
As part of the transformation to the ‘R’ model, Honda replaced the standard NSX’s powered leather seats with lighter Recaro carbon-Kevlar buckets. Here, they’re finished in red Alcantara, and on the dash, there’s black Alcantara with red stitching. Air conditioning and a Bose sound system were equipped to this NSX-R as options. It also has a MOMO steering wheel, a titanium shift knob, and sill plates stamped with the chassis and build numbers.
Putting a price on an NSX that’s this rare is difficult, but the current bid of $395,000 tells you all you need to know about the desirability of this classic sports car. By the time bidding ends, it may very well fetch over $400,000.
Related: The original Acura NSX: Development history and driving the icon
Two NSX Tributes on the Way
JAS Motorsport/Pininfarina
Despite the second-generation NSX being better in every measurable way, the first-gen model continues to capture the attention of smaller design houses. Italdesign was the first to announce a revival of the first-gen NSX, but few details were shared.
Just days later, Pininfarina teased a beautiful NSX tribute, which has pop-up headlights and a manual gearbox, just like the original. This one will also get a naturally-aspirated V6, as the design house wants to recapture the magical driving experience of the car.
Both tributes are expected to carry hefty price tags, but they’ll have to be something special to compete with this original NSX-R, surely one of the finest remaining examples of the car.