And because this is a true street car, it would need more power. The kind of big, honking, tire smoking power that blows the doors off anything else on the road. For that, Spoon would have to step into uncharted territory. A turbocharger kit was fabricated for the V6 engine using a single HKS 3037 turbo. With a tight engine bay making packaging difficult, the turbo is low mounted within the chassis, mere inches above the ground. The air-to-air intercooler is also low-mounted, with the compressor outlet nearly feeding directly into it. Scoops and ducting on the underside funnel air through the core and a custom Spoon oil pan and oil cooler kit help keep temps in check. Power output is now a claimed 420bhp, up from the factory rating of 280bhp. The turbocharger was chosen for response and low-end power, with boost coming on quickly and, unfortunately, tapering off as the RPMs reach redline.
We brought the Spoon NSX Type-R GT out to Infineon Raceway for our testing, which features elevation changes, blind crests, the quick downhill left Carousel turn, and the treacherous car-eating Turn 10. As well as this NSX drove, with empty pavement and curbing in front of us, we couldn't help but wish that we also had on hand Spoon's other NSX Type-R GT, the full race version. Prepared for the upcoming 55th Macau Grand Prix (which will have passed by the time you read this), the yellow and blue Spoon NSX Type-R GT racecar features an even stiffer suspension, stickier tires, and full safety prep.
Beyond its performance, perhaps one of the most interesting elements of this car is its availability. Spoon Sports will soon begin selling copies of this car to the general public, with early estimates for pricing hovering in the $135,000 range. An official announcement will be made at the 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon. We've received images from Spoon's Tokyo headquarters of readied GT bumpers and carbon-kevlar Recaro seats resting in storage after delivery from Honda. Spoon is even planning on providing this treatment to left-hand drive US-model NSXs, which should help owners step around tricky US importation laws governing ownership of Japanese-market vehicles.
The plan is for USDM NSXs to be shipped to Spoon, where the Acuras will then be completely disassembled, lightened, and modified with every single part out of the Honda catalog that makes a Type-R a Type-R, including the 3.2-liter V6 engine. Then the GT body cladding will go on, and the turbocharger kit will be bolted up. If you want your Spoon NSX Type-R GT to come with an automatic transmission, that can be arranged as well. It'll be turnkey and ready to go; one of the biggest wet dreams to emerge in recent years for Honda fans. Better start collecting those pennies now.
From The Driver's SeatThe dream of driving a car such as this is euphorically intoxicating. However, the prospect of actually doing it is decidedly sobering. In no uncertain terms, the NSX Type-R is the greatest production car that Honda ever produced. Add to that the mystique of this particular sample being loaded up with Spoon Sports, HKS, and Dome GT homologation components, and you have one very special automobile. Stuffing it in the fence would be bad.
Infineon Raceway is arguably the best road course on the West Coast. Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca may have more prestige, and Willow Springs is faster, but the way the pavement is laid across Sonoma's rolling hills creates a complex rhythm that is unique to Infineon. The pleasure of negotiating the cresting corners is balanced by the terror of knowing that reinforced cement walls are waiting to devour wayward machinery and overconfident wheel-men. But that just makes sticking the perfect lap all the more rewarding.