Famously, Ayrton Senna drove a Honda NSX-R round Suzuka in white socks and loafers, so in this latest TDS episode, Henry Catchpole does his best to pay tribute to that iconic footage. He also investigates how a car with only 276HP can stand toe-to-toe with the very best supercars ever made. And it really can.
This particular NSX-R is one of the far rarer second generation from 2002. It has just 16,000km on the clock and is coming up for auction with Broad Arrow at the Villa d’Este concours at the end of May. Resplendent in Championship white with the red Recaro carbon bucket seats and simple three-spoke Momo steering wheel inside, it is in pretty much perfect spec.
The legendary NSX ergonomics seem to be even better in the R and as soon as you get in you feel right at home. It is an incredibly tactile car to drive, with a fabulously tight, precise gear shift and talkative unassisted steering that are both full of feel from the moment you set off. Also playing an integral part in the experience is the naturally aspirated, 90-degree V6, C32B engine. It might only have 276bhp and 224lb ft of torque but it somehow feels like enough in a car that only weighs 2800lb (1270kg).
When let loose around the cambered curves of Sweden’s Gelleråsen arena it is something close to driving Nirvana, with incredible poise and no lack of performance. The circuit, also known as Karlskoga Motorstadion, is Sweden’s oldest permanent motorsport track and as Henry explains, it has witnessed some interesting races in its history.
