1992 Honda NSX-R

There’s something special about the NSX-R. Not the aluminum monocoque chassis, or the mid-mounted high-output V6, although those are definitely technological marvels for the time. Nor is it the advanced VTEC variable valve timing system, or the even the special NSX-R-only titanium connecting rods. It’s that the NSX-R is the very first car to ever wear the now-legendary Honda “R” badge. Developed with input from the famed F1 driver Ayrton Senna, the NSX-R is a refinement of the already advanced NSX, achieving higher performance mainly through weight reduction. Luxuries such as air conditioning, soundproofing, and electric windows were tossed out, and the engine was beefed up to withstand the stresses of track-day sessions. Wearing the same championship white paint as the pioneering Honda F1 cars of the 1960s, the NSX-R also has a purity of design that complements its precision driving dynamics. The first Type R is undoubtedly one of the best.