Honda NSX vs Honda Civic Type R: Will the past or the present be faster?

Every car brand has an iconic model in its lineup that has marked a before and after in the history of the automobile but, what happens when two models have left their mark? This is the situation faced by Honda, a company that was responsible for showing the world two of the most emblematic vehicles of all time: the NSX and the Civic Type R. Despite their differences, the colleagues at Carwow have pitted them against each other in a race to determine which is faster and how the brand has evolved over all this time.

Both vehicles were created with clear sporting aspirations, but the Civic Type R contemporary with the NSX was not on its level in either performance or tuning. However, over the years the Japanese firm has improved and enhanced its most radical compact, to the point of becoming the fastest front-wheel-drive vehicle and possibly superior to its sibling.

If we focus on §0#§’s supercar, we find that its second generation currently lives on with the legacy left by that iconic NSX. This model has been one of the most sought-after and coveted within Honda, as it was the brand’s bet to show the rest of the world that they knew how to build a good sports car that could stand up to the Europeans.

Inside the original NSX we find a powerful naturally aspirated V6 engine capable of producing 294 CV of power and 304 Nm of torque. All this power was sent to the rear axle, allowing the Japanese supercar to reach 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 270 km/h. These figures made the rest of the market tremble at the presence of the Honda NSX; however, the Japanese firm has not stood idle.

The Civic Type R is characterised by being one of the fastest compacts of all time, something it achieves with its 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder engine capable of producing 320 CV and 400 Nm of torque. This power exceeds in many respects that declared for the NSX, but despite this, §0#§’s supercar has excellent aerodynamics and lower weight, two fundamental factors for winning on track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45lH73kbRVI

The NSX proclaims itself the clear winner in the drag race although the difference with the Type R was minimal. However, when the start is made from a rolling position, we can see the compact quickly take the lead. In this way, we witness the clear evolution that Honda has undergone over time but, on the other hand, we can also closely admire the solid foundation from which the brand has started.

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackHonda Civic3 versions · from 36,300 €