Spoon Sports NSX-R GT: The Track-Only Masterpiece
The Spoon Sports NSX-R GT is the ultimate aftermarket NSX. Track-only. Blueprinted engine. Fewer than 20 ever built. Japan's most expensive tuner NSX.
In this article (5 sections)
Spoon Sports NSX-R GT: The Track-Only Masterpiece
The Spoon Sports NSX-R GT is a track-only NSX variant developed by Spoon Sports, one of Honda's most respected independent tuning shops. Unlike the Honda NSX Type R (which was a street-legal production variant), the Spoon NSX-R GT was built specifically for track and time attack use. It's not a Honda factory product — it's a Spoon Sports aftermarket creation — but its engineering depth and limited availability make it one of the most sought-after non-factory Japanese sports cars ever built.
The Spoon Sports Heritage
Spoon Sports was founded in Tokyo by Tatsuru Ichishima in 1988, initially as a Honda tuning specialty shop. Over the decades, Spoon became the most respected Honda tuner in the world, known for blueprinted engines, chassis development, and clean-looking aerodynamic kits. They built reputation through track success — Spoon-prepared Civics and Integras competed in Japanese touring car series, and the shop developed products used by professional racing drivers.
The NSX-R GT Project
In the early 2000s, Spoon Sports took on a project to build the "ultimate NSX" — a track-focused evolution of the Type R that would eliminate compromises for street use. The project was a collaboration between Spoon and several Honda NSX enthusiasts who wanted a car beyond anything Honda could offer.
Modifications included:
- Engine: Blueprinted C32B V6 (Type R engine) with upgraded internals, Spoon-tuned camshafts, and revised ECU mapping
- Power: Approximately 330-350 hp (up from the C32B's 290 PS)
- Suspension: Custom Spoon-developed coilovers with specific damper valving
- Brakes: Uprated front and rear calipers
- Aerodynamics: Custom Spoon-designed front splitter, rear wing, side skirts, and rear diffuser
- Weight reduction: Carbon fiber components, reduced interior, stripped weight
- Wheels: Custom lightweight forged wheels
Production and Availability
The Spoon NSX-R GT was never a mass-produced vehicle. Spoon Sports built them on customer request — a customer would bring a Honda NSX to Spoon, and Spoon would modify it to NSX-R GT specification. Exact production numbers are unclear, but most sources estimate fewer than 10-20 complete builds were ever completed.
Most NSX-R GT builds are owned by wealthy Honda collectors in Japan. They rarely change hands, and when they do, it's through private Spoon Sports channels rather than open market sales.
Today's Market
The NSX-R GT is not publicly available for sale most of the time. When a build-complete example does appear, prices are significant — typically $300,000-$500,000 or more. The premium reflects the blueprinted engine, Spoon's engineering work, and the extreme rarity.
Legacy
The Spoon Sports NSX-R GT represents the aftermarket tuning world at its most ambitious — what happens when a top-tier tuner takes the already-excellent NSX Type R and builds a track-focused evolution. It's a reminder that factory supercar development is not the ceiling of what's possible — independent shops with skilled engineers can push even further.
For Honda enthusiasts, the Spoon NSX-R GT is a dream car that few will ever own. It's the pinnacle of what the NSX platform can become in skilled hands, and it's a monument to Spoon Sports' 30+ years of Honda tuning excellence.
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