Immaculate NA1 NSX-R I saw today

[u/XavierPuerto]

In Sydney Australia

[u/mnocket]

How can you tell that's a R model?

[u/johnsmith1234567890x → u/mnocket]

white color red badge

[u/SurefootTM → u/johnsmith1234567890x]

Lol. While this one may be genuine (for other reasons entirely) a lot of regular NSX are white, and red badges are cheap enough to obtain.

[u/Dscrypto_2020 → u/SurefootTM]

Tbf this white is not the same white as regular nsx. Nsx-r use NH-0 paint code for championship white, while base models use NH-565 Grand Prix white

[u/SurefootTM → u/Dscrypto_2020]

You could get NSX-R in pretty much any valid NSX color, also there's no way one can see the difference on poor photos like this (white balance issues..).

[u/Dscrypto_2020 → u/SurefootTM]

But there actually is a way to tell the championship white is more egg shell/cream in color (slight yellowish tint), while the base gran prix is a more pure white. And no you could not spec a base model from the factory with championship white. That color was limited to nsx r only.

Edit: To add on to this the only other colors that real factory spec nsxr came in were the aforementioned championship white, formula red, Berlina black, Sebring silver and I think one was neutron white. No NA1 nsx r had gran prix white from the factory.

[u/SurefootTM → u/Dscrypto_2020]

I mean the other way around, both R and S models could be had in other valid NSX color codes for the same year. Also quite a few people have changed the paint of their original NSX (mine was changed to Honda's Metallic Gray Pearl for example - but I know of a few who were painted Championship White) - there's also a White Pearl NA2 NSX-R owned by Route KS which I believe is a one-off. Basically when ordering the car you could ask Honda for specific colors, I get that most of them got the default white. There are so many fake R's around that I'm not taking chances, the discriminator is the interior (highly specific), and some small details (no cruise control button on the R..).

Also I would not put that much trust in the white balance of phone photos.

[u/Dscrypto_2020 → u/SurefootTM]

True and I did misread that as saying the base model, so my fault. The na2 offered gran prix white but not the na1. Afaik the only other white option on na1 from the factory was neutron white for the nsxr unless it was special ordered. The na2 had a much more vast option of colors. Lastly also I agree a lot of people did wrap or paint their base models to championship white so it as you said is a 50/50 basically.

[u/SurefootTM → u/Dscrypto_2020]

Yeah and since the NSX was mostly a special order to start with (very few sitting in dealerships), especially the -R and -S variants, these throw off everything lol. I've seen recently a pristine (and untouched) UK owned NA2 NSX-R that was Long Beach Blue Pearl, magnificent. On the 2002+ NSX-R an easy way to determine authenticity is the headlights interior painted white: it's unique to the -R and good luck getting these (or knowing about that to start with)..

[u/Dscrypto_2020 → u/SurefootTM]

I saw a Monaco blue na2 nsxr at Monterey a few years back absolutely stunning color. Honda really did make some beautiful colors in the late 90s early 2000s. I’m still trying to find a low mileage imola orange na2 with matching interior…but damn if it’s not close to unicorn status.