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Despite the relatively thinned-out lineup, Honda has produced game-changing sports cars that gained legendary status among enthusiasts.

Honda is a household brand that currently boasts the largest internal combustion engine and motorcycle production of any manufacturer globally. Surprisingly, despite these impressive stats, Honda is rarely one of the first names in mind during sports car discussions. The leadership's focus on safety, efficiency, and reliability has seen Honda offer a relatively thinned-out sports car lineup over the years compared to other heavy hitters.

Related: These 10 Japanese Tuning Shops Build The Sickest Hondas

However, the lack of dominant numbers in the sports car segment is by no means an indication that Honda lacks cool sports cars. On the contrary, Honda has produced game-changing sports cars that gained legendary status among enthusiasts. Read on to discover the coolest Honda sports cars ever made.

Although Honda's automobile business struggled in the 1970s, the iconic 1300 is a forgotten sports car that caused waves for its outstanding engineering. The 1300 sedan variant introduced the air-cooled engine concept in mass-production Hondas, while the coupe popularized the revolutionary Mohican structure currently employed by many automobiles.

Honda engineers made the 116hp 1.3-liter inline-four engine a marvel that outperformed cars like the Toyota Corona, which featured larger displacement powerplants. The continuous design changes and reverse operation in auto production tech in developing the Honda 1300 Coupe 9 set the standards for the legendary Civic.

Interestingly, the S500 was Honda's first passenger automobile and the root of its sports car heritage as we know it today. The S500 was arguably the first Japanese sports car to receive admiration from the Western market, boasting insane driving finesse, a revolutionary suspension setup, and an insanely lightweight form factor comparable to the mighty Lotus Elan.

Related: The S500: A Detailed Look Back At Honda's First Passenger Car

Equipped with a 531cc DOHC inline-four derived from 15 years of motorcycle excellence, the S500 series offered the most technologically advanced engine of the time. The shift to aluminum, roller-bearing crankshafts, and hemispherical combustion chambers allowed the S500 to achieve an insane 9500rpm redline, with 8000rpm producing 44hp and a respectable 80 mph top speed.

The S660 is the spiritual successor of the Beat, carrying Honda's trademark Kei car formula of two seats, mid-engine, and rear-wheel drive convertibles into the 21st century. Developed to offer a heart-throbbing experience and excitement, the S660 boasts a low center of gravity and an optimal 45:55 front/rear balance for excellent cornering performance.

The S660 comes with a 64hp 660cc DOHC inline three-cylinder engine, an exclusively-designed turbocharger, and the first six-speed manual transmission fitted in a mini-vehicle. Despite the apparent lack of power, the S660 is a cool driver's sports car that excels in the fun of driving, making turns, and maneuvering for everyday use.

The standard CRX was an instant global success for its remarkable blend of practicality and engineering prowess, but the CRX Si upped the ante with higher performance upgrades. Honda spiced up the Si variant with fully independent double-wishbone suspension, rear anti-roll bars, wider tires, stiffer shocks, and four-wheel disc brakes.

At the heart of the front-wheel drive, CRX Si is a 1.6-liter inline four-cylinder mated to a five-speed manual gearbox to deliver 105hp and 98lb-ft of torque. The lighter curb weight and simplicity made the CRX Si a potent rival to affordable performance vehicles like the beloved Volkswagen GTI.

What started as Honda's attempt at a small 360cc car with the S360 prototype exploded into the iconic S sports car series, culminating with the outrageous S800. The S800 fastback coupe was the last evolution of the early S series, a model that broke away from its predecessors with features like a live rear axle, front disc brakes, and several safety features, including side marker lights, hazard warning lights, recessed door handles, and dual circuit brakes.

Related: These Are The Best Features Of The 1968 Honda S800

Further upgrades encompassed a higher engine displacement for the inline-four to 791cc and a four-speed manual transmission, boosting power output to 70hp and 48lb-ft of torque. Besides becoming the first Honda to crack 100mph, the S800 embodied the think-different engineering that endeared Honda sports cars to enthusiasts.

The Prelude initially faced perennial competitors like the Toyota Celica, Mitsubishi FTO, and Nissan Silvia, but the fourth generation overhaul brought it closer to heavyweights like the trendier Toyota MR-2. Honda discontinued the pop-up headlights and introduced an electronic four-wheel steering system, 58:42 front/rear weight distribution, wider front fascia, steel sliding roof, and a roof spoiler.

The VTEC variant was the most potent compared to the base S and Si models, boasting a 2.2-liter DOHC VTEC H22A1 engine capable of 190hp and 158lb-ft of torque. Due to its competitiveness in speed, style, and build quality, the Prelude VTEC achieved cult status, with demand for sportier, manual transmission versions still high to date.

The high-performance Integra Type R is a '90s JDM icon that the majority considered the greatest front-wheel drive sports car during its production period. Built on the solid base of the DC2 Integra, Honda engineers applied the racing experience from previous projects to make the hand-crafted Integra Type R the closest thing to a road-legal race car.

One of the most significant hallmarks of the Integra Type R is the sweet-sounding 1.8-liter DOHC VTEC B18C unit under the hood, rated at 195hp and 130lb-ft of torque. Thanks to the agile performance capabilities, forgiving ride quality, super-sharp handling, lack of torque steer, and strong grip of the Integra Type R, growing collector interest has seen prices skyrocket in recent years.

The S2000 reintroduced the quintessential classic roadster spirit of the first Honda S Series sports cars of the 1960s, blending the concept with impressive 21st-century technology. The higher-spec S2000 Club Racer further elevated the sports car formula with track-oriented suspension settings, higher rigidity, aerodynamic-enhanced bodywork, specially-tuned front/rear spoilers, a removable hardtop, and a 51lb weight reduction.

Related: This Is Why Honda Needs To Revive The S2000 JDM Legend Right Now

The front-engine, rear-wheel-drive S2000 CR features a potent 2.2-liter DOHC VTEC four-cylinder engine mated to a short throw six-speed manual to deliver 237hp and 162lb-ft of torque. The S2000 CR's ability to combine racetrack-inspired performance and handling with everyday practicality made it a performance icon and arguably one of the coolest roadsters ever featured in the Honda lineup.

The Type R designation has a long and proud history in Honda's lineup, and no model has worn it better over the years than the Civic model. The Civic Type R's legendary history dates to the sixth-generation model dubbed the EK9. This formidable three-door hatchback dominated racetracks and set the performance and track-oriented aerodynamic benchmarks for future models.

Despite undergoing numerous cosmetic and body style changes across all five versions, the Civic Type R maintained the ultimate expression of an exciting, front-wheel drive, high-performance Honda. The Civic Type R's legacy includes smashing and setting new Nürburgring FWD lap records in 2015 and 2017.

Honda's attempt at building Japan's first supercar was an overwhelming success, considering the first generation NSX model obliterated its European competition and introduced revolutionary technology. Honda engineers improved on the original NSX, spawning higher-spec variants like the NSX-R, NSX-T, NSX-S, and NSX-S Zero, not to mention the Le Mans and Super GT race cars.

Currently, the second-generation NSX Type S embodies the pinnacle of dynamic driving, continuing to honor Honda's impeccable supercar lineage with a striking design and meticulous engineering. The NSX Type S pushes the boundaries of possibility, not just as the coolest model in the lineup but as the fastest adrenaline-fueled Honda sports car of all time.

Simon Kim has always been passionate about machines since childhood, and this has grown into an obsession well into adulthood. As an avid reader and creative content writer, he finds joy and fulfillment in sharing his love for cars and bikes with other machine heads. Currently, Kim seeks to deliver exciting and informative articles on HotCars. He enjoys music and art and dabbles in active sports and virtual gaming in his spare time.