Although BMW and Honda are vastly different, they are both responsible for some of the greatest driver’s cars ever.
There has been an ongoing, never-ending feud between European car stand and JDM fanboys since the dawn of time. Japanese tend to be near bulletproof, and while some might argue that they cater to the masses generally instead of building fun sports cars, we have some breaking news: Honda builds some of the coolest sports cars to ever exist. Although European-built cars tend to be less reliable than their Japanese counterparts, there still remain some reliable German everyday cars too.
Regardless of your stance on the matter, we've compiled a list outlining the fastest Honda-built sports cars, and compared them to some Beemers we'd rather give a go. Without further ado, let's trigger some JDM enthusiasts and please some BMW purists.
Although the Honda S2000 drives like an absolute dream and sounds magnificent, others cars in its class can definitely outperform it. The Honda S2000 showcases two similar engines. Both are naturally-aspirated four-cylinder units, however, the first few F20Cs had a displacement of 2.0 liters, and when the F22C1 came around its size grew to 2.2 liters.
Subsequently, the S2000 underwent a slight power surge from 237 hp (USDM) to 240 hp (USDM). In turn, this power allowed the Honda S2000 to reach a top speed of around 150 mph. Honda S2000s used to be cheap a decade ago, but now they're creeping up to values we never thought were possible.
We thought comparing the S2000 to a much more modern sports car would be unfair. So, in an effort to keep the playing field even, we have chosen the BMW Z4 M from the same relative time period.
This Beemer is one of the most hardcore roadsters to ever roam the road, and since its body weighed just about 3,200 lbs, its straight-six's power was ungodly. Underneath the Z4 M's hood laid an S54 3.2-liter inline-six that pumped out a generous 338 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque. As a result, the Z4 M only ran out of breath when its speedometer hit 155 mph.
There have been an innumerable amount of Honda Civic generations built throughout the years, some better than others of course. That said, the Type R Civics always stand out above the rest; especially the outgoing FK8 generation.
The FK8 Honda Civic Type appointed a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-banger called the K20, which generated 306 hp in The States and 316 hp in Japan and European countries. This excessive amount of power allowed the front-wheel-drive Honda hatch to go 169 mph.
Not only is the first-generation BMW M2 a stellar sports car, but we'd even go as far as to say we'd prefer it over the new G87 M2. That said, the first-generation BMW M2 Competition in particular is arguably one of the best driver-focused sports cars money can buy.
All M2 Competition models sport the iconic 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged S55 straight-six. This powertrain churns out a solid 405 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. In turn, the BMW M2 Competition can keep its wheels spinning until 174 mph when equipped with the M Driver's Package equipped.
Now we've stumbled upon possibly the most important car unveiled this year, the next-generation Honda Civic Type R, the FL5. While some figures still remain a mystery hence Honda's secrecy, we do have a ballpark to work within and recommend reading up on the FL5 Type R before snatching one up.
The FL5 Honda Civic Type R will inhabit the same K20 turbo-four found in the previous-generation Type R, only now, it will produce even more power. It's safe to say the FL5 will have around 320 hp, but with stricter top speed rules coming into play, it wouldn't surprise us if the next Type R Civic adopts the same top speed as the FK8, 169 mph.
For some time now, the BMW M8 Competition has remained the fastest BMW ever built, but it has just recently been overtaken by a much smaller, more expensive Bimmer – more on that in a bit. The BMW M8 Comp engulfs a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 that brings about 617 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, and since it sends its power to all four wheels, it's dastardly quick too.
The M8 Competition surprised us in more ways than one. Although it might not be the lightest car in the world since it weighs around 4,250 lbs, it can tackle corners rather ferociously, and push you back in your seat with a 2.5-second 0-60 time too. Evidently, the BMW M8 Competition has always focused on being a high-speed cruiser, and that's exactly why it can sit at 191 mph.
There were two different generations of the NSX Type R – a.k.a. the NSX-R – but for this list's purposes we'll be having a look at the second-generation NA2 NSX-R. This Japanese supercar occupied a mid-mounted 3.2-liter V6 engine that received some help from Honda's infamous VTEC technology.
The powertrain cranked out 294 hp and 224 lb-ft of torque. In combination with its light 2,800-lb curb weight, the NA2 NSX-R could keep on running until it reached its impressive 175 mph top speed.
The BMW E46 M3 is one of the best used sports cars money can buy, despite there being a thing or two buyers should know. That said, there was an ultimate version of the E46 M3 built called the M3 CSL.
This essentially meant that the E46 underwent some unorthodox modifications. Its 3.2-liter inline-six produced a total of 360 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, but its weight also decreased to 3,050 lbs. Here's where things get even more interesting though. Despite the M3 CSL's 155-mph speed limiter, various owners have been able to far beyond that and reach up to 180 mph.
The NSX Type S remains the fastest-ever Honda to roam public roads. As with many modern cars, the NSX Type S utilizes a combination of gasoline-fed power and electric assistance. Thus, its powertrain consists of both a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 and three electric motors.
As a whole, the NSX Type S has 600 hp and 492 lb-ft of torque at its disposal. This is enough to keep the NSX Type S dashing until it reaches its top speed of 191 mph.
The BMW M4 CSL is BMW's mightiest car yet, but just because it's destined to go around bends at dramatic speeds, doesn't mean it will come at the expense of straight-line speed. The BMW M4 CSL features the same S58 as found in the M4 Competition, but it has received some revised tuning, and as a result, pushes out 543 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque.
It is worth noting however that BMW tends to rate their powertrains' output rather conservatively. This owner proved the theory by putting his M4 CSL on a dyno. Although the BMW M4 CSL's top speed is also governed, it can still reach a whopping 192 mph.
Marnus Moolman is a young aspiring automotive writer from South Africa who is making a name for himself, despite his young age. Currently, he is studying to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting to pursue his lifetime dream of running his own automotive detailing establishment.
