A pivot point in Honda’s racing DNA, with race pedigree, engineering depth, and a willingness to howl in your face.
Picture this: a modest Tokyo workshop in 1988, where a lanky ex-Honda test driver named Tatsuru “Ichi” Ichishima decides that standard Civics are about as exciting as soggy toast. He founds Spoon Sports, aptly named after the Spoon Curve at Suzuka, and armed with nothing but sheer hubris, aftermarket ECU chips, and a dream, he sets out to make Hondas do more than just ferry groceries pinterest.com+10en.wikipedia.org+10worldtimeattack.com+10.
Fast-forward to the dawn of the Type R era in 1997: the EK9 rolls off the line—lightened weight, VTEC wailing to 8,200 rpm, hand-sewn chassis, and red Recaros. But Ichi wasn’t satisfied. In 1999, Spoon unleashed their N1 spec EK9, bumping the redline to a mad 11,000 rpm and stripping comforts to turn it into a ruthless racer-for-the-road en.wikipedia.org.
Now take that N1 heart, stuff it under the Spoon Super Taikyu EK9—the one Sean Klingelhofer stumbled upon in Spoon’s Type One garage. It had Showa dampers, Nissin big brakes, air jacks, a welded sump, and enough chassis bracing to survive an earthquake; even Dino referred to it mid-inspection: “Ichi looks like he’s ordering world domination” youtube.com+12speedhunters.com+12en.wikipedia.org+12.
This little hatchback, shimmering in Spoon’s signature blue and yellow livery, has several endurance class wins—Tsukuba9 Hours, Nürburgring 24, Thunderhill 25—including recent demo appearances at WTAC 2025 with Ichi himself signing autographs worldtimeattack.com+2en.wikipedia.org+2es.wikipedia.org+2.
What truly makes this EK9 special isn’t the 260 hp or the scream to 11,000; it’s the ruthless cohesion of form and purpose. Every bolt, every weld, every meticulously machined pulley speaks of Spoon’s “Total Tune” philosophy: a fully integrated machine, not an aftermarket parts bin. It’s the automotive equivalent of a samurai’s katana—every part calibrated for a singular purpose, and wildly entertaining ru.wikipedia.org+2speedhunters.com+2facebook.com+2.
And in true Clarkson fashion: give me a field of Ferraris and a Spoon EK9, and I’d still reach for the little hatch. Because after watching Ichi’s demon-child carve corners with that banshee engine note, you realise that brilliance doesn’t need displacement—it needs obsession.
This is a bona fide JDM legend, a pivot point in Honda’s racing DNA, with race pedigree, engineering depth, and a willingness to howl in your face. It's not just a car; it’s a Spoon‑sized chunk of Subaru’s heart.
“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”
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Vince Lombardi, American football coach, United States.
