Mugen Motorsports is a Japanese company that specializes in designing, manufacturing, and selling high-performance parts and accessories for Honda vehicles. The company was founded in 1973 by Hirotoshi Honda, the son of Honda Motor Company founder Soichiro Honda.

Mugen, which translates to “infinite” or “unlimited” in Japanese, started out as a tuning company for Honda cars. Their early work focused on improving the performance of Honda’s Formula Two engines, which helped the company gain a reputation for high-quality aftermarket parts.

In the 1980s, Mugen expanded its operations to include designing and building race cars. They built engines for Formula One, Formula Two, and Formula Three racing, as well as for touring car and sports car racing. Mugen also built its own race cars, including the Mugen NSX, which won the GT500 class in the 1998 and 1999 Japanese Grand Touring Car Championship.

Mugen’s success in racing helped establish the company as a leader in high-performance Honda tuning. They continued to develop aftermarket parts and accessories for Honda vehicles, including exhaust systems, suspension components, and aerodynamic upgrades. Mugen parts are known for their high quality, durability, and performance, and are highly sought after by Honda enthusiasts and racing teams around the world.

One of the keys to Mugen’s success has been their close relationship with Honda. Mugen has been an official partner of Honda since 1984, and has worked closely with the company on numerous projects over the years. Mugen has also provided engines and technical support to Honda’s racing teams, including the Formula One team.

Mugen is known for its work on several Honda models, including the Civic Type R, Integra Type R, and NSX. The company has also produced high-performance versions of the Honda Accord and CR-Z. Mugen’s tuning packages typically include engine upgrades, suspension enhancements, and cosmetic modifications.

In addition to their aftermarket parts and racing successes, Mugen is also known for their popularity and influence in the Honda tuning and motorsport community. Mugen parts are highly coveted by Honda enthusiasts and are often used by racing teams around the world. Mugen has also sponsored several racing teams and events, including the Mugen Euro Race, which is held annually at the Nürburgring in Germany.

Overall, Mugen Motorsports has established itself as one of the leading tuning and racing companies in the Honda community. Their success in racing, dedication to quality, and close relationship with Honda have helped them become a highly respected and influential company in the automotive world.

Mugen NSX

The Mugen NSX is a high-performance version of the Honda NSX (also known as the Acura NSX in North America) supercar. Mugen built the NSX to compete in the GT500 class of the Japanese Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC) in the late 1990s.

The Mugen NSX featured several performance upgrades over the standard NSX, including a more powerful engine, a lightweight body, and improved aerodynamics. The engine was a 3.5-liter V6 that produced over 500 horsepower, thanks to modifications such as a high-lift camshaft, a custom exhaust system, and a high-flow intake system. The body of the car was made from carbon fiber, which helped reduce weight and improve rigidity. The aerodynamics of the car were also improved, with a large rear wing, a front splitter, and other modifications.

The Mugen NSX competed in the JGTC from 1997 to 2000, winning the championship in 1998 and 1999. The car was driven by several well-known racing drivers, including Keiichi Tsuchiya, Naoki Hattori, and Ryo Michigami.

In addition to its success on the track, the Mugen NSX became a highly sought-after car among Honda and NSX enthusiasts. Mugen produced a limited number of street-legal versions of the car, known as the Mugen NSX RR. The NSX RR featured even more performance upgrades than the race car, including a larger engine (3.7 liters) and a more aggressive aerodynamics package. Only 10 Mugen NSX RR models were produced, making it one of the rarest and most valuable NSX variants.

Overall, the Mugen NSX is considered one of the most iconic and successful Honda race cars of all time. Its combination of high-performance upgrades, lightweight construction, and racing success helped establish Mugen as a leader in Honda tuning and motorsports.

 

Mugen Civic Type R

The Mugen Civic Type R is a high-performance version of the Honda Civic Type R, which is already a high-performance variant of the Honda Civic. Mugen built the Civic Type R to compete in the Japanese Super Taikyu endurance racing series.

The Mugen Civic Type R featured several performance upgrades over the standard Civic Type R, including a more powerful engine, a lightweight body, and improved aerodynamics. The engine was a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 240 horsepower, up from the standard Type R’s 215 horsepower. The engine featured a high-flow intake system, a custom exhaust system, and a remapped ECU. The body of the car was made from carbon fiber, which helped reduce weight and improve rigidity. The aerodynamics of the car were also improved, with a large rear wing, a front splitter, and other modifications.

In addition to its racing success, Mugen also produced a limited number of street-legal versions of the Mugen Civic Type R, known as the Civic Mugen RR. The Civic Mugen RR featured even more performance upgrades than the race car, including a larger engine (2.2 liters) that produced 260 horsepower, a six-speed manual transmission, and a fully adjustable suspension system. Only 300 Civic Mugen RR models were produced, making it one of the rarest and most sought-after Honda vehicles.

The Mugen Civic Type R is highly regarded among Honda enthusiasts for its performance and exclusivity. Its combination of high-quality engineering, lightweight construction, and racing success has made it a highly coveted vehicle among fans of Honda performance cars. The Mugen Civic Type R has helped establish Mugen as a leader in the Honda tuning and motorsports communities, and has contributed to the brand’s popularity and success.

Mugen Integra Type R

The Mugen Integra Type R is another high-performance Honda vehicle that was modified by Mugen. Like the Civic Type R, the Integra Type R was already a high-performance variant of the Honda Integra, and Mugen built the car to compete in motorsports events.

The Mugen Integra Type R featured several upgrades over the standard Type R, including a more powerful engine, improved suspension and braking systems, and a range of exterior and interior modifications. The engine was a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 220 horsepower, up from the standard Type R’s 197 horsepower. The engine featured a high-flow intake system, a custom exhaust system, and a remapped ECU. The suspension was also upgraded, with stiffer springs and shocks, larger anti-roll bars, and a lower ride height. The brakes were upgraded with larger rotors and calipers to improve stopping power.

The Mugen Integra Type R also featured a range of exterior modifications, including a front lip spoiler, side skirts, and a rear wing. The interior was also upgraded with Mugen-branded sport seats, a Mugen shift knob, and a Mugen steering wheel.

Like the Mugen Civic Type R, Mugen also produced a limited number of street-legal versions of the Mugen Integra Type R, known as the Integra Mugen RR. The Integra Mugen RR featured even more performance upgrades than the race car, including a larger engine (2.2 liters) that produced 260 horsepower, a six-speed manual transmission, and a fully adjustable suspension system. Only 300 Integra Mugen RR models were produced, making it one of the rarest and most sought-after Honda vehicles.

The Mugen Integra Type R is highly regarded among Honda enthusiasts for its performance and exclusivity. Its combination of high-quality engineering, racing success, and limited production numbers has made it a highly coveted vehicle among fans of Honda performance cars. The Mugen Integra Type R has helped establish Mugen as a leader in the Honda tuning and motorsports communities, and has contributed to the brand’s popularity and success.

Mugen Aftermarket Products

Mugen Motorsports offers a wide range of aftermarket parts and accessories for Honda vehicles, many of which have become highly sought after by Honda enthusiasts. Some of Mugen’s more famous aftermarket products include:

1. Mugen Exhaust Systems: Mugen offers high-performance exhaust systems for several Honda models, including the Civic Type R, Integra Type R, and NSX. These exhaust systems are designed to improve engine performance and provide a more aggressive exhaust note.
2. Mugen Suspension Components: Mugen offers a range of suspension upgrades, including coilover kits, sway bars, and strut braces. These upgrades are designed to improve handling and reduce body roll in cornering.
3. Mugen Body Kits: Mugen produces a range of body kits for Honda vehicles, including front and rear spoilers, side skirts, and diffusers. These kits are designed to improve aerodynamics and give the car a more aggressive appearance.
4. Mugen Wheels: Mugen produces lightweight forged wheels for several Honda models, including the Civic Type R and NSX. These wheels are designed to reduce unsprung weight and improve handling.
5. Mugen Sports Seats: Mugen produces high-performance sports seats that offer improved support and comfort over stock seats. These seats are available in a range of materials and colors.

These are just a few examples of Mugen’s most famous aftermarket products. Mugen also produces a range of engine components, including camshafts, pistons, and intake systems, as well as a range of cosmetic upgrades, such as carbon fiber trim pieces and shift knobs.

Popularity

Mugen is popular for several reasons, including:

1. Racing Success: Mugen has a long and successful history in motorsports, particularly in the Japanese Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC) and Super GT series. Mugen-powered cars have won multiple championships and races, including the JGTC GT500 championship in 1998 and 1999 with the Mugen NSX.
2. High-Quality Aftermarket Parts: Mugen produces a wide range of high-quality aftermarket parts and accessories for Honda vehicles, including exhaust systems, suspension upgrades, body kits, and engine components. These parts are known for their exceptional quality, performance, and reliability, and are highly sought after by Honda enthusiasts.
3. Honda Partnership: Mugen has a close partnership with Honda, which has helped establish Mugen as a leading authority on Honda tuning and motorsports. Many Mugen products are designed specifically for Honda vehicles, and Mugen has access to the latest Honda technologies and engineering expertise.
4. Innovation: Mugen is known for its innovative approach to performance tuning, constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible with Honda engines and vehicles. Mugen is often the first to develop new technologies and upgrades, which further enhances its reputation in the tuning and motorsports communities.
5. Exclusivity: Some Mugen products are produced in limited quantities, making them highly exclusive and sought after by enthusiasts. This exclusivity adds to the prestige and desirability of Mugen products and contributes to the brand’s popularity.

Overall, Mugen’s racing success, high-quality aftermarket parts, close partnership with Honda, innovation, and exclusivity have all contributed to its popularity among Honda enthusiasts and motorsports fans.