Based upon the Honda Civic, the CRX (or Del Sol as they were also known) was introduced in 1992, as the successor to the well-loved - and significantly more boxy - CR-X hatchback.
The Del Sol name is not just some ‘hip’ nomenclature, oh no. It referred to the CRX’s party piece, being the motorised targa-top roof, which, at the push of a button on the ‘transtop’ models, is cantilevered up and back down into the storage area at the rear, resulting in a wonderful open-top driving experience.
Upon launch, the CRX took the award for being one of the first naturally aspirated production vehicles with an output exceeding 100bhp/litre, and the first with an electric Targa top for the transtop model.
In fact, the CRX / Del Sol was seen as so significant, Japan’s “Best Motoring” show declared the Del Sol to be “the most important Japanese sports car for a decade” - strong words indeed.
The vendor of this 1998 CRX ESI is certainly no stranger to the marque, having previously owned a Samba Green example which they loved, but always felt was let down by having an automatic transmission.
Thankfully, such handicaps did not affect this example, which is blessed with three pedals and a stick, as all good sports cars of the era should be.
Perhaps almost as important as the transmission is the ownership history, which is a lovely low number of previous keepers - one, in fact. The vendor is only the second owner of this iconic 23-year-old Japanese sports car, which is rather impressive.
During their ownership, the car has been used infrequently as a ‘toy’ to take to shows and for weekend drives, with less than 200 miles having been added to the odometer during the vendors time with the car.
Included with this CRX is a wealth of history and paperwork, including the V5 ownership document, numerous OEM Honda manuals and handbooks, two sets of keys, the original Honda book pack and a plethora of invoices and paperwork pertaining to the car’s maintenance history.
As you’d likely expect from a low-mileage car with only one previous owner, the interior is in good condition for its age.
There are a few minor wear-and-tear marks to the seats such as creases towards the rear of the driver’s seat base and a minor colour difference from regular use, but these are commensurate with the age of the vehicle, and the seats themselves do not appear to have any rips or tears in the material.
Elsewhere, the carpets look to be in fine shape, along with the dashboard and plastics which are all free from cracks and damage as far as we can see. Truthfully, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to call this interior almost a time-warp example, such is the condition.
There is one issue, however. The electrically-operated ‘transtop’ roof is faulty. The vendor states that the system works perfectly until around half way through, when the computer thinks the roof hasn’t slid back into the boot, when it has. The roof can be manually used still, however, meaning the joyous experience of targa-top motoring is still easily achievable.
Externally, this CRX is also in great shape, likely thanks in part to its limited use and low mileage.
The paintwork looks to be in good order throughout, with no major signs of any scuffs to be seen, beyond the usual stone chips to the front end.
There is a small patch of corrosion visible in front of the offside rear wheel, and what appears to be a small indentation ahead of the nearside rear wheel.
Speaking of wheels, the original factory items have been swapped out for a set of OZ racing wheels, which are generally presentable but do have a couple of minor kerb scuffs, and would benefit from a refurbishment down the line.
Other than the aforementioned roof issue, the vendor is not aware of any mechanical issues with the vehicle, stating that it runs and drives well during their ownership.
Under the bonnet, the 1.6-litre engine looks to be in fine fettle and presents well, and has clearly been cared for visually during its lifetime with the head in particular being surprisingly clean.
The most recent MOT exam took place on 13 May 2021, and resulted in a first-time pass with advisories on both front and rear brake discs corroding.
While the Japanese sports car scene will likely be remembered more for the Miata or S2000, it’s fair to say neither were quite as quirky as the CRX.
Presenting in good condition throughout and with only a minor issue to address regarding the transtop system, this CRX has come to the market just at the right time. With the temperatures rising and life slowly going back to normal, this would make a fantastic weekend toy or ‘beach run’ car for anyone looking to make a statement, and feel the wind in their hair whilst doing so!
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NO RESERVE! - 1998 Honda CRX ESI
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