Acura NSX an Affordable Ferrari Fighter: Chief Engineer

Good Read.

In a nutshell:
What we did with the first car worked, so we are going to do it again, except:

"Beyond that Klaus was reassuring that the new NSX will not be treated like the old car; left to grow stale over a decade with minimal improvements."
 
This article is better than the other one. They are saying all of the right things and have acknowledge most of the criticism that many NSX owners have mentioned. I like what they are saying. I hope they can deliver.
 
^ Oooh interesting! :) That's because it's a new nsx forum only.
 
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hmmmmm...competing forum :mad: LoL it looks like just for the new NSX.
 
Ric said:
There is a link in the article about another nsx forum:

http://www.nsxforums.com/forum/

Not many members there.
NSX! said:
^ Oooh interesting! :) That's because it's a new nsx forum only.
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Nukem said:
hmmmmm...competing forum :mad: LoL it looks like just for the new NSX.
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Lime Green NSX said:
that site is just way too busy!!!! I mean on my eyes... I Like Prime instead!
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Autoguide.com just pops out a default forum for pretty much any/all new cars out there.

I don't even think it's been confirmed that the NSX-concept will be called "NSX" when it goes into production (it'd be hella' lame if such was a the case).

I'm still holding out for some post-concept changes, namely HSC-like swan'doors! May be wishful thinking though...
 
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...the new NSX will be rare...hmmm...how rare?...made me think about the LF-A. They first had to limit its supply to 500 units. The last ones have just been sold - after a longer time than they've expected. Rumors said they had to built a Nurburgring Special to sell all of them.

It's a very hard time for supercars today with those much shorter product cycles than 20 years ago.
 
goldNSX said:
...the new NSX will be rare...hmmm...how rare?...made me think about the LF-A. They first had to limit its supply to 500 units. The last ones have just been sold - after a longer time than they've expected. Rumors said they had to built a Nurburgring Special to sell all of them.

It's a very hard time for supercars today with those much shorter product cycles than 20 years ago.
Click to expand...

I think road supercars are approaching a hard limit due to the friction properties of tire rubber. The bugatti veyron's tires only last a few minutes at its top speed. Ferrari and Lambo shortly will be running models with more than 700 hp. It is a game of diminishing returns, as it is exponentially harder to keep improving by the same metrics. 0-60 in 4 is pretty easy with today's tech. 3.5 is harder. 3.0 is really hard. 2.5 requires exotic materials and ridiculous amounts of money. How much faster can they get before it is impossible?

I think future supercars are going to be less and less about number chasing and more of some sort of unique or cool factor to differentiate them. I think Honda is smart not to chase the numbers too much, but still give customers what they want. The NSX "cool factor" is the hybrid aspect- a fast hybrid. They are making sure it can keep up with a 458 and R8 V10, but are not so obsessed with bench racing (after all done mostly by people on the internet who can't afford the cars anyway and thus are not customers) that it pollutes the mission of a fast hybrid that delivers a visceral driving experience.

Personally, I am happy to hear Ted is focused on the driving experience. It is easy for engineers to obsess and make a car that drives itself perfectly, but feels dull. It's called the GT-R. I hope he has his team drive the prototype and then drive the Zanardi every time they make a change so they can make sure they are not going off-mission. One of the things I love about my NSX is the way it feels when driving- you feel like you are part of the car and every move and thought is translated directly to the road in a way that gives immediate feedback. I really hope the new car preserves that character since, unlike many keyboard kommandos, I am a real potential customer. Acura would have to convince me it is a better driving experience than my current NSX though. That's a tall order.
 
I am not a customer(Probably a keyboard kommando) :biggrin: I honestly don't make enough for the new NSX. That doesn't mean I am not excited to hear progress. If I ever get one it will be a used one like I did with my 91. I can't wait to see one in person. It will be a different experience than when I saw my first NSX in 97. I too am glad they are talking more about the driving experience.

PS Honcho if I am ever in the area would love to take a ride on those BC coilovers
 
I think as long as it stays with the GTR and 911 performance wise everyone will be satisfied for the 1st two years.
 
This guy Klaus is a Looney living still in the nineties. He says We’re not unaware of how important those numbers are both to customers and the public at large serious sports/super cars are all about numbers. Where does he think Ferrari will be in 3 yrs - way beyond the 458 I can tell you. If the new NSX will be anything like a 458 which I doubt it will be a great car but peoples perception of a super car with only a V6 the NSX will be behind the eight ball even before its released. Imho
 
In one of the of the other recent threads on the subject, Klaus (the talking goldfish from American Dad?) said that they are benchmarking against and "improving upon" the above-mentioned target cars in anticipation of the evolution of those vehicles.
 
NSX-SA said:
This guy Klaus is a Looney living still in the nineties. He says We’re not unaware of how important those numbers are both to customers and the public at large serious sports/super cars are all about numbers. Where does he think Ferrari will be in 3 yrs - way beyond the 458 I can tell you. If the new NSX will be anything like a 458 which I doubt it will be a great car but peoples perception of a super car with only a V6 the NSX will be behind the eight ball even before its released. Imho
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The next NSX will not be in the same price atmosphere of the F-car so irrelevant. You must pay to play.
 
Honcho said:
I think road supercars are approaching a hard limit due to the friction properties of tire rubber. The bugatti veyron's tires only last a few minutes at its top speed. Ferrari and Lambo shortly will be running models with more than 700 hp. It is a game of diminishing returns, as it is exponentially harder to keep improving by the same metrics. 0-60 in 4 is pretty easy with today's tech. 3.5 is harder. 3.0 is really hard. 2.5 requires exotic materials and ridiculous amounts of money. How much faster can they get before it is impossible?

I think future supercars are going to be less and less about number chasing and more of some sort of unique or cool factor to differentiate them. I think Honda is smart not to chase the numbers too much, but still give customers what they want. The NSX "cool factor" is the hybrid aspect- a fast hybrid. They are making sure it can keep up with a 458 and R8 V10, but are not so obsessed with bench racing (after all done mostly by people on the internet who can't afford the cars anyway and thus are not customers) that it pollutes the mission of a fast hybrid that delivers a visceral driving experience.

Personally, I am happy to hear Ted is focused on the driving experience. It is easy for engineers to obsess and make a car that drives itself perfectly, but feels dull. It's called the GT-R. I hope he has his team drive the prototype and then drive the Zanardi every time they make a change so they can make sure they are not going off-mission. One of the things I love about my NSX is the way it feels when driving- you feel like you are part of the car and every move and thought is translated directly to the road in a way that gives immediate feedback. I really hope the new car preserves that character since, unlike many keyboard kommandos, I am a real potential customer. Acura would have to convince me it is a better driving experience than my current NSX though. That's a tall order.
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Well said Paul. Having driven my BRZ for nearly 15k miles now engineers who continue to number chase are completely missing the point.
 
I hope for a reference standard they get a Huayra and a Koenigsegg in their fleet. Not saying they should make that, just saying it makes them reference points.
 
this means there will be many versions down the road and hp bumps. So No need to buy the first year car lol
 
popeye said:
If you are not "chasing numbers" how do you bench mark ?
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Aside from racing (performance above all else) a sports car in my mind is about having a thrilling experience. HP, acceleration times and all of that are great one liners to get your attention (kind of like megapixels and cameras) but they're only part of the equation, if that weren't true we'd all be driving stripped down track ready cars like the gt3 rsr or ariel atom right?

So for example what makes the current NSX fun for me is the way it looks, 10 years later I'm still admiring it. The aesthetics in any car play an important role in establishing the image and expectations of what the car is all about and developing that emotional connection (desire). For me personally the NSX has done well in that department because 2 decades later it's design is holding strong where as when I look at the e36 m3, f360 spyder and all of those other cars I thought were stunning now I just cringe because they haven't withstood the test of time in my mind. I love sitting in the garage admiring it just as much as a new Aston, 991, and those 918 RSR press photos and that's part of the reason why I still have that connection with my car as opposed to wanting to toss it and get something brand new and shiny - lets be honest here though, I'd trade for those particular cars if I could.

When you get into the car, you want to know they've thought of every little detail to make your drive a pleasant one. It could be the awesome forward view of the road, the good over the shoulder visibility when trying to merge onto the highway, or just seeing the engine and a nice wing in your rear view mirror. On other days its the satisfaction of shifting through the gears and that engine noise behind your ears even when you're just going to the grocery store. Comfort and ergonomics need to be well executed so you can focus on enjoying the drive rather than thinking about your back ache, figuring out how to operate the radio, fidgeting with tiny hard to operate controls, or growing tired of the harsh ride down San Franciscos's not so pleasant streets. And just like with the exterior, aesthetics, material selection, and build quality also apply to the interior. The cabin layout and how it surrounds the driver plays a huge role in how the car "fits", where the NSX's cabin makes me feel like I'm driving a small space ship, the upright and spacious interior of a mini van makes me feel like I'm driving... my living room. Add in leather, alcantara and all of that to complete the feeling of quality and comfort and you're good to go, or leave it out and use a terrible textured plastic dashboard like the 986 Boxster or entire Vette interior and then it's hard not to wonder what else they skimped on.

In short you want to constantly be surprised by how well considered and thought out everything is (or simply not be distracted with faults because it works so well you never need to think about it), and then when you step on the gas or take it around a turn the car continues to fullfill its promise :biggrin:
 
nsxtacey said:
this means there will be many versions down the road and hp bumps. So No need to buy the first year car lol
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But most likely also serious price increases
 

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