Front Engine NSX? NOT!

[angeno]

To begin with, having had the pleasure of owning several model year NSX's ('91, '94 & most recently '99), and in the hope that someone from Acura/Honda happens to monitor this excellent website, I am writing to humbly offer my thoughts on next-generation NSX replacement. Most importantly, I feel that Acura definitely needs to make the car a mid-engine vehicle, like the '91-'05 car or they will certainly risk losing the very audience they should be trying to attract. Quite simply put, Acura got it right the first time. And if it ain't broke.... In my view they need only update the powertrain to contemporary/competitive horsepower levels and incorporate a few nice things like HUD (head up display) bluetooth, in-dash CD player, etc. and the car will be ready for the next ten years. DO NOT mess with the basic formula of this vehicle. DO NOT place the engine in the front end as found in the ill-conceived ASCC fetted recently by Honda et al. Acura, please listen to your customers. We know what we want. We know why we so fervently love the dreamcar you originally made for us in 1989. There are more than enough front engine sports cars for us to choose from, if that's our thing. All of them, in my view, are various shades of vanilla. Not one has the feel of an NSX. Actually, the car that comes closest, in my opinion is the AWD mid-engined Lamborghini Gallardo. But even at $150K+ that car is imperfect in several important ways. From what I've heard, the Gallardo clutch blows up if you so much as look at it wrong. People are reporting blown clutches within 1,000 miles. Not every one of them can be due to endless smokey burnouts. You just don't hear about such nonsense from 997 turbo Porsches or Dodge Vipers, let alone the venerable NSX. Another shortcoming of the Gallardo; no cruise control (??!!). So forget about day-long cross country road trips in that baby. And if you're over 6' tall, you can pretty much forget about legroom in your new Gallardo too. Remember what made the original NSX so uniquely compelling. Mid-engine, exotic styling, sensible ergonomics, build quality and, reliability. A feeling of one-ness between car and driver. These were desireable qualities in 1990. They are equally desireable today. Hey Mr. Honda! Are you listening?

Respectfully,

Geno M.
Once and "maybe" future customer