1991 Auto Driving Impressions
I saw my first NSX at the Honda dealership in Dubai when they were first new back in the early 1990’s. I asked how much and was told it retailed in the high $eventies. Naturally I reacted with a certain disdain as I had never come across such an expensive car from Japan. It was almost double the price of the excellent new Lexus LS 400 that was all the rage back then. No way would I stump that much for a Honda. I could spend it on a multitude of other fine machines from Europe. Which is what I did. For years. I went through a few BMW’s, 2 sevens and a Z3 roadster (Yes, I know but don’t forget that the Brosnan Bond drove one), a R-129 SL Mercedes, a bunch of Audis including a first year TT. And became immune to the hefty bills of running a European car in a desert environment.
Then one day I drove a Honda S2000 as I wanted a nice convertible. I was smitten by how sharp it drove. The TT was quickly sold and I had my first new Honda. I used this S2K for more than a year, until I replaced it with what I thought would be a nice driver’s car; a 40 anniversary 996 Porsche. Nice sure, but bland. I complained to my Porsche chums and they sent me a 996 GT3 to try. I bought it on the spot, it was (and is) that good, so my driving devil was contained.
But I never forgot my S2000, so when I found another used one I got it. I even put up with the stupid racing clutch the previous owner installed and the stupid pale metallic pearlescent blue (a bit like the Alfa Nuvola concept car of a few years ago). But I craved the good drive so I persisted for a while.
In the meantime, I continued to learn about all things Honda and re-discovered the NSX, which I decided I would have. I got rid of the annoying S2000 and got a Honda Jazz (fit in the US). Everyone should have a Jazz/Fit. It is such a great car! For more than a year I did my part for the environment and global warming, but had a great time along the way.
Since I had lots of green credit, I decided that I needed to rebalance things (the pull of the dark side can be strong). I needed to get me a ‘Q Car’(during WWII, Q ships were heavily armed ships disguised at freighters but which would wallop any U boat stupid enough to attack), so a Q Car resembles a simple bland salon, but packs a punch not to be forgotten. I plumped for a used 04 Audi RS6 ABT, THE Q CAR if there ever was one. And it was less expensive by half than the equivalent BMW M5. So win, win all round.
This lengthy confessional tries to establish a certain affinity for things automotive and nicely leads me to my new, older NSX, a car with an ultra low miles (sub27k miles) 1991 Automatic. The car was bought from Elite Motorsports in Austin Texas, transported over to Houston and then shipped overseas to me in Abu Dhabi, UAE. This took months to do, but reach here it did in the end. The worst part was suffering through a frustrating week of insurance hassles and registration bureaucrasis.
Just rewards come to those who are patient couldn’t have been more true as I drove the car for the first time. It was lovely. Not the power bully which is my RS6, but a zen like experience of what an early nineties supercar from Japan would be. It could do with more power (what doesn’t?), but it really wasn’t that important. As I become more confident in the car’s abilities in extremis, I find new things to appreciate. One thing it does do very well indeed is make me feel young and attractive again. Don’t need to bottle it, just get an NSX.
The power steering (standard on the automatics) is something to experience, a strange sensation of increasing weight on turns. Ah, that must be what they mean by speed sensitive a la early 90’s. I wonder if the steering from that Jazz would work? No matter, it is a quirk I shall become used to in due course.
But why get an automatic? To be honest, a I already have my GT3 as my anger management driving tool, I didn’t need another, but I still wanted something I could use without thinking every day if I chose to. And that means putting up with increasingly more frustrating city traffic, etc…
In the UAE, we are forced to have the stupid front license plate, so please don’t go there folks.
I hope to have some photos of the car in and around Abu Dhabi soon…
I saw my first NSX at the Honda dealership in Dubai when they were first new back in the early 1990’s. I asked how much and was told it retailed in the high $eventies. Naturally I reacted with a certain disdain as I had never come across such an expensive car from Japan. It was almost double the price of the excellent new Lexus LS 400 that was all the rage back then. No way would I stump that much for a Honda. I could spend it on a multitude of other fine machines from Europe. Which is what I did. For years. I went through a few BMW’s, 2 sevens and a Z3 roadster (Yes, I know but don’t forget that the Brosnan Bond drove one), a R-129 SL Mercedes, a bunch of Audis including a first year TT. And became immune to the hefty bills of running a European car in a desert environment.
Then one day I drove a Honda S2000 as I wanted a nice convertible. I was smitten by how sharp it drove. The TT was quickly sold and I had my first new Honda. I used this S2K for more than a year, until I replaced it with what I thought would be a nice driver’s car; a 40 anniversary 996 Porsche. Nice sure, but bland. I complained to my Porsche chums and they sent me a 996 GT3 to try. I bought it on the spot, it was (and is) that good, so my driving devil was contained.
But I never forgot my S2000, so when I found another used one I got it. I even put up with the stupid racing clutch the previous owner installed and the stupid pale metallic pearlescent blue (a bit like the Alfa Nuvola concept car of a few years ago). But I craved the good drive so I persisted for a while.
In the meantime, I continued to learn about all things Honda and re-discovered the NSX, which I decided I would have. I got rid of the annoying S2000 and got a Honda Jazz (fit in the US). Everyone should have a Jazz/Fit. It is such a great car! For more than a year I did my part for the environment and global warming, but had a great time along the way.
Since I had lots of green credit, I decided that I needed to rebalance things (the pull of the dark side can be strong). I needed to get me a ‘Q Car’(during WWII, Q ships were heavily armed ships disguised at freighters but which would wallop any U boat stupid enough to attack), so a Q Car resembles a simple bland salon, but packs a punch not to be forgotten. I plumped for a used 04 Audi RS6 ABT, THE Q CAR if there ever was one. And it was less expensive by half than the equivalent BMW M5. So win, win all round.
This lengthy confessional tries to establish a certain affinity for things automotive and nicely leads me to my new, older NSX, a car with an ultra low miles (sub27k miles) 1991 Automatic. The car was bought from Elite Motorsports in Austin Texas, transported over to Houston and then shipped overseas to me in Abu Dhabi, UAE. This took months to do, but reach here it did in the end. The worst part was suffering through a frustrating week of insurance hassles and registration bureaucrasis.
Just rewards come to those who are patient couldn’t have been more true as I drove the car for the first time. It was lovely. Not the power bully which is my RS6, but a zen like experience of what an early nineties supercar from Japan would be. It could do with more power (what doesn’t?), but it really wasn’t that important. As I become more confident in the car’s abilities in extremis, I find new things to appreciate. One thing it does do very well indeed is make me feel young and attractive again. Don’t need to bottle it, just get an NSX.
The power steering (standard on the automatics) is something to experience, a strange sensation of increasing weight on turns. Ah, that must be what they mean by speed sensitive a la early 90’s. I wonder if the steering from that Jazz would work? No matter, it is a quirk I shall become used to in due course.
But why get an automatic? To be honest, a I already have my GT3 as my anger management driving tool, I didn’t need another, but I still wanted something I could use without thinking every day if I chose to. And that means putting up with increasingly more frustrating city traffic, etc…
In the UAE, we are forced to have the stupid front license plate, so please don’t go there folks.
I hope to have some photos of the car in and around Abu Dhabi soon…
