Soichiro Honda strong vision and his full involvement in the NSX project is what led the NSX to leave its legacy. NSX was Mr. Honda's baby and he had the balls to say "cost be damned" and "make me the world best sports car." He wanted nothing but the best. In the development stage, Honda worked with Pininafarina for early prototypes of the NSX. Production would be done at a newly built and dedicated Tochigi assembley plant using non-traditional assembly process to ensure utmost quality. Assembly line workers were all hand picked.
In the early years of the development, there are NSX mules driving around with V8 and V12. It was later determined that these engine would result in excessive weight and it disrupts the balance of the car. The target weight was 3000 lbs and 250 horsepower. The 91 NSX weight in at 3050 lbs, hence Honda dialed in 270 horses to compensate.
With his passing in 1991, his vision may live on in the leaders that followed, but the passion is gone. It takes a leader with strong conviction and passion to build an NSX. After Soichiro, the CEOs that followed including Fukui may have been great leaders and but they are politicians who tries to make everyone happy. As a result, there are compromises. We have cars designed by a committee. Honda's vision lived because we have NSX updates in 1997 and 2002. But there was no one with a passion driving it hence the updates took so long to coming and the technology /design wasn't fully updated.
The sales volumes were low and it was hard to justify the investments, but a leader with strong conviction would have carried on the torch with the same passion that Soichiro did. A vehicle like this needs not turn a profit because it captures our dreams and it shows Honda's pride to the world.
Things has changed. The painstaking details Mr. Honda went thru is longer in place. In 2004, NSX production was moved to a mainstream plant. What happend to exquisit attention with a team based assembly operation? Now we have V10 because that what the public wants. What happend to balance and lightweight that the NSX exceled in? We have car design by team in LA who worked on the Acura TL instead of working with the best experienced sports car designers in the world.
Porsche is fine example of what is gone right. Their vision and passion are will intact. They stay true to their heritage and doesn't give in to trends. They still use 6 cylinders for their bread and butter sports cars. As a result, the cars evolve and the owners come back, and new owners sign on. It is same formula for the most part. Porsche is almost anti-technology unless there is a true driver benfit. While I don't care for their looks, many do, because they feel it is a timeless design. Their design evolves, but not by much from generation to generation. This is how you build a heritage and a following. No wonder that in the last few years, the company is recognized with the most profit per vehicle sale.
IF honda wants to continue making sports cars, they can learn a few things from Porsche. Stick with something good, build on it, evolve it and the heritage and the public following will come. Bring back the NSX formula.
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