No Hybrid for next NSX

[Silver F16]

On a 12/2 print of Automotive News (trade magazine), there was an extensive interview with Hiroyuki Yoshino, Honda CEO. Here are the sections pertaining to the NSX. Pretty interesting..

Q: What happens next with the NSX? Is that a vehicle you could put a hubrid powertrain in to improve the performance?

Yoshino: No, the kind of customers who buy that car are not interested in fuel economy.

Q: I'm thinking of off the line performance because with an electric motor, all the torque is available immediately.

Yoshino: But we would have to add some weight to make a hybrid. And space is so limited in that kind of car. Light weight is one of the keys to the NSX's performance

Q: Could a V6 engine tied wot ahybrid give you the performance that other makers get from a V8? You have said consistently that a V8 does not fit the Honda image of fuel efficiency. Is that something you're looking at seriously?

Yoshino: Would you like to be a member of our product development team? (Laughs)

 

[gheba_nsx]

For once this seems to be more than speculations...

 

[NetViper]

Good find! And it looks like there will be a next NSX!

This reporter obviously did not understand the first answer of NO to the hybrid as he asked another 2 questions about it after being told no. What a moron. What he should have asked after the NO was will the next powerplant be a v8, F/I or a larger 6.

 

[MYNSX]

I dislike limbo.
I dislike conservatives.
This is frustrating.
I am not expecting ANY future NSX.
I'd be surprised if they made one.


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WWW.MYNSX.COM

 

[BostonNSX]

I agree

Originally posted by MYNSX:
I dislike limbo.
I dislike conservatives.
This is frustrating.
I am not expecting ANY future NSX.
I'd be surprised if they made one.

 

[Jimbo]

What does limbo dancing and conservatives have to do with anything?

-Jim

PS: If liberals like Al Gore ever got in power, you could forget the performance car marketplace.



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1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
1976 Honda Accord 5 spd, 3 door Blue/Blue
1977 Honda Accord - Custom - Under Construction
1986 Chevy Suburban
http://homepage.mac.com/jimanders/PhotoAlbum1.html

 

[Dr.Honda]

I'm going to accept this as a bit of good news. I'm still betting on a larger V6 in a lighter car, though.

 

[Jimbo]

Of course, Yoshino-san never actually said that another NSX was coming.

But I agree, it's clear that Honda doesn't think a hybrid system is viable for a high-performance sports car. And that's good news.

If I had to bet, I'd go with a slightly larger i-VTEC V6, possibly with forced induction. I don't think they could lighten the car all that much, particularly if they keep the T roof.

-Jim

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1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
1976 Honda Accord 5 spd, 3 door Blue/Blue
1977 Honda Accord - Custom - Under Construction
1986 Chevy Suburban
http://homepage.mac.com/jimanders/PhotoAlbum1.html

 

[NetViper]

I was just reading my old 1993 Road and Track Sports and GT issue and it has a review of the NSX. It mentions right off the bat honda is planning on dumping a pile more HP in the car. That was 1993! How wrong they were

 

[Silver F16]

If you look at the engine development history of the current generation NSX engine, the original 3.0 V6 was based on a race engine badged as Mugen (Honda sister company) used for Japan's F-2 racing series. The 3.0 was based on a 2.0 V6 engine technology.

Then in 1993, Mugen showed a 3.2 liter version of the NSX, which eventually came to existence in the 1997 NSX.

Clearly there is an established history of Honda using Mugen as a test bed prior to it showing up on the NSX. With that in mind, it is plausible that Honda may again choose this route.

Presently, there are 2 potential engines Honda could based the next NSX engine from which are being showcased from Mugen.

The first one is the enlarge 3.5L V6 used in in the JGTC race NSX, this engine cranks out 340 KW (around 450 HP).

Or the more interesting option is a Mugen MF408S engine, it is newely developed 4.0 liter V8 used in American LeMans racing driving one of the Panoz cars. It generates 590 HP at 9500 rpms.

Granted the Horsepower figures would be toned down for street application. But these engine configuration are possibilities if Honda keeps the NSX alive.

More Mugen V8 info here:
http://www.mulsannescorner.com/mugenv8.html http://www.mbdsportscars.com/aboutmbd/car.shtml http://www.mugen-power.com/en/index.htm

 

[NetViper]

I would love the V8, but I would bet on the 3.5 L V6... but it better make about 400 HP and lots of torque!

 

[Ponyboy]

Silver F16, I hope you're right. I was thinking along the same lines but was unaware of the Mugen's prior involvement. Interesting speculation indeed.

 

[Jimbo]

I think the odds of a V8 are nil. A higher HP V6 is a possibility.

LotsO'Torque?

Don't bet on it. It's not Honda's style.

-Jim

------------------
1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
1976 Honda Accord 5 spd, 3 door Blue/Blue
1977 Honda Accord - Custom - Under Construction
1986 Chevy Suburban
http://homepage.mac.com/jimanders/PhotoAlbum1.html

 

[Litespeeds]

If Honda came out with a V8 NSX with about 450 hp which costs about $150K range, would you buy it? I have heard that Toyota is coming out with a sports car in that range. Not sure of the specifics but it all comes down to sales. Logically Honda will put a 3.5 V6 motor but they should somehow incorperate the ability to accomodate a V8 as an option. This way they can hit 2 different target markets with the same car. That is how I would try to design the next NSX.

 

[Sig]

I'll take otpion B thanks.

10,000 redline and a detuned 550 hp.... mmmmm, that sounds tasty.

I forgot, weight will be 2900lb.

Thank you Santa.

 

[Jimbo]

I don't see Honda ever offering the choice of a V8 or a V6. I think that's even more remote than the already remote chance of a V8. If anything, Honda would love to increase the economies of scale by standardizing on parts. If the RL or RL replacement isn't getting a V8, then the NSX won't get one, that's for sure.

If Honda wanted to hit two markets with the NSX, or offer a hot version and a standard version, they could readily do that with a V6 and a forced-induction V6.

I would have loved to see Honda develop a V8 for a next-gen NSX, but I no longer see them doing that.

I think if you really want an affordable mid-engine exotic with a 500 HP V8, that looks fantastic and costs about $100K, then the Ford GT looks like your best bet.

As far as the NSX is concerned, I think we're looking at the current basic design, hopefully with a bigger and more powerful V6.

-Jim

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1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
1976 Honda Accord 5 spd, 3 door Blue/Blue
1977 Honda Accord - Custom - Under Construction
1986 Chevy Suburban
http://homepage.mac.com/jimanders/PhotoAlbum1.html

 

[NSX/MR2]

An enlarged V6 that would generate about 390-400hp, on a slighly lighter chasis, using the same body style but yet give it a whole bunch of vents that actually work for about the same price, and we will have one hell of a car. Anybody in here have seen the mid-engine Saleen S1. Looks just like an NSX on steroid. The body flow is very similar to the NSX, yet with all the practical vents. Beautiful vehicle, I am telling you. Wouldn't mind one of those at all.

 

[gheba_nsx]

Litespeeds: "If Honda came out with a V8 NSX with about 450 hp which costs about $150K range, would you buy it?"

Very difficult question to answer (this if I had 150k to pay for a car

). At that price you enter Modena and 911TT territory and performance (Modena is coming with a 4.2 liter engine in 2004). I think Honda should keep an hypotetical NSX with 450 hp below 110k$ in order to have some decent sale numbers.

 

[john576]

Realistically, If another NSX is born it will get a 350-400hp V6-
Oh, that is if they decide not to cancel out two existing (read:not selling well) autos only to combine them into one. ie. Prelude and Integra into the RSX.

 

[hondaholic]

Originally posted by john576:
Realistically, If another NSX is born it will get a 350-400hp V6-
Oh, that is if they decide not to cancel out two existing (read:not selling well) autos only to combine them into one. ie. Prelude and Integra into the RSX.

The Accord coupe fills the void that the prelude left (if you could call that a void) as Honda moved the car into a more sporty vein when they made it less like a two door sedan in Gen6.

How could you combine two cars that are sold at different dealerships anyway?

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by hondaholic:
The Accord coupe fills the void that the prelude left (if you could call that a void) as Honda moved the car into a more sporty vein when they made it less like a two door sedan in Gen6.

You're referring to the sixth generation Accord that was introduced five years ago, and not the seventh generation that has come out within the past few months, correct?

 

[JaguarXJ6]

Does anyone have any web links pointing to announcements for a new NSX or is the a new model or redesign only speculation at this point?

Thanks,
Sunny

 

[Jimbo]

Speculation.

But that's what makes it so much fun.

-Jim

PS: If you think about it, you'll never see Spy Shots of a Honda product. Honda will release a sketch at a pre-determined point but that's usually it.

------------------
1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
1976 Honda Accord 5 spd, 3 door Blue/Blue
1977 Honda Accord - Custom - Under Construction
1986 Chevy Suburban
http://homepage.mac.com/jimanders/PhotoAlbum1.html

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by Jimbo:
PS: If you think about it, you'll never see Spy Shots of a Honda product. Honda will release a sketch at a pre-determined point but that's usually it.

You're right that you never see spy shots. Honda is the best in the biz at keeping its secrets until they want them to be known.

And, in fact, I don't even recall them releasing sketches of any models. What they will do, though, is show a prototype while a model is in the development process, usually fairly well along. For many years, they never did even this; it was considered a bit of a break with Honda tradition when they showed the NS-X prototype on the auto show circuit in 1989. (At the time, the NS-X, then hyphenated, was only the prototype designation, and was not considered to be the model name it would have in production. But it became well known under that name, so they dropped the hyphen and kept the name.)

Since then, they have shown cars like the SSX prototype which became the S2000, and the prototype which preceded the first-generation Acura CL.

 

[Tom Larkins]

Originally posted by JaguarXJ6:
Does anyone have any web links pointing to announcements for a new NSX or is the a new model or redesign only speculation at this point?

Thanks,
Sunny

All specualation at this point. Do a search on this site, their have been many threads over the past year in regards to this topic and know one knows what the heck is going on w/Acura. We just hope to bang the drumm hard enought to get more HP from them in the future.