What inspired the birth of NSX ?
Nobody knew the truth behind NSX.
Because people who were associated with had never spoken out.
It was finally told after 15 years of time past since.
Because the truth are revealed,
It opened a curtain to the real stories of NSX.
Beyond the Super Cub !
"Not good, it won't be a product as it is.".
PL(Project Leader=product principal), Mr. Uehara of the Honda R&D said to his project members.
It was of the project of a midship car with an engine under the rear seats.
"Under-floor Midship RearDrive", the project of placing an engine under an arse. It was called "Za-buton engine" by the project members. [Za=sitting, Button=futon(cushion)]
It had been 100 years since cars were born. A revolutionary layout of a car born out of Honda's original creativity. It was the project of a seed which NSX was born later from. The year 1984. When the first City and the second Prelude were hit products at Honda.
page 2.
"surely, the side-mounted radiators are not sufficient enough."
"The engine noise seeping through into the interior, it wouldn't be good without intensive sound insulations."
Discussing the project members as they were sipping their coffee.
The idea of putting an engine under rear seats, was the new idea in order to develop a revolutionary layout car. Even an inexpesive compact car it has a spacious and useful interior, has a good driving dynamics because it is midship, and it's fun to drive. Looking at product lineups back then, it was a unique idea.
"This is the project with dreams, going beyond the Super Cub the oldman created. Can't give up now. Start rethink from the begining.".
Said Uehara, finished his coffe in one gulp and left.
The Super Cub which "The oldman", the founder Soichiro Honda created, is a bike which could be said to be the world's standard and still be loved around the world even after a half century later today. And it was a legend even the four wheel project members sincerery purely admired.
.... 'We, would like to creat a car beyond the Oldman's Super Cub ...' ....
The 'Za-buton engine' project started with that dream. These are the true stories behind the seed to the birth of the NSX.
page 3.
Despite bearing the member' dreams, the project was given only a half year because there were top executives who were rather being hasten back then. They had to get the result in a short time.
Uehara and his men cut the City-turbo car bodies in half. They connected two long halves, front and rear. They made one midship engine test car. Honda then didn't have the experience of a midship car. Without the experience, making a real thing, and developing and researching by actually doing it on the ground, is Honda's way.
Since started at the company, having been involed with the development of car's driving dynamics, Uehara had tuned up suspension geometries and tires' effective balances. The next 'Za-buton' test car they made, unlike a FF car, showed better drving dynamics.
"This is fun. Let me go around again.".
At the test run in snow, the evaluation executives lost themselves in enjoying controling the car by an accelator.
In the meanwhile the engine noise and engine cooling problems were not resolved.
Moving the radiator in the front and introducing enough sound damping materials ended up in more weight in the car. Considering different materials and other researchs though, it was impossible to achieve the objectives within a reasonalble cost.
And then it came time for the final decision.
page 4.
Uehara reported the realities of the project with agony.
The decision the executives declared was "Pass/Hold". "Didn't find decisive advantages over current FF cars." was the reason.
Uehara lowered his shoulders when he heard the decision. Since started at Honda, this was the first humiliation he had ever tasted. Gathering his team members in the project room, he reported the decision. All of the members looked down while listening to Uehara's voice.
"As of now, the team will be resolved. But I firmly believe that know-hows' we had gathered will be useful for something next time. I sincerely thank you all for you hard work.".
As Uehara told his project members, he still thought that he could not let go of the technology to creat a joy of the midship RWD car, deep in his heart.
.... in order to use this, it must be a sports car. ....
As it was, the development of NSX opened its curtain with a failure.
Revival of the "Za-buton engine".
Even though the decision of the project had been made, the executives didn't quite let it go of. One day at a meeting they talked about how much fun they had on the test day. They decided to restart the project as for further research. Mr.Uehara was called up and assigned as the LPL(Large Project Leader) for the smaller project.
>>>A research project to pursue good driving dynamics, a very vague diffinition. He thought there was nothing but a sports car for a good driving dynamics. he'd believe everybody, including the executives in Honda want to make a sports car once.<<<<
He started at Honda because he wanted to make a sports car. 15 years since 1971 he had started, the dream finally came true.
"Yes sir. Be happy to be allowed to do it."
>>>the "Za-buton engine", the challenge to go beyond "the oldman", finally led up to a dream sports car<<<
It was 1985.
This time, Uehara and his men used CR-Xs to make the test car.
The noise problem was not much of a problem with a sports car. The good engine sound became rather part of the sports car experience. The radiator was moved to the front. In order to get a good driving balance, the double wishbone suspensions were used in front and rear. Because the engine and the transmission were sitting in sideway and too closed to the rear axle, any stock suspension was not able to be used. Uehara had to drag the design engineer down to the ground to show the actual test car to show.
"Here, here the con(necting) rod can be sneaked through."
Next to Uehara under the test car, looking up...
"Well, could be done, I guess ... "
Everything was the first time. Wondering and pondering, one step at a time, they had developed the "Za-boton engine" car.
Car's weight balance. Suspension alignments. Momentum characteristics with a mid-ship engine.
Gathering data, it was becoming a real sports car.
oh well a nice chunk of time well spent either way.
