NSX-R vs 911 GT3

[NetViper]

A lot of good points here...

As far as name recognition, that has always been a problem for the NSX. However, if you read a lot of posts on ferrari chat and other high-end car sites, when the NSX is mentioned.. 9/10 times it is followed by "its a nice car, but underpowered". I wonder what they would say if Honda produced a 450HP TT NSX. hmmm.....

As far as all cars having to compete with these new "super sedans".. well, that is true.. the E55 can beat most ferrari's, porsches etc... A 1/4 in the low 12's at 116 MPH is impressive for any car.... but at least those cars are competitive... The NSX is lucky to hit low 13's at 108...

I am sure the NSX would still clean those cars up at the track, but the general public will never see that..

 

[nsxtacey]

Len makes some good points. I doubt Honda will do anything unless they know the demand is there. They're probably aware that a lot of Porsche/Ferrari buyers only care about the brand name, so an updated NSX likely wouldn't draw a lot of buyers from those camps.

Now, if we were to get a lot of interested buyers to sign up for a new/improved NSX and ante up sizeable deposits, that might get Honda's attention. Bitching about it won't, unfortunately.

So we're bunch of bitches?

 

[Tom Larkins]

Again how many would drop the 90k for a 400hp NSX? I'm not talking about joining the fan club. I mean take your car down trade it in, write the check, finance whatever?
Just curious.

Maybe this would be a good question to ask in a poll here!

Relative to when the NSX was introduced, that was alot of coin to drop at that time too. Respective of whether a 2nd gen NSX would cost 90 or 100k I think you would see them sold anyway if the production #'s of the 1st few years are any indication. Many of us purchased used b/c nothing has changed much over the years, but I would lean on quite a few folks that would buy new if the improvements were made.

In the housing market thats called re-generation. Its been proved to be a fact which can keep the appeal of a given neighborhood in demand for decades.

 

[len3.8]

Maybe this would be a good question to ask in a poll here!

Relative to when the NSX was introduced, that was alot of coin to drop at that time too. Respective of whether a 2nd gen NSX would cost 90 or 100k I think you would see them sold anyway if the production #'s of the 1st few years are any indication. Many of us purchased used b/c nothing has changed much over the years, but I would lean on quite a few folks that would buy new if the improvements were made.

In the housing market thats called re-generation. Its been proved to be a fact which can keep the appeal of a given neighborhood in demand for decades.

I understand the housing simularities. However, I am talking about a totally different demographic. Yes they would sell quite a few, they do that now. Judging by the demographics of the people purchasing used NSX's vs. those Purchasing New, I really don't see a huge spike in sells. They would pick up those of us that are looking for the additional power. (some feel this is the only downfall) More used NSX's would get sold due to wanting to belong. (fanclub) But I just don't see a huge jump in sales.
JAO

 

[mlambert890]

Again how many would drop the 90k for a 400hp NSX? I'm not talking about joining the fan club. I mean take your car down trade it in, write the check, finance whatever?
Just curious.

Considering I just got my 03, paltry power level and all, I would certainly have welcomed 400hp. It's the chicken and the egg... Honda is selling about 200 or so a year to loyalists like me and 199 others. If they would just redesign the damn car already, they could actually increase this number to at least Viper levels (1200 or so).

They either need to redesign it, or drop it and it looks like, for now, they've dropped it. It seems that there won't be an 04 unless it's a redesigned 04. If that's how it stands, then that is fine as well.

 

[NetViper]

I have a hard time believing that they are going to do an "all-new" 2004 when they just spent money on a 2002 redesign that by sales standards, flopped.

I read the new RL is going to have a 3.5L V6... so i wouldn't be surprised if that engine made its way into a 2004 NSX... same looks, but 50 more HP... or more..

Also, its time to get the automatic car paddle shifters and stop the 250 HP nonesense... EVERY other manufactured is making auto's with WAY more power than the NSX puts out.

 

[NSX-Racer]

NetViper: Which 250-hp-nonsense? Do you mean the 280-hp-barrier for the japanese market? Guess that won't be changed. All Evos, WRXs etc. have the same official 280 hp - some of them may have more in reality - but the advantage in acceleration mainly comes from the 4WD not necessarily from the hps.

And that leads to the main point: The philosophy of the NSX. Light weight but stable parts, a high tech engine and suspension, can be used as an everday car but also (maybe with some mods) as a track car. A bigger engine leads to a stronger clutch, transmission and therefor to more weight at the rear. Bad for the balance. A 4WD leads to more weight overall. More weight leads to stronger parts for the chassis - again more weight and more wear for suspension parts and tires.

The NSX was never designed as a supercar like the Countach, Diablo, McLaren F 1, Viper in former times and the Carrera GT, Mercedes SLR, Bugatti nowadays. It was and is a sportscar that is fast enough for most purposes.

The NSX-R was tested on the Hockenheim short track (old version without chicane after the "Querspange") with about 1'14 on OEM tires. That was about 4 seconds quicker than the german NSX '98 cp, 1 - 5 seconds faster than all the over-400-hps Mercedes, BMWs, Aston Martin, Jags and nearly the same lap time as a Ferrari 360. Do we need much more? I guess not!

If you need more power at your recent car do some mods to air intake, exhaust and maybe engine - but don't add weight!

 

[NetViper]

NetViper: Which 250-hp-nonsense? Do you mean the 280-hp-barrier for the japanese market?

The NSX-R was tested on the Hockenheim short track (old version without chicane after the "Querspange") with about 1'14 on OEM tires. That was about 4 seconds quicker than the german NSX '98 cp, 1 - 5 seconds faster than all the over-400-hps Mercedes, BMWs, Aston Martin, Jags and nearly the same lap time as a Ferrari 360. Do we need much more? I guess not!

1. I am talking about the Automatic NSX with only 252 HP vs the 6-speeds 290. I think it is silly. when MB makes auto's with 486 HP, the NSX should not get "downgraded" in power for being auto.

2. Like I said earlier, on a short track... not a lot of long straights, the NSX-R is very competitive... but on a long track.. its all over. Cars with MUCH higher HP leave the NSX in the dust.
Look at maxium.. the NSX gets smoked by 4 seconds! I can tell you with pretty good certainty that ALL that time was lost in the straights...
Do we need more power? I guess so!

 

[nsxtasy]

they just spent money on a 2002 redesign that by sales standards, flopped.

No, it didn't. When they announced the redesign, they were projecting U.S. sales of 200 cars per year in 2002 and 2003, and they've beaten that. Since it exceeded their expectations, it can't be considered a "flop".

 

[PHOEN$X]

So we're bunch of bitches?

Dude, I'm just saying we should let our wallets do the talking. Please don't take everything so personally.

 

[MvM]

RyRy210

You mention a Japanes article with comparison of current Japanse top-of-the-line cars. I cannot read Japanese myself, but if you could post some stats and some key-sentences, I would be interested.

As far the NSX and what Honda wants with it, I think we ALL agree that a new NSX should have more power. After all, Porsche came out with a 911 Turbo just for the same reason. Because customers want more. I bet that all of you, like myself, have gotten used to the acceleration the NSX is capable of quite quickly and don't even notice it that much anymore.
I don't think the NSX needs much re-styling (well, a dash without casette-player perhaps) because I think it's fine. And getting more HP shouldn't be that difficult for Honda. With the NSX-R they have shown what it's achievable with a more-or-less stock NSX and some mods. No, let's do something about the down-to-earth numbers. The NSX only needs 350-400 HP to be back in the game. For a company like Honda, that shouldn't be too much to ask. They have the knowledge and technology to build reliable 240 HP NA 2 liter engines (eg. S2000). Now let them apply that knowledge to the NSX and come up with a 3.5 liter NA engine doing 370 HP. The chassis can handle it and I think a lot of owners who have a SC already have shown that the drivetrain doesn't needs much to handle that kind of output as well.

Come on Honda, get back into this business.
Please....