Original NSX design Stolen ????

[SweetChuck]

Ok this is likely complete crap but the guys at the 300ZX forum say that this was a Prototype for the Z32 and "Honda stole the concept from Nissan " , the front end is almost exactly the same as the NSX . It called the Mid4 or something . Whats the deal?

 

[RP-Motorsports]

I thought the same too, when I saw the Vintage Nissan picture thread posted on here last year. Hopefully it went something like John Doe worked for Nissan, then got a job at honda, and brought some designs with his resume.

 

[prestonmay]

most flip up light cars look similar from the front...

Looks like BMW 8 series to me

 

[SweetChuck]

Have a look at the rear , even has a midmount vg30

 

[4AU4LIFE]

most flip up light cars look similar from the front...

not THAT much alike.

 

[SweetChuck]

Ya gotta admit the similarities , though it also looks like a 200sx front end too

 

[j.r]

It looks like a Toyota Mr2 and a Honda NSX made a baby.

 

[NSXFRIEND]

Sweetchuck that looks like a terrible copy of a Ferrari Testarossa. I had the toy car Nissan when I was a kid.lol

 

[RON98]

the front blinkers got me. looks amost interchangeable:biggrin:

 

[NSXFRIEND]

Jaguar XJ220/testarossa. Jaguar Came out 1992 copied Nissan to some extent.

 

[TomCat]

Ok this is likely complete crap but the guys at the 300ZX forum say that this was a Prototype for the Z32 and "Honda stole the concept from Nissan " , the front end is almost exactly the same as the NSX . It called the Mid4 or something . Whats the deal? ]

Which ZX forum? I'm on twinturbo.net too.

 

[prestonmay]

not THAT much alike.

Not saying identical..but if you was to just take a pic of the car straight ahead ground level Stock, the avg car person would not know... what it is....

yeah we can tell, but ask my wife...They all look the same

 

[TomCat]

most flip up light cars look similar from the front...

Looks like BMW 8 series to me

Kinda does...

 

[NSXrunner]

I always thought the NSX was taken or influenced from a 1986 Vette concept car the Indy. The red one with the black top, looks like a work in progress of what could have become an NSX...but thats just me.

http://www.welovecorvettes.com/concept_cars/1986_indy.html

 

[whiteNSXs]

Car designs are never one-off and one cannot say who stole from who. There are aesthetic features that are commonly liked so they are frequently shared by different designs. The same goes for human facial features of which certain types are sought after and even surgically created.The NSX shares many styling cues from the Porsche 959 and the Testarossa. The Honda HP-X concept was designed by Pinnifarina. In fact, the NSX font is actually a minimally modified PORSCHE font which, at least to me, evokes senses of performance, style, and class. The MID 4 II pictured got a little of many things from the Porsches and Ferraris too but the overall design looks crappy IMO.
Steve

 

[NSXFRIEND]

Car designs are never one-off and one cannot say who stole from who. There are aesthetic features that are commonly liked so they are frequently shared by different designs. The same goes for human facial features of which certain types are sought after and even surgically created.The NSX shares many styling cues from the Porsche 959 and the Testarossa. The Honda HP-X concept was designed by Pinnifarina. In fact, the NSX font is actually a minimally modified PORSCHE font which, at least to me, evokes senses of performance, style, and class. The MID 4 II pictured got a little of many things from the Porsches and Ferraris too but the overall design looks crappy IMO.
Steve

I agree the Porsche 944 is the most copied sports car ever. Though the NSX is more of a streched out F-40 and narrower.

 

[Oyagi]

Meh, you might as well say the same for the MkII MR2:

Whats more telling is which one aged better

 

[redshift]

I suppose if the NSX design was stolen from Nissan, then Nissan stole the Z32 proto-design from the Ferrari 408. :smile:

 

[Ski_Banker]

Thanks for the shout out, Redshift.

BTW, that Nissan is a complete scandal. I'd rather have herpes than drive that goofy looking POS through rush hour traffic.

 

[ajnsx]

they do look similar. It doesn't reduce my enthusiasm for the car, because even it if the design was stolen, the nsx is a marked improvement. That being said, it would have been interesting if nissan had seen it through.

Loving cars regardless of brand since 1973.:smile:

 

[AR]

I have 300ZX ( Z32 ) book somewhere that has some info on that car. I felt in love with it the moment I saw it. To me it looks better than the NSX, and the back of it just needs some tweaks to get there. Sadly just like Honda now, Nissan lacked the balls to bring it out. How many NSX would have lost sales to the Mid4?

Cheers,

AR

 

[Ultraman]

Man these two cars really resemble each other. I don't think that Nissan was ever put in production, correct!?

 

[TitaniumVtec]

That car would had been a beast with the amount of support the VG30TT motor has. Too bad they didn't go through with production. However, the Z32 was a nice looking car also.

 

[TURBO2GO]

I'd rather have herpes than drive that goofy looking POS through rush hour traffic.

ROFLMAO.... say it like it is Ski...

Are the Nissan guys upset about this now? The Japanese pot is calling the Japanese kettle black...

 

[robfenn]

The front looks pretty much identical to an NSX. In fact looking at the first picture i thought "oh, nice NSX."

What year was the Nissan prototype?