So why is 290hp not enough nowadays ?

I think there are basically TWO answers to your question.

The 290 HP (or a little more with some basic mods) is more 90% of your driving more than enough.
The NSX is a relatively light car, especially compared with the current crop of heavy sedans that all seem to weigh well over 4000 lbs with a full tank easily.
So, in essence, with around 300 HP, the NSX is quite capable of hanging with 350-400 HP cars that are a lot heavier. I've never had much problem with keeping up with the 325 HP Porsches, the 340 HP E46 M3's or the 420 HP RS4's. And I never had any trouble with cars like the Golf-R or Audi RS3 or all the various GTI-models.
BUT, in order to do so, you DO need to work your car and make maximum usage of that high RPM-limit and all your available gears.

At the same time however, the NSX is ment to be a SPORTScar, which usually stands for high performance. So, in todays car-market, the standard NSX IS getting cornering by the current crop of fast hatchbacks.You might be able to keep up with the new 300 HP hot hatches, but it is getting increasingly more difficult as time and developments move on
Even the new Civic Type-R wil have around 300 HP according to Honda.

So, a little more power comes in handy to make sure the NSX isn't becoming a sheep in wolves' clothes. I've been driving a NA-NSX for years and had lots of fun with it, but ever since I have the Comptech SC, that fun has simply increased :) :)

With the CTSC I have found that I can quite easily keep up with the M5's, C63 AMG and the latest Porsches (Turbo and GT3 excluded). And THAT is even more fun because their drivers simply don't expect that. And this of course in a straight line, I am not even talking about cornering yet
 
heySkippy said:
Oh great, now you tell us this???





;)
Click to expand...

LMAO.... of course.... why would I tell you before spending your money...

I said "sometimes".... trust me the last thing I want on the track with an F430 in front of me and behind me is to be missing my supercharger.
 
nsxsimon said:
However, I am surrounded by people who claim I should focus my energy around my other choice a 2007 911 Turbo ? I hear from my mechanic , the nsx is underpowered, why would you want something so low on power nowadays, it so loose , etc. etc..

As of late, I'm surrounded with "horsepower" focused people. (nissan gtr, and corvette owners etc)
Click to expand...

Two thoughts that always pop into my mind when having lunch with my car-loving work buddies who are fixated on 0-60 times and the "magic 300 HP" number and who choose to focus on stats and not get a fuller picture (and who love talking about the 3200 lb+ Vettes and GT-R's they wish they could own vs the NSX that I do own and how those would spank an NSX, etc, etc) are: 1) the NSX drivetrain/transaxle benefits from no long & heavy driveshaft and no 90-degree differential, so crediting an NA2 powertrain even a few % points of efficiency to get to apples-to-apples with one of those front-engine RWD cars easily takes the NSX over the 300 HP number in theory. And 2) I've always thought the 270/290 HP NSX's being "underpowered" for what its chassis could handle is the mechanical equivalent of living beneath your means, with the payback being lower stress and very high reliability relative to other higher HP sports cars. Just my humble opinion!
 
As others have stated, too many people are obsessed with horsepower numbers. I have owned 25-30 different sports cars, many of which had 400-600hp. Out of all the sports cars I have owned the 2 that stand out as the most fun and rewarding to drive are my current NSX and when I bought a brand new 03 S2000 back in the day. So two of the lowest hp cars I have owned have been the most satisfying to drive. "Drivers" cars are where enjoyment is at for me, not big power cars. As I have gotten older I care less and less about the dick measuring contest that is street racing. At the end of the day the NSX is a super fun car to drive in even bone stock form, so don't get too worked up over the 290hp number.
 
Might be right, The FRS only has 200Hp I just test drove one and had a blast. Its not always about power...
 
NYCNSX said:
As others have stated, too many people are obsessed with horsepower numbers. I have owned 25-30 different sports cars, many of which had 400-600hp. Out of all the sports cars I have owned the 2 that stand out as the most fun and rewarding to drive are my current NSX and when I bought a brand new 03 S2000 back in the day. So two of the lowest hp cars I have owned have been the most satisfying to drive. "Drivers" cars are where enjoyment is at for me, not big power cars. As I have gotten older I care less and less about the dick measuring contest that is street racing. At the end of the day the NSX is a super fun car to drive in even bone stock form, so don't get too worked up over the 290hp number.
Click to expand...

Took the words right out of my mouth....

Even though I have a supercharger.... LOL
 
if you drive the car as it was meant to be driven, 290 hp will feel like plenty. if you're driving around on regular roads and keeping the RPMs low so as not to attract attention, then the NSX's power will likely feel adequate. I've never felt like it was anemic by any means.

as others have stated, you should decide how you'll be using the car, and what your preferences are in car. I've spent considerable seat time (10k+ miles) in an AMG SLS, own a porsche cayman, and the NSX. If I'm feeling like being a hooligan out and about, the power of the SLS is amazing. For normal driving, the steering feel and flat six engine in the cayman are great. If I'm hitting up a back road for a spirited drive or going to the track, I'd prefer the NSX hands down since I'd get to rev it out and experience all the visceral sensations that come as part of the NSX driving experience.
 
Car and Driver did a 12.9 1/4 mile in a 290hp NSX. That's close to the same as a V8 Audi R8 I think.
Personally, I've raced a lot of 400hp cars(C5 Z06, C6, Saleens, etc) and I've never lost against one. My NSX is stock in terms of the engine.
But to your main question, to compare cars, don't look at the up front cost of a car, look at the total cost of ownership.
A used $50,000 Porsche might cost twice as much as a used $50,000 NSX. Have to factor in odds of engine replacement, depreciation, etc, etc.
 
it's all relative really. if you're used to driving a Civic every day you'll think the NSX is the Millennium Falcon making the jump to light speed. if you've spent a good bit of time in a modern Ferrari or Porsche, or even a Corvette, you'll likely think an NSX is a bit anemic. more importantly it depends on how you want to drive it, and the roads/track you'll drive it on. let's face it, the NSX is a very old car now. you'll never keep pace with a 458 or MP4 on road or track with an equal driver, not a chance. 300 horsepower isn't a lot for the current crop of supercars, but 290hp is more than enough to have a good time at a sensible pace on the street for sure. and more than enough to get you in all kinds of trouble as well. the only question you need to answer, is 290hp enough for you?
 
My late wife's doctor is the original owner of a bone stock 91 silver NSX with over 300K miles on it. He is directly responsible for me getting into an NSX. Anyway, he has had BMWs, several Ferraris, and Mercedes. He currently has a MacLaren 12c and an SLS AMG along with the NSX. When he got the 12c he started driving it daily because to him it felt like an updated NSX with a lot of HP.

I recently saw him in the NSX and asked him why he is driving it instead of the other cars. His answer, "a couple months ago he walked in the garage and got in the NSX and said to himself God I really miss this car." So he started daily driving it again. I asked him if he plans to supercharge or turbo it when the engine needs to be rebuilt and his response was "No I already have 2 cars with over 600 HP". What a testiment to an under powered supercar.

The picture is his 91 and my old red 91 with my son. We both keep this picture on our desks.
 
sportscars will always be about numbers. weight, acceleration, horsepower. that's just how it is. supercars even more-so, because they're all trying to outdo each other. many people will look at how much of the above performance numbers they can get by spending the least amount of monetary numbers...
 
Last edited:
In spite of my previous post (and because Hugh "said so"), another reason my nominally 270 HP 1991 has enough HP: I don't own a car with 600 HP, otherwise I'd probably say 270 is not enough. All frame of reference and justifying current position.:biggrin:
 
Lostbuckeye said:
My late wife's doctor is the original owner of a bone stock 91 silver NSX with over 300K miles on it. He is directly responsible for me getting into an NSX. Anyway, he has had BMWs, several Ferraris, and Mercedes. He currently has a MacLaren 12c and an SLS AMG along with the NSX. When he got the 12c he started driving it daily because to him it felt like an updated NSX with a lot of HP.

I recently saw him in the NSX and asked him why he is driving it instead of the other cars. His answer, "a couple months ago he walked in the garage and got in the NSX and said to himself God I really miss this car." So he started daily driving it again. I asked him if he plans to supercharge or turbo it when the engine needs to be rebuilt and his response was "No I already have 2 cars with over 600 HP". What a testiment to an under powered supercar.

The picture is his 91 and my old red 91 with my son. We both keep this picture on our desks.
Click to expand...

And it begs the question.
Is it even possible to have both extreme horsepower AND high mileage capabilities?
I can't think of a single 500+hp car that can do 3-400,000 miles between rebuilds.
 
It depends what your definition of a rebuild is. Are you referencing stock cars only or modified cars too? If modified the Supra TT 6 Speed qualifies.
jond said:
And it begs the question.
Is it even possible to have both extreme horsepower AND high mileage capabilities?
I can't think of a single 500+hp car that can do 3-400,000 miles between rebuilds.
Click to expand...
 
honda did a good job of matching the engine rpm/torque curve with the gear set to achieve a pretty solid performance envelope ....but back when this car was designed the benchmark euro car was the 348..... in the 22 years since while the hp wars continue to escalate ,what got everyone excited in 91 is still in play...meaning we humans and our basic sprortscar needs have not changed.The car was designed well from the beginning.
 
I wonder if 348 owners sit around and debate if their car has enough hp and if they should sc it to keep up with newer cars. ...
 
very docjohn like Dave!
 
NetViper said:
I wonder if 348 owners sit around and debate if their car has enough hp and if they should sc it to keep up with newer cars. ...
Click to expand...

I can only imagine what it must cost to add a supercharger to a vintage Ferrari. Actually, I'd like to know. It would probably make me feel better about what I just spent on my car. :)
 

Similar threads

mskrotzki
  • Locked
****NOT AVAILABLE*** 1993 Black/Black 5sp
Replies
4
Views
2K
Honcho
Honcho
M
No Sleep Til Brooklands - Slow Evolution of a Forever Car
2
Replies
45
Views
5K
rossphosphorous
R
C
Type S demand (why I'm purchasing)
Replies
18
Views
6K
Ignition_Key
Ignition_Key
VANSXTC
  • Sticky
Thoughts from a 20+ year NSX Owner to new NSX Owners (and maybe some not so new)
2
Replies
43
Views
23K
C2 Turbo
C2 Turbo
furinax
Lotus Evora 400
Replies
10
Views
2K
RyanRA
RyanRA
Back
Top