Straight from my "Honda Update Email"

[nsx1]

Agree

What about the tailpipe, don't tell me they are fog lamps :wink:

Or perhaps air ducts for the front brakes :biggrin:

Come on guys... use a little imagination. :wink:

 

[Aiken Drum]

To borrow a phrase from an old british boss of mine, that drawing is a complete pile of wank. Someone threw it together from bits of other images. There's no way they'd make the back end of a flagship sportscar look exactly like an existing Acura sedan's front end. I know it's on Honda's own site, but it's a red herring or something.

AND it's ugly.

 

[jadkar]

To borrow a phrase from an old british boss of mine, that drawing is a complete pile of wank. Someone threw it together from bits of other images. There's no way they'd make the back end of a flagship sportscar look exactly like an existing Acura sedan's front end. I know it's on Honda's own site, but it's a red herring or something.

AND it's ugly.

I'm not sure if everyone agrees that it was thrown together however, that picture cane from Honda's website not some Tabloid. Expect to see a car that looks similar to this very shortly. Of all the bogus threads in this "Second Generation NSX" forum this is the closest to the truth that we've seen in a very long while.

 

[neurobound]

I'm not sure if everyone agrees that it was thrown together however, that picture cane from Honda's website not some Tabloid. Expect to see a car that looks similar to this very shortly. Of all the bogus threads in this "Second Generation NSX" forum this is the closest to the truth that we've seen in a very long while.

Sad, but true.

For a front-mount engine design, i like the first half of the car - it suggests power, very solid looking. The back on the other hand... Took what I feel is the lamest aspect of the 'front' end of current acura product and cloned it to the front.

With that said though, I am discouraged that we're apparently looking at a front-engine design. I hope this isn't the NSX successor, because I see absolutely no relation other than the fact that it's a Honda.

I wish they'd just make sure the next NSX/Flagship car comes from a Japanese design team. No offence to the American designers (if this is what we're looking at here), but I do feel that Japanese do have an interesting angle on design. Being known as one of the first lines of Japanese Supercars, to me it only makes sense for the car to be nearly 100% designed in Japan.

Who designs most of the Acura line? Is it the same team as the Honda line? I must say, the HONDA line of car designs is faaaaaaaar more interesting than what has been coming from Acura lately. Are all of the Acura cars now designed in a US design team, or are all of the designs in the Honda portolio shared between multiple teams/countries?

Acura has unfortunately devolved to == BLAND to me. Nothing other than the NSX (which is no longer in the lineup) is of any interest to me.

The Civic, Honda Ridgeline, Accord Coupe, and last but not least the s2k - are much better than anything "Acura" does.

What a drag, coming from the days when Acura had both the NSX and the Integra Type-R.... Come on honda, ermm acura.

Maybe they should switch the roles of the two lines. Honda now becomes the premium product with car enthusiasts in mind, Acura the old-people luxury brand with seat warmers and stuff like that.

 

[jadkar]

^^^

I agree and disagree

I think that Acura has some really sweet new cars, ie. TL, RDX, MDX. I even like the RL except that I agree with you there on it being a bit bland plus it's lacking a V8 (huge mistake). Honda on the other hand, also has some nice new rides, ie. CRV, Civic, Odyssey.

I think either country's design team can handle the job, however I wonder what they were given to work with. Meaning I'm sure they didn't just decide on their own to design a front engine car. The decision must have come from corporate.

All in all I'm still holding out for a surprise. I have a weird feeling we are going to see two cars. A front engine touring model and a mid-engine exotic. Both utilizing the same engine. Although this idea seems very cost inefficient I still have faith that Acura won't let the NSX "design" die.

Then again......I thought that about my beloved CRX and they turned it into a Del Sol

 

[willabeest]

^^^

I agree and disagree

I think that Acura has some really sweet new cars, ie. TL, RDX, MDX. I even like the RL except that I agree with you there on it being a bit bland plus it's lacking a V8 (huge mistake). Honda on the other hand, also has some nice new rides, ie. CRV, Civic, Odyssey.

I think either country's design team can handle the job, however I wonder what they were given to work with. Meaning I'm sure they didn't just decide on their own to design a front engine car. The decision must have come from corporate.

All in all I'm still holding out for a surprise. I have a weird feeling we are going to see two cars. A front engine touring model and a mid-engine exotic. Both utilizing the same engine. Although this idea seems very cost inefficient I still have faith that Acura won't let the NSX "design" die.

Then again......I thought that about my beloved CRX and they turned it into a Del Sol

if this front engine car handles better than anything else (because of AWD computer controlled power) and is faster than anything else (because of honda engineering and possibly hybrid design) the mid-engine vehicles are going to be dinosaurs. the whole point of a performance car is *performance* not where the engine is located. sometimes i think some of you have a ferrari fixation. but even enzo did not make mid-engine cars just for the hell of it.

 

[neurobound]

if this front engine car handles better than anything else (because of AWD computer controlled power) and is faster than anything else (because of honda engineering and possibly hybrid design) the mid-engine vehicles are going to be dinosaurs. the whole point of a performance car is *performance* not where the engine is located. sometimes i think some of you have a ferrari fixation. but even enzo did not make mid-engine cars just for the hell of it.

Not disagreeing with those points really, but I will say - my appreciation for the mid-engine design has virtually nothing to do with the ferrari, but entirely with the experience in my NSX.

What attracts me to the NSX is a balance of the performance and the styling. The petite yet aggressive front end, the taper/wedge shape... low from front to back. Integrated rear-spolier, bold angled in v-shape tail lights. It's a very beautiful design. The sound of the engine RIGHT behind my head is quite exciting. I'm not saying that one can't make a fine front-engine car, I just generally don't find them nearly as attractive.

In other words, I doubt once the performance is achieved through other means that we'll see midengines go extinct.

Who knows, maybe honda will give me a surprise. I hope so.

 

[Silver F16]

I wish they'd just make sure the next NSX/Flagship car comes from a Japanese design team. No offence to the American designers (if this is what we're looking at here), but I do feel that Japanese do have an interesting angle on design. Being known as one of the first lines of Japanese Supercars, to me it only makes sense for the car to be nearly 100% designed in Japan.

Who designs most of the Acura line? Is it the same team as the Honda line? I must say, the HONDA line of car designs is faaaaaaaar more interesting than what has been coming from Acura lately. Are all of the Acura cars now designed in a US design team, or are all of the designs in the Honda portolio shared between multiple teams/countries?

Acura has unfortunately devolved to == BLAND to me. Nothing other than the NSX (which is no longer in the lineup) is of any interest to me.

With the American Honda designers in California designing and signing off that Batmobile Junk called (Acura Advanced Sedan), they have lost touch with the consumers, let alone Honda / Acura loyalists.

 

[NUK3M]

i think they should leave all the designing to Houses in Europe and Japan.

Clearly the Acura folks have a warped sense of fashion.

 

[neurobound]

Well, for the record, I have a lot of confidence in american design - theres no shortage of excellent designs. However, to me - at this point at least with what we've seen, honda may have put too much faith in these designers.

These unfavoured designs aren't the fault of the designer so much as the company heads that agreed that the design was worth exhibiting in the first place.

I mean, take the corvette for one. Not my favourite design in general, but how can you take a reasonably nice car like that and then dress the interior with such inferior materials and components? I can't imagine how any artist/designer would make such cuts, to me it has to come from the top.

Look at a comparably priced Ford Mustang and a Honda Civic SI - Honda Civic feels more polished all around, better-tighter fitting materials etc. The 'shape' of the Mustang components is appealing, but the physical reality of their cheapness is a serious turn off.

Jan 7th right around the corner, should be interesting. ;/ Hopefully that image was meant to get our hopes DOWN, so the real thing could make a big impact.... wishful thinking......

 

[Ski_Banker]

Not disagreeing with those points really, but I will say - my appreciation for the mid-engine design has virtually nothing to do with the ferrari, but entirely with the experience in my NSX.

What attracts me to the NSX is a balance of the performance and the styling. The petite yet aggressive front end, the taper/wedge shape... low from front to back. Integrated rear-spolier, bold angled in v-shape tail lights. It's a very beautiful design. The sound of the engine RIGHT behind my head is quite exciting. I'm not saying that one can't make a fine front-engine car, I just generally don't find them nearly as attractive.

In other words, I doubt once the performance is achieved through other means that we'll see midengines go extinct.

Who knows, maybe honda will give me a surprise. I hope so.

Agree completely. The Z06 (and others) have proven that front engine can perform tremendously well. But, there is just something about mid-engine that is exciting and exotic.

Front engine = standard issue
Mid or Rear Engine = fun, exciting, exotic

 

[queenlives]

Agree completely. The Z06 (and others) have proven that front engine can perform tremendously well. But, there is just something about mid-engine that is exciting and exotic.

Front engine = standard issue
Mid or Rear Engine = fun, exciting, exotic

gosh, at least for me, the f599 gtb comes to mind as a front engine, rwd exotic car

 

[Viper Driver]

gosh, at least for me, the f599 gtb comes to mind as a front engine, rwd exotic car

Yeah, but look at all of the other front engined, rwd cars out there that are not exotic. Mid-engined cars, with few exeptions (MR2, Fiero) are all exotic.

Acura/Honda will have a flop on their hands if all they do is bring out another run-of-the-mill car. Like the NSX did in it's heyday, the flagship car needs to be something special or it will be drowned in a sea of similar cars. If Acura brings forth a front-engined rwd car, it's probably not going to be looked at as a potential rival to the F599 or Aston Martin. Unfortunately, Honda/Acura doesn't command the same prestige as the European marques, and (even though the car might be an exotic) I'd venture to guess that there will be many more comparisons to ZO6s, Vipers, and whatever new sports car Toyota/Lexus comes out with. :frown:

I'm sure that the marketing / R&D folks at Honda have run the numbers on all of this several times, and they figure that they will have a success with their new sports car. I just hope that (no matter what) the car is something special, and not anything at all like the travesty they unveiled at the L.A. Auto Show.

 

[queenlives]

<snip> If Acura brings forth a front-engined rwd car, it's probably not going to be looked at as a potential rival to the F599 or Aston Martin. Unfortunately, Honda/Acura doesn't command the same prestige as the European marques, and (even though the car might be an exotic) I'd venture to guess that there will be many more comparisons to ZO6s, Vipers, and whatever new sports car Toyota/Lexus comes out with. :frown:

I'm sure that the marketing / R&D folks at Honda have run the numbers on all of this several times, and they figure that they will have a success with their new sports car. I just hope that (no matter what) the car is something special, and not anything at all like the travesty they unveiled at the L.A. Auto Show.

agreed.

 

[MAJOR STONER]

Forget the designers, let engineers make the decisions.

 

[willabeest]

Yeah, but look at all of the other front engined, rwd cars out there that are not exotic. Mid-engined cars, with few exeptions (MR2, Fiero) are all exotic.

Acura/Honda will have a flop on their hands if all they do is bring out another run-of-the-mill car. Like the NSX did in it's heyday, the flagship car needs to be something special or it will be drowned in a sea of similar cars. If Acura brings forth a front-engined rwd car, it's probably not going to be looked at as a potential rival to the F599 or Aston Martin. Unfortunately, Honda/Acura doesn't command the same prestige as the European marques, and (even though the car might be an exotic) I'd venture to guess that there will be many more comparisons to ZO6s, Vipers, and whatever new sports car Toyota/Lexus comes out with. :frown:

I'm sure that the marketing / R&D folks at Honda have run the numbers on all of this several times, and they figure that they will have a success with their new sports car. I just hope that (no matter what) the car is something special, and not anything at all like the travesty they unveiled at the L.A. Auto Show.

i think an acura version of a z06 or viper which is reliable, has over 500 Hp, is lighter,
gets better mileage, handles as well or better with a better suspension, has a slick tranny, AWD with computer driven super handling,
in other words a japanese corvette/viper would sell like hot cakes and put another nail in detroit's coffins, as well as stick it to BMW.
all they have to do is have an equal or better price point.
a 3.5 second 1/4 mile is an ez sell no mid engine or with.:smile:

 

[Ski_Banker]

i think an acura version of a z06 or viper which is reliable, has over 500 Hp, is lighter,
gets better mileage, handles as well or better with a better suspension, has a slick tranny, AWD with computer driven super handling,
in other words a japanese corvette/viper would sell like hot cakes

I don't necessarily agree. If Honda/Acura puts out a japanized (ie, reliable, build quality, SH-AWD) Z06 and sells it for $60-80k, it will still sell far fewer numbers than a 911 or Corvette. There are LEGIONS of die-hard vette guys and Porsche guys, that love those cars...the numbers sold are irrefutable... and they aren't going to switch to a Honda just because it is less plastic and more reliable. And seriously, how much better performance can you honestly get than a Z06 without enormous technology (Veyron, McLaren, Enzo)?


I'd buy something else, if the next NSX is a Honda version front engine Z06.
That R8 is actually the first new "affordable" car I've seen and loved since 1991.

However, if the next NSX looks and performs like an Enzo, and sells it for $125-150k (to maintain exoticness and exclusivity), they could have a real flagship winner again. Price it for volume and sell it for $70k, and it will just be a sweet-looking Corvette killer.

 

[Ski_Banker]

gosh, at least for me, the f599 gtb comes to mind as a front engine, rwd exotic car

Of course it is an exotic brand/car. Slap a corvette interior and exterior on it and you probably couldn't tell much difference from a Z06 though.

Rear-engined 911s aren't exotic, but the layout is still much more exciting than a front engined car.

 

[Hugh]

This was an early prototype for the current NSX. It was called the HP-X. Anything you see in print now will have as much as common with the real second generation NSX as the HP-X does with the first gen car. Anything you read in the press, see pictures of or hear rumors about is simply pure adulterated nonsense at this point in time. But speculate all you want!

 

[willabeest]

I don't necessarily agree. If Honda/Acura puts out a japanized (ie, reliable, build quality, SH-AWD) Z06 and sells it for $60-80k, it will still sell far fewer numbers than a 911 or Corvette. There are LEGIONS of die-hard vette guys and Porsche guys, that love those cars...the numbers sold are irrefutable... and they aren't going to switch to a Honda just because it is less plastic and more reliable. And seriously, how much better performance can you honestly get than a Z06 without enormous technology (Veyron, McLaren, Enzo)?


I'd buy something else, if the next NSX is a Honda version front engine Z06.
That R8 is actually the first new "affordable" car I've seen and loved since 1991.

However, if the next NSX looks and performs like an Enzo, and sells it for $125-150k (to maintain exoticness and exclusivity), they could have a real flagship winner again. Price it for volume and sell it for $70k, and it will just be a sweet-looking Corvette killer.

if the R8 really sells for 80K i think Honda discontinued the NSX not a moment too soon...i love the LED lights in the engine compartment. i hope the LED's come in colors.:biggrin:

 

[NUK3M]

This was an early prototype for the current NSX. It was called the HP-X. Anything you see in print now will have as much as common with the real second generation NSX as the HP-X does with the first gen car. Anything you read in the press, see pictures of or hear rumors about is simply pure adulterated nonsense at this point in time. But speculate all you want!

I would take that over the Acura Advance Boat Prototype anyday.