I totally disagree with the easy route statement you made earlier. The easy way is do what exactly Ferrari did, but for cheaper. Make a lighter V8 (In terms of power level) mid-engine car that is more accessible to Honda buyers. The hard way which is what they took is making an extremely complex car in the guise that it's worth the complications.
I don't think they've lost their way. I think they are rekindling their competitiveness even if some directions are questionable. I think it's just the fact that the car on paper is 800 lbs heavier than the original that many people are griping about ultimately. The steering feeling is subjective as electronic steering or numbing is going the be same argument as DCT vs manual tranny.
However, as many people that are aware of the current scene know, every modern super car or sports car is practically over 3,500-3,600 lbs with less tech in their cars... They don't have 3 extra motors and battery packs like the NSX. Imagine what the GTR is going to weigh when they add hybrid tech to it. I'd be surprised if it was under 4,000 lbs.
Even the 458/488 are generally near 3,500 lbs with all of the fluids as per owner's own weight analysis.
Honda could build a 6,000 lbs. car with a turbo 3-cylinder and a squirrel driving each front wheel and you'd undoubtedly fully endorse it.
This is the argument of life IMP - Balance. Everyone has varied views of what is too much or too little. You seem to embrace a more "Ferrari" or Italian Balance haha.
I can't say for sure until I drive the car myself, as I'm still skeptical more on the current state of battery tech than I am about the numb feelings or exhaust notes. I'm more worried about having it get it serviced in intervals that are not practical unlike the first NSX. However, in say a decade, battery tech will be even better and I would like to imagine one can swap out the e-motors and battery in a modular like instance for much more efficient tech... The software re-programming seems daunting tho.
you are however absolutely right that i do embrace a certain attitude towards the engineering and production of a Supercar. as evidenced by other replies on this forum, i'm also certainly not the only one who believes a Supercar shouldn't be pedestrian. or
Accord-like if you will, as several professional journalists have stated lately.
a Supercar should be farking Super! end of story.
raw, unadulterated, striking and breathtaking in design and execution, and uncompromising in the pursuit of being bloody super! it should raise the blood pressure of anyone in its vicinity. that's my take. it just so happens that the Italians are very good at this style of Supercar building. God bless them.
i'm gonna put the Ferrari 458 and (especially) 488 at between 3300 and 3400 lbs. based on what i've seen. and the 488 is now producing almost 100 horsepower more than the new NSX. the Huracan is sitting at a bit above 3400 lbs. and also with more power. the new rear drive Huracan will be lighter still, and is apparently a much funner ride and a good bit cheaper.
while you may not be too concerned about the NSX's completely numb steering and lackluster exhaust note, those are two massive points on a Supercar checklist. and steering feel is not subjective. it's completely and absolutely tangible. it is fantastic, mediocre, or in the case of the new NSX apparently completely numb. the sounds, slighty more subjective, but i've heard a lot of complaints and a few "it's not terrible"s". while these things don't mean much to you, i'm wondering how much they mean to others. 800 cars aren't being sold to Prime members. they need to be sold to people who will also be checking out V10 Audi's and screaming Ferrari's.
How can you surmise, let alone claim, anything about the NSX's performance, when by your own admission there have been no test results published? An open mind until the facts are known is always a good position to take - unless your prejudices have already convinced you of the NSX's inadequacies?
Steering feel is important, and I hope they can do something about it, but as has been discussed, with that much torque being sent to the front wheels, feel may be a compromise too far. You find that unacceptable, whereas I find it an acceptable compromise [having spent many a year with a very WOODEN feel in my '06 Legend].
Engine noise is another item of personal importance. Many on these forums are happy with the sound of their Mk I NSX's, whereas I like mine with a Taitec GTLW system. Is the NSX MkI a lesser vehicle because it's not loud enough for some?
Looks? Nothing could be more personal, so I won't discuss it further.
Weight and power....... Once again, you are making assumptions with prejudices in mind. While the metrics are known, the way the car carries that weight and "lack of power", you will not appreciate until you have driven it. I'm sure you understand the benefits of electric power and SH-AWD. The way I see it, its R35 giant killing performance [but only better] and infinitely better looks!
I appreciate the effort Honda are putting into this car, especially just the fact that they are building it! I appreciate they are building a much cheaper example of true exotica [918/La Ferrari/P1] at less than half the price! They could have gone down the MUCH simpler route of doing an NSX MkI update, but that isn't the Honda way. It's not perfect, has compromises and Honda have got some things wrong [like the inability to pick and choose performance sub-modes] but that is as it is. You obviously were anticipating an extension of the MkI with the MkII, but Honda saw it differently.
So the NSX MkII is not to your liking, fine, and to you it points to too many compromises, and that is all and good to you. But I couldn't care less what you like, I'm hoping the NSX MkII delivers on it's promise, and I await the first comparison test. I may be disappointed, but then again maybe not. I was lucky enough to own an '06 Legend, and in the time I spent in that car I came to appreciate the benefits SH-AWD can deliver to a chassis. I believe that those handling logarithms will make for a surpisingly good package, but not to those that are already convinced it can't be so [as evidence I give you the reviews of Cammisa and Harris - one wanting a modern NSX MkI, the other presenting a non-prejudiced review of a fine motorcar].
But I'm sure I haven't changed your mind, which is cool.
PS. I wonder if the time Harris spent with the real exotics helped him understand the NSX better........
i haven't driven this car yet, you are correct. however, i do personally know several who have. i know them, and they know me. and we've all driven some amazing cars, and certainly everything this car is up against. some of us were part of the NSX Development team, and some of us the R8 Development team. so i do feel i have a decent idea of what this car is about. some of us work for Porsche and Ferrari too. i've been fortunate to drive every single one of the cars the new NSX is competing against. i've driven them quite extensively, and quite hard. some times cruised through Napa wine country, and other times flogged the shit out of them around the race tracks of the world. so it's not prejudices, it's first hand knowledge.
you spoke of compromised steering feel in a 2006 Acura Legend. i don't feel that's a legit comparison here.
engine noise can be subjective, looks also. no arguing with that. but i think the general consensus is that both could be better.
on to the GTR, which i have also driven quite a bit. and, i am really not a fan of. quick street car, electronic wonder. as several people stated in this thread, "fast car, no soul". and when wrestling that thing around the track, you feel every single one of those 4,000 pounds. there is no hiding the weight. i hear Acura did a good job of hiding it with the new NSX. but weight is still weight, it takes a lot of torque to move it, especially at slower speeds. which is why i surmise the new NSX has a 9 speed gearbox. i'll bet the lower gears are super short.
you won't be changing my mind, no. and it doesn't matter. you and everyone else who wants to will buy the car. i've seen Harris' review, and i've seen all the others. i've yet to see Chris jumping up and down about the NSX like he occasionally does in other cars. and many of the other reviews were rather hom hum or lukewarm.
honestly, i believe it'll be a very nice car, i have no doubts. i don't find it gorgeous to look at, or incredibly inspiring the way i found the first model, but it's much prettier than the new R8 or a plain Jane 911. it definitely won't be slow, nothing with over 500 horsepower is. i'll even enjoy driving it quite much one of these days, it'll certainly be heaps better than my NSX.
like many others, i just feel Honda could have done a wee bit better. similar to F1, i expected big things, and was bitterly disappointed...
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p.s. let me reiterate that last statement. moderately disappointed in the new NSX, completely disappointed in the F1 embarrassment...