The Other "Who Copying Who"

[Midnight_Raven]

Well I got a question. Who Copied who. Was Honda copying the Ferrari Styling or was it the other way around. Now don't be like hey stupid so and so copied ___. I have this question posted because I have thought of this alot myself. Let me explain why. Well when most average people (the ones that don't know about cars) look at the nsx they think it is a ferrari. What ferrari they most likely refering it as, the F355. That is what I thought the first time I saw it in the distance. Well if you look at the years that these cars where out in production, the NSX was in production about 2 or 3 year before. So was it the F355 that copied the NSX styling or was it just a cuwincidence (sp.) that the NSX looks alot like the F355 to the average person.

Please don't get mad at me I'm just want to know because it is true that the F355 came out after the NSX and the NSX resembles the F355 the most, of any Ferrari. I also know the NSX was made to be better or at least compete with the testorrosa which it realy doesn't look like at all.

 

[RyRy210]

I honestly don't think the NSX looks anything like the F355, but I guess there are some similarities. Its coincidence by the way!

 

[Midnight_Raven]

Yeah your right but I guess from straight on look from a distance or someone that doesn't know about cars would think it is a F355. Well thanks for your opinion and thanks for telling me that it is "coincidence" by the way.

Anymore opinions are greatly welcome and would like to hear. I think it seems like an interesting topic.

In my opinion about the other Who Copying Who I don't think the corrvette looks nothing like a nsx. Maybe the side scoop thing that is facing the other direction but that is all. Just my opinion though.

 

[nsxtasy]

I've heard people say (referring to both the Ferrari and the NSX) that the general body shape they share is simply the natural result of a mid-engine design.

 

[naaman]

I agree. There are certain qualities that the vast majority of mid-engined cars share:

The short front end and long tail (with the driver in the "middle" of the car going from front to back) , the cabin-forward deal etc.

I think that what makes the NSX look like a Ferrari is the body design and contour. Not so much that it looks like a specific Ferrari, but that it looks like a car that has Ferrari heritage.

The Corvette, on the other hand, while some may think it looks like an NSX, does not resemble a Ferrari. Most likely because of the tail end being so short and bulky--the car has very little in the way of "exotic" styling. Also, the huge front end just gives it a sort of crude, muscular look, rather than an exotic, "Italian" appearence (the American flags on the logo kinda give it away, too).

But just look at some mid-engined cars. You will see that they mostly share some basic similarities:

NSX, Porsche Carrera GT, MR-2, MR-S, Ferrari Testerosa, 355, 360, 308 GTS, Murcialago, GT40, Zonda C12... etc.

 

[D'Ecosse]

But just look at some mid-engined cars. You will see that they mostly share some basic similarities:

NSX, Porsche Carrera GT, MR-2, MR-S, Ferrari Testerosa, 355, 360, 308 GTS, Murcialago, GT40, Zonda C12... etc.

Umm .... you forgot the Fiero!

 

[Jimbo]

Here's the car that I think most resembles the NSX. 1991 C112 Mercedes. (absinthe posted about this on the Off Topic forum)...

But I do agree that mid-engine sports cars tend to look similar in certain ways.

-Jim

 

[BostonNSX]

Is this a concept car? I never seen this car for sale

Here's the car that I think most resembles the NSX. 1991 C112 Mercedes. (absinthe posted about this on the Off Topic forum)...

But I do agree that mid-engine sports cars tend to look similar in certain ways.

-Jim

 

[Jimbo]

Yes. Mercedes never went into production with this car. The C112 followed the nifty C111 gullwing car.

-J

 

[Jonathan]

Good to dig this up every now and then

 

[naaman]

What is that? It looks like it has the "horsey" on the front, but its too small to tell...

 

[RyRy210]

What is that? It looks like it has the "horsey" on the front, but its too small to tell...

It's a Ferrari 408 I think. I have attached an article from Forza magazines that talks about this and others:

 

[RyRy210]

More:

 

[naaman]

That last one is kind of a stretch...

 

[huckster]

styling aside, SOME people say that the prancing horsey came out with a much better car after the nsx's debut. The nsx 'encouraged' this by offering such excellent competition.

At one level, i find it kinda funny that Honda 'rang their bell' and then walked away. But i sure wish Honda would do it again.

and yeah, all midengined cars have some visual simularities. check out the mr2 recently posted elsewhere on this site.

 

[Jonathan]

That last one is kind of a stretch...

Agreed, I think the Ferrari folks were really reaching for the last two comparisons. Maybe they had to come up with "The top 10 Ferrari Rip-Offs of all time" or something

The last two could have been any two cars in a parking lot for the amount of similarities they have.

 

[Nsxotic]

The Tiburon is definitely derived from the 456 as everyday I see it in my showroom, I think 456 as soon as I look at it. The suspension was also stolen from Porsche, the safetly features stolen from Mercedes,etc..... Hyundai actually makes a great car now and the Tiburon 6cyl. 6 speed is one of their best.

As far as the original question, there are no similarities that were 'copied', especially considering the NSX design was created nearly 10 years before the 355 was even thought of. The 408 influence is another story though.

 

[nsxtasy]

the NSX design was created nearly 10 years before the 355 was even thought of.

That's a bit of an exaggeration - for purposes of sarcasm, perhaps? The F355 came out when, 1995? Surely it doesn't take the Honda designers 5-6 years longer than Ferrari designers to develop a car...

 

[Midnight_Raven]

Hey thanks for posting your opinions. I guess you guys are right. The design similarities are probably the same because of the mid engine drive train. But what aggrivates me the most is that they keep posting that the japan car makers had to be copying some Euro car company. I love ferraris and lambos and ect. but come on other people get good designs. I be you the design of the nsx was made about 5 years before that ugly 408 was made. If I remember exactly the NSX project was a ten year project, the car should of had a certain design about 1985 or 86, which is about 3 years before that 408 concept was even made. I have to admit that Toyota on the other had got a good amount of design cues from the Ferraris. It just looks too much like a ferrari except that it is slightly taller and a bit more thinner but that is all.

Well thanks again for all of your opinions. Have a nice weekend guys.

 

[I'm NSXed]

Personally, I have always thought the NSX looked like a 308/328. The front lip on the pop up head lights is identical, I don't recall any other cars with that detail.

And as for the 355, if you take a 355 and park in next to a 348 you will see that almost every body panel is the same. It is the little details that make the 348 and 355 look so different. It is truely remarkable, to have such a different look without much change in the basic shape. Sorry, I am too lazy to hunt down pictures.

What about the Lotus?

 

[PHOEN$X]

Good to dig this up every now and then

Jonathan: that car reminds me of the Subaru XT6!

BTW, I always thought Ferrari designs were ripped off from the Ford GT40 (or vice versa).

 

[Jimbo]

Still a classic beauty, IMHO.

 

[Auraraptor]

Personally, I have always thought the NSX looked like a 308/328. The front lip on the pop up head lights is identical, I don't recall any other cars with that detail.

What about the Lotus?

Umm here ya go:

to:

I don't see much similaritly...and the tails are nothing alike whatsoever:

 

[nsxtasy]

The Corvette
.
.
.
(the American flags on the logo kinda give it away, too).

AMERICAN flags???

You mean these?

 

[naaman]

Ah crap.

I guess I just associated Corvette with classic American muscle, and my brain inserted an American flag on that logo. But yes, those are the flags I thought I meant.