The source of "no soul"?

[Lud]

I've always thought it was interesting that so many people parrot back that the NSX "lacks soul," usually without ever even driving one. I figured this must have come from a review somewhere but never really found that to be a complaint in reviews. In fact the vast majority of reviews I've read are very complimentary of the car.

This Top Gear review is the first one I've found that actually says things like "the NSX is just too good," whatever that means.

http://www.nsxprime.com/Gallery/multimedia/top_gear-nsx.asf

 

[pacacu]

when NSX was launched a decade ago, it was positioned as a competitor to Ferrari/Porsche. In most markets the car was priced much lower to these two marque and most prospects felt the car lack status. no track record so to speak although all recognised the operating costs would be signifcantly lowered. That mindset of the rational/irrational never really found a niche except in some areas in North America , e.g. S.Calif. In Asia where the strength of Japanese cars still rest in passenger/saloon segment fared even worst. Also the pricing since launch then and even up to last year was almost same as the European makes. NSX are just non-competitve although all recognised the operating costs.
but when most owners are weekend drivers, that did not turn to be a strong selling proposition. However, a ten years old X in HK is now worth more than the others as parts are cheaper. The X is almost maintainence free and withstand the tropics. X will always be a niche model unless the prices are brought in-line with the competition. But with the low volume and as the halo model from Honda, that will not be forthcoming for years. To get the soul/passion will take at least another ten years. Likely with model change cycle gear at every five years and a V-8 in the future.

 

[hejo]

Originally posted by pacacu:
when NSX was launched a decade ago, it was positioned as a competitor to Ferrari/Porsche. In most markets the car was priced much lower to these two marque and most prospects felt the car lack status.

I pretty much agree with your view. In fact I think the price of all the 91/92 NSXs flooding the market lately is starting to have an negative impact on the soul. We all know that the NSX is every bit as good and better in some aspects than the Ferrari/Porsche. I've notice the price of the F355 has really held steady for the past couple of years. So I think your comments around pricing are well founded.

 

[David]

I always thought they meant it was too refined. Until the NSX came along, any exotic car was a pain in the ass under normal driving conditions. That was part of the mystique of owning one. The 'lack of soul' comments remind me of old military guys who complain that modern basic training isn't dangerous enough.

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Don't no nuttin 'bout no NSX;
Don't no nuttin 'bout birthin' no babbies.

 

[ncdogdoc]

I concur with both, but more with David. I think the fact that the car is so well thought out almost works against it. It doesn't oversteer if you hold your mouth wrong, have a tenacious metal shift gate, and is not made in the "old country", which means that it has less personality. Notice that many of the writers are now coming down on the 996 because it is much easier to drive at the limit, you do not need to have "oil in your veins" to take it to 10/10th's. Compare the Viper's reviews to the NSX. Again, it takes more skill to get the utmost out of it, but is it a better car? Maybe if Honda had come out with an in between sports car of the corvette, supra level, and then did the NSX, they would have received more accolades. JMHO.

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Gary Yates
1995 Red/Tan

 

[hejo]

Originally posted by ncdogdoc:
I think the fact that the car is so well thought out almost works against it.

I think that's a lot of it which is why it should and could have demanded a higher price and why I think the 91/92 NSXs are being priced to low. Look at what you get for $30k+. What else is available at that price? These comparisions don't make sense but because of the price of a used NSX is low it's being compared to cars that are not even close to the quality and performance it offers. Once again JMHO.

 

[nsxtasy]

I'm not sure I understand some of the comments about the price of the NSX being low. The '91-92 models haven't changed significantly in market price and are selling for more than half MSRP, which is as good as or better than the nine and ten year old Porsche models. That's pretty darn good.

I also don't see what this has to do with "no soul". I think they originally defined soul as having parts that were poorly labeled, controls that were funky in their operation, functions that usually but not always worked, etc. I guess that's what David was saying, that the car is "too perfect" to have soul. If that's how you define soul, I'll take mine without, please.

 

[ilya]

I'm glad the NSX was available to me for 35K. If not, I would be driving a Z06 today.

 

[humanoidtyphoon]

How could a car with "no soul" spawn such a passionate group of drivers.....nobody would care as much as we do about our machines if it lacked passion......and the Top Gear reviewer has a very jaded outlook on the sport car world...one minute he is driving a stock NSX...then a McLaren F1 or 911 Turbo.....if you watched any of Tiff
Needles reviews of cars, the only thing that has apparently gotten him really excited in a long time is the McLaren.

 

[JoeSchmoe]

Originally posted by humanoidtyphoon:
How could a car with "no soul" spawn such a passionate group of drivers.....nobody would care as much as we do about our machines if it lacked passion......

I dont think having a soul has anything to do with generating a passionate following. There are probably people who are equally passionate about the corvaire or pinto.

and the Top Gear reviewer has a very jaded outlook on the sport car world...one minute he is driving a stock NSX...then a McLaren F1 or 911 Turbo.....if you watched any of Tiff
Needles reviews of cars, the only thing that has apparently gotten him really excited in a long time is the McLaren.

I think that was Jeremy Clarkson driving the NSX in those videos - not Tiff. Jeremy can make any car look boring. Watch the lamborghini and skyline gtr videos - he's as dead as a rock. Tiff would have at least thrown in some smoking tires or sideways action.

As for the "no soul" thing... maybe these people would like their car to be possessed by evil spirits like a coworker's dodge charger. Oil leakage everywhere. Cant stop worth even if given an hours notice. Shakes violently when going faster than 45. Spins like a merry-go-round when it rains. Belches lots of smoke. There's character for ya.

 

[humanoidtyphoon]

opps...my bad...I haven't actually watched the video in a long while...I just assumed it was Tiff.....

I do have to say though that disagree with your notion that "having a soul has anything to do with generating a passionate following." Yes, there are some car owners that simply love their cars to death and think that they are the best on the road....these people think that their car "has soul" and they probably do. This does not mean that every car on the road has a soul because people simply like it alot, but there is a very distinct line between likeing a car, and loving a car to the point of obsession...which I think includes most of the NSX owners here. NSX owners are saying all the time that you have to drive one to understand why we love our cars so much, and most of the time once someone drives it they also believe the NSX is an amazing machine....often times to the point where they run out and buy one as soon as they can!!!!! So in summary, I feel that if the NSX didn't have a soul, there would simply not be the following for it that there is.........there are cheaper cars that perform in the same league as ours cars( we jsut do it a little better..he he), but NSX drivers will still fork 40, 50, 80, to 90K for the NSX of their dreams, and I must say that to my experience that most NSX drivers didn't by it for a status symbol. Maybe I'm wrong since I am surrounded by a great group of guys down here in the Dallas area, but I just have to believe that our cars "soul" is what generates our passion for it......God I Love the NSX!!!!!!

 

[DeHaldaswerth]

The "no soul" business is pure nonsense, purveyed by those who have never driven the car. From the video game view of the road to the spine tingling wail behind your head at 8000 rpm, there simply is no comparison. The NSX is the greatest car I've ever owned, and the first that I have wanted to keep forever.

 

[NSXocto]

NO SOUL? Well here is my idea... its up to the owners to make the point of what kind of soul we want our car to have. Since there are few owners (10,000 NSX's) comparied to P cars or F cars with all their 20 models over many year it all adds up to many many owners. Corvette owners also 100,000 strong don't have to talk too loud to leave behinde a long history of SOUL.

So all my fellow NSX'ers go out into this world and do your missionary work... have a big mouth and pass the word. LOL

The SOUL I want the NSX to be remembered for is "SMART car for SMART people" This is 2001 and we are info-age, NSX is the car to represent the NEW WORLD and craddle the Butts of the smart fast minds that created it. (just don't pick on my spelling... I know)

Ferrari has a soul of European flare, Porsche & BMW has German soul of pomp & confidence, and Corvette and Viper have a soul in Muscle.
Every one has their good points.