Where are all the Production deliveries ??

[Axxlrod]

I agree on many points.

There's no way Acura can recoup their R&D costs as these cars aren't moving at $200K.

I'm with many others who've said that Acura should have skipped the whole hybrid drive on this car (eliminating that huge R&D expense), which would have dropped maybe 400lbs, juiced the V6 to 550hp, and then gave the car a starting price around $110K. It probably would have sold very well.

Acura is learning an expensive lesson here that it isn't an ultra-premium brand. It just doesn't have the cache to sway buyers at the $200K+ price point, regardless of the performance of the NSX. At that level, the badge on the hood is just as important as performance, if not more so.

 

[nsx878]

I disagree that Acura should have left the hybrid part out. It's part of what makes the car uniquely NSX. It does increase the weight, but the battery and electric motors are responsible for aiding in the car's blistering acceleration. It doesn't look heavy, and it handles fabulous. You'd never know, just by driving it that it carried that curb weight. This is my first and only supercar experience, and I have never driven a 3000 lb car with 600+ HP, so I have no personal experience to draw from in comparison. Perhaps someday I will drive such a car, and will have to change my mind, but for now, the NSX works for me as is.
I also think Acura/Honda was forward looking. This hybrid technology is coming. It's the future of the automobile...... As I have mentioned in other posts, the internal combustion engine is on the endangered species list. For Acura, I think the car was more about showing what they could accomplish than how much money could be made. I think Acura's goal was to create a limited edition car that was something special, not a car for the masses that was cheap. Even with it's minor faults, I think they achieved that goal.

I have been truly amazed by how all of the systems interact in the car and how the main computer monitors and controls everything......

The whole "hybrid" supercar thing was totally misunderstood. People interpret "hybrid" as an anemic battery powered car driven by granola munchers and green peacers looking to reduce their carbon footprint...... but on the contrary, the NSX uses batteries and electric motors for pure performance..... The fact that you could drive to the grocery store on battery power is just a by product of the ability of the hybrid technology and the engineers figure why not use that capability. It's trivial, but interesting. I still laugh when I come to a stop light and the engine turns off.... Not a single NSX owner bought their car to save the world, or to save gas, or to drive it to run errands on battery power.....

It's quirky, but unique. It's heavy but fast and agile, and it has great lines and form. I think it's a great car just as it is......

 

[Jinks]

It’s a super fast car. My only gripe with it is that it lacks testosterone. It’s a little too precise and a little too stable. You can be doing 150 mph and not even be aware you’re going that fast.I also was expecting a much smoother ride when not in a sport plus or track mode. Sometimes that is all very appealing, but I also wish they had a drive mode that felt much more raw. Track mode is still a bit numb. I really hope they ditch the pointed rear. That kinda kills it for me. I was starting to look around at picking one up maybe next fall but it seems prices have gone way back up. Will just wait it out, these cars do not move at msrp.

 

[nsx878]

I was out running errands in mine this morning, and I agree that the NSX has a harsh ride. It would have been nice if they would have synced the stiffness of the ride with the mode selected. When you're in sport mode driving as a daily driver, it would be nice to have a softer more plush ride. It's in perpetual track suspension mode full time......
The terrible Colorado roads in winter really exploit the harshness of the stiff suspension......

 

[Bricks and Bio]

I find the ride surprisingly nice.

If the road is choppy, the short wheelbase emphasizes the bumps.

 

[Craigy]

They would have made the R&D spend for hybridizing the MDX anyway.

But yeah the whole hybrid thing is clearly a waste. At the time it was the trendy thing to do, a big marketing gimmick(thanks Porsche 918). But by the time the car came out, that fad had passed us by.

There's probably a few techie guys who bought the car because of the hybrid setup. But most car guys with big bucks don't care where the power comes from. For that off-the-line acceleration, they would have done better with a torquier motor attached to a AWD setup, a-la Audi R8.

The future isn't hybrid, it's full electrification. But for now, gasoline makes the most power in the best package.

 

[dshinke21]

I think Acura hit everything they needed to with a hybrid system. The car is so amazing because of the hybrid system, without that it's just another supercar. As many have said here it is an incredibly competitive market. If they just put out another twin turbo V6 or maybe even make it a v8 whats going to distinguish it from every other supercar on the market? The NSX is a special car because of the hybrid power train and the fact that it has the technology of cars that are 7-8 times more expensive.

I urge people to remember that this is merely the beginning. The NSX is Acura's halo car, they made a mistake in producing too many for 2017, maybe they thought having the NSX name would sell the car more than it did. But the tech will be implemented into the rest of the lineup and as we see with the Sport Hybrid-MDX and that is where they will make their money back.

I personally love the technology that this car possess underneath the hood and how it truly does make it a car that is unlike any other to drive. I love learning new things about this car every day. There is so much remarkable engineering to admire in this car and I'm happy they made it the way that they did. Acura gave us a hybrid system that has zero compromise. No need to plug in the car, no ridiculously heavy batteries (hybrid system is just a few hundred pounds as the hybrid battery is tiny), increased fuel economy, and most importantly incredible performance. That is what the Sport-Hybrid system is all about. Every other hybrid that has been presented to the market has come with compromises, whether its a prius, an i8, or a 918 spyder, all of those cars had have serious compromises. I applaud Acura for challenging themselves to show people the hybrid cars can be a viable and enjoyable experience without the drawbacks many modern hybrid vehicles come with.

 

[powdbyrice]

They would have made the R&D spend for hybridizing the MDX anyway.

But yeah the whole hybrid thing is clearly a waste. At the time it was the trendy thing to do, a big marketing gimmick(thanks Porsche 918). But by the time the car came out, that fad had passed us by.

There's probably a few techie guys who bought the car because of the hybrid setup. But most car guys with big bucks don't care where the power comes from. For that off-the-line acceleration, they would have done better with a torquier motor attached to a AWD setup, a-la Audi R8.

The future isn't hybrid, it's full electrification. But for now, gasoline makes the most power in the best package.

i dont think the addition of hybrid power is a passing fad.

https://www.autoblog.com/2018/02/06/future-mclaren-hybrid-autonomous/

 

[dshinke21]

i dont think the addition of hybrid power is a passing fad.

https://www.autoblog.com/2018/02/06/future-mclaren-hybrid-autonomous/

Its simply another aspect of the NSX that we will be looking back on and appreciating. Acura was the FIRST to do this for a car in this price segment and showed that it can be done and done well. Now its up to Acura and other manufactures to continue to develop the technology and give us some damn good cars in the coming years.

 

[neuronbob]

Again, one of the points for this car was to bring a hybrid sports car to an attainable level as opposed to LaFerrari or the 918. It showcases the Sport Hybrid tech which is a stepping stone in the automotive world to full electric or to hydrogen fuel cell. I'm sure they are not expecting to make oodles of money on this car. The MDX selling hand over fist likely in part pays for this experiment. Just my opinion, I am obviously ignorant to Hondacura's actual strategy for the new NSX.

 

[nsx878]

I don't think that the hybrid concept is a fad. Maybe more of a movement, or a direction, or an evolution of leading edge technology. Consider the cars and manufacturers that are pursuing it. La Ferrari, McLaren P1, Porsche 918, Koenigsegg Agera..... Mercedes is supposedly building 274 Hybrid supercars with 1000HP/217 MPH, Corvette mid engine car in development is rumored to have dual electric motors in the front. McLaren is supposed to add a hybrid version of the 570S, perhaps as soon as next year. Almost every major manufacturer has something brewing, even Hyundai.....!! And don't forget that Formula 1 cars are hybrids as well. The first few cars I mentioned have one thing in common. Well over a $1 million price tag. The NSX offers similar if not identical technology for pennies on the dollar, comparatively speaking.

If hybridization is indeed a movement, direction, or evolution, then where is it ultimately headed? If the end game is full on electric supercars, it may well be the beginning of the end of supercars? A lot has been made of the lack of Ferrari like exhaust on the NSX, but Imagine all cars with no sound at all???? Yuck!!! Game Over..... Exotic cars have always had that sound as part of their make up.... It's a visceral experience. I recently saw a formula car race on TV with all electric formula cars. Bizarre, and thoroughly quiet and unimpressive...... Remember the sound of the V-10 & V-12 Formula 1 cars??? But for now, the blend of Internal combustion engines, batteries, electric motors, and computer management of the systems has produced a very spectacular genre of cars...... That will most likely be obsoleted by technological advances of cars 20-50 years in the future? Anybody going to buy a supercar that drives itself? For now, I'm just going to enjoy what I have.......

 

[gleibig]

^ I don't care how fast a car is. If I can't rip through a tunnel without making people's ears bleed, it ain't a sports car.

 

[Axxlrod]

I agree sound is a huge component of exotic car DNA. Shame the NSX engine was not developed with a flat-plane crank. That is the key to the ferrari engine sound. Engine the most recent Ford Mustang GT350 has it, and they sound great.

 

[nsx878]

I do not understand any connection of a flat plane crank to sound coming out of the exhaust??

 

[dshinke21]

I do not understand any connection of a flat plane crank to sound coming out of the exhaust??

Simplest way to understand would be to watch a few Engineering Explained videos.

First one explains general differences between the two styles of crank

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=_TssXF8yQek

This one explains how that impacts exhaust sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s5bSQIQQsY


This one should help you hear the slight sound difference between the two
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NdbEYwPHBs

Unfortunately a flat plane crank will not work at all in a v6 engine so there was no possibility of the NSX every having one. Benefits are typically a lighter crank that can rev higher and is ultimately more responsive because of it's reduced weight. They also tend to allow for better exhaust scavenging which can in some cases lead to slight power increases and some will say gives a unique exhaust note compared to the cross-plane crank. The downsides are that they cause more vibrations in the engine however higher end cars, like Ferrari can engineer this out with their use of lightweight materials.

 

[Jinks]

On another note, while I think the new Nsx exhaust is a bit tame I wouldn’t change the exhaust if I purchased one. Sure I’d like it to be more organic and raw but I also think daily driving the car is that much easier as many new owners stated. It reminded me of my mdx a little in the tone. If it blows by traffic a toned sound is just fine in my book. But I also love the sound of my sc’d motor. I would just dread daily driving it....

 

[fastaussie]

"on another note", good one... :biggrin:

 

[Bricks and Bio]

17 new NSX deliveries in the US in February 2018.

Will this be the new normal?

 

[nsx878]

Wow..... That's a new low for sales. I assume this is mostly 2017's? All the "cheap" ones have been gobbled up, and only 40 or so new cars averaging $194K MSRP are left.
The market is saturated with great supercars of all styles, makes, types and brands. Here's a repost of a site for sales figures:

http://carsalesbase.com/us-car-sales-data/acura/acura-nsx/

Probably the new normal......

 

[Axxlrod]

17 new NSX deliveries in the US in February 2018.

Will this be the new normal?

One of those is mine!

When I was contacting dealers, it was amazing how many dealers weren't willing to deal. They are going to be stuck with the remaining cars.

 

[neuronbob]

It’s winter. I don’t see a reason for panic. If this is the case into the warm months, then we can say it’s a new “normal”.

 

[nsx878]

I don't think anyone is panicking..... Historically, NSX sales were averaging 200 or so units per year for many years, so this 17 sales figure equates to that annual total. As a "halo" car, perhaps that is sufficient for Acura.

For comparison, here are January US sales figures for some competing supercars. January data as Feb. data not available yet:

Lamborghini: 60 units - all models
Ferrari: 209 units - all models
McLaren: 570 41 units, and 650-720 38 units, total all models is 79 units
Porsche 911: 853 units. Not broken down by model (GT3 GT3 RS, etc)
Nissan GTR: 34 units
Audi R8: 24 units

As the data shows, many of the competitors sales figures are not all that much better, and I'm sure there is factory rebate money on all 2017's to clear them out. And I do agree that sales typically will improve into the spring and summer.

 

[dshinke21]

March numbers will be interesting. How many dealers that aren't being aggressive now will panic the closer we get to the April 2nd deadline? I'd be surprised if almost all of the remaining 2017's don't go this month. With spring right around the corner and Acura rebates expiring its now or never to move some of these cars! Interesting seeing the GTR at 34 and the R8 at 24 units for the month. NSX isn't too far off it's closest competition for the month.

 

[Bricks and Bio]

Only 11 R8 deliveries in the US for February 2018.

 

[docjohn]

I'm so confused...Tony Stark drives a R8....yet shield rolls in Acuras.....what am I to do...