Honda NSX

[sameerrao]

Cool car! It would have been a near sub-zero for me if this poll was conducted in 1990. This car like the Lexus LS400 shook the establishment when it first came out. It made the Ferrari 348 and Porsche 964 seem very primitive by comparison.

It was perhaps the first all-aluminium supercar with chassis tuning by Ayrton Senna himself. I think the NSX was a fabulous looking as well - it still turns heads today - partly because of its exotic shape and also because of its relative rarity.

I've driven a friends 1992 NSX a few years back. It was the first gen car w/o power steering. The car was a bit heavy to manouevre at parking speeds but the steering was pin sharp once you got to normal road speeds. The shifter was faster and smoother than anything I have ever driven till date.

History hasnt looked too kindly to NSXs. Given the choice of a 1990 NSX, the Ferrari 348 or the Porsche 911 enthusiasts will lather over the last two cars and ignore the poor NSX.

The NSX was a phenomenal car that had only one thing wrong with it - the Honda badge. It was perhaps a bit too easy to drive and live with on a day to day basis. Lot of people got bored with it as it was missing that fear factor and exoticness.

Honda was also to blame for not sufficiently updating the NSX over the years. The 1990 car had a similar power to weight ratio of a 348 then. But the last gen NSX got a paltry 20hp increase while a Modena was 100hp more powerful with significant aero improvements over the year.

[DeMoN]

it was cool once, not anymore. Only oldies drive it. Too bad.

[DeMoN]

I always asked myself, why is it that they didnt make it faster? I mean, I heard there was some sort of HP or displacement restriction... anyone know why?

[T-Bird]

well the HP limit has to be over since you just have to look at Nissan and the VQ35 motors rated at 300+ and Honda having 300+hp engines coming for 07...

[spanky]

Cool Car. 8)


I'd forgotten just how long ago it first came out!

[Global Warming]

Uncool. Honda needed a V8 or turbo V6 in this car from the beginning. Plus they actually sold a lot of these with auto transmissions! Uncool. And the fact that they had to make the engine a “hand built all aluminum engines” that raised to price by probably 15k. Wake up Honda, no one cared that it was hand built! Just put a mass produced V8 in it!! Oh wait you still don’t have one…

[5.7 V10]

I know many who hate the NSX, but I could never seen why, sure it never had as much power as similarly priced vehicles but ask what EVO thinks of that, ask Gordon Murray what he thinks of that. Neither could care because as they’ve said the NSX is fabulously entertaining and addictive. I remember first seeing an NSX back in about 1995 and thinking this is a bloody masterpiece, a masterpiece which will never age. I’m going to stick by that because every time I see one I’m mesmerized by it; not quite as much as a Porsche 993, but I can still look at it’s for several minutes. I always loved the exterior design; loved that short point front end, bubble canopy and wide rear end with the unique light bar. In fact this is the car that drew me towards the Pagani Zonda; if you pay close attention you’ll notice the cars both share that short front, bubble canopy and long wide rear with spoiler. I’ve always loved the interior too; the quality superb and while some found the interior characterless I disagree. The quality of the cabin is completely upscale with a neat slanted console which I believe Porsche looked to when creating the Carrera GT. While most manufactures would never admit it I believe this car was an inspiration for many great supercar vehicles; the NSX always created the perfect image of blending both luxury abilities with true sports car capabilities. As time passed I felt as others did, the 3.2 litre V6 was pulling conservative power figures as well as performance figures. The 2002 model V6 allowed the NSX to hit an indicated 0-60 in 4.8 seconds and top 175mph and while that was fast it wasn’t quite as fast as its competition. It’s aluminium body and hand built operations meant it was always expensive and in 2002 cars such as the Chevrolet Corvette sported a full 400bhp, the Porsche 996 had 316 and by the time 2004 arrived Porsche had a 355bhp 997 Carrera S. The NSX wasn’t always the best straight line performer, but when it can go around the Nürburgring in 8:09 the same time as a Ferrari 360 Modena, I think it deserves true respect. Might i add in the modern times the NSX-R's time i still up there with the Porsche 997 Carrera S, V8 Vantage and Corvette C6. I have no second thoughts, the NSX is a legend, in fact I’d be forced to name it one of the 10 best vehicles of all time; the looks are near timeless; the interior well designed; the reliability on mid to late models unbelievably amazing and the engine fabulous.

Verdict: Subzero

[sentra_dude]

Originally Posted by 5.7 V10 I know many who hate the NSX, but I could never seen why, sure it never had as much power as similarly priced vehicles but ask what EVO thinks of that, ask Gordon Murray what he thinks of that. Neither could care because as they’ve said the NSX is fabulously entertaining and addictive. I remember first seeing an NSX back in about 1995 and thinking this is a bloody masterpiece, a masterpiece which will never age. I’m going to stick by that because every time I see one I’m mesmerized by it; not quite as much as a Porsche 993, but I can still look at it’s for several minutes. I always loved the exterior design; loved that short point front end, bubble canopy and wide rear end with the unique light bar. In fact this is the car that drew me towards the Pagani Zonda; if you pay close attention you’ll notice the cars both share that short front, bubble canopy and long wide rear with spoiler. I’ve always loved the interior too; the quality superb and while some found the interior characterless I disagree. The quality of the cabin is completely upscale with a neat slanted console which I believe Porsche looked to when creating the Carrera GT. While most manufactures would never admit it I believe this car was an inspiration for many great supercar vehicles; the NSX always created the perfect image of blending both luxury abilities with true sports car capabilities. As time passed I felt as others did, the 3.2 litre V6 was pulling conservative power figures as well as performance figures. The 2002 model V6 allowed the NSX to hit an indicated 0-60 in 4.8 seconds and top 175mph and while that was fast it wasn’t quite as fast as its competition. It’s aluminium body and hand built operations meant it was always expensive and in 2002 cars such as the Chevrolet Corvette sported a full 400bhp, the Porsche 996 had 316 and by the time 2004 arrived Porsche had a 355bhp 997 Carrera S. The NSX wasn’t always the best straight line performer, but when it can go around the Nürburgring in 8:09 the same time as a Ferrari 360 Modena, I think it deserves true respect. Might i add in the modern times the NSX-R's time i still up there with the Porsche 997 Carrera S, V8 Vantage and Corvette C6. I have no second thoughts, the NSX is a legend, in fact I’d be forced to name it one of the 10 best vehicles of all time; the looks are near timeless; the interior well designed; the reliability on mid to late models unbelievably amazing and the engine fabulous. Verdict: Subzero

Great post! 8)

[JoeHahn]

Some of the worst brakes on a sportscar - ever. Added to the fact that its all aluminium build weighed in at about that of a steel based 911 makes it a terrible example of aluminium use, not to mention the price of the thing. People complain about VW making expensive cars - Honda thought they'd get away with pricing this thing higher than the competition, no wonder it died. Uncool

[Mattk]

Cool. Very cool, but not quite subzero. It has a good vibe, but it just doesn't have the spark that ignites absolute desirability.

[fabro_s]

Subzero!!! This car still captures all my attention after 16 years, and that deserves respect, having 280 hp and capable of beatinf ferraris and porsches!!!

[Erez]

very cool 8)

[sentra_dude]

Originally Posted by JoeHahn Some of the worst brakes on a sportscar - ever. Added to the fact that its all aluminium build weighed in at about that of a steel based 911 makes it a terrible example of aluminium use, not to mention the price of the thing. People complain about VW making expensive cars - Honda thought they'd get away with pricing this thing higher than the competition, no wonder it died. Uncool

Since when has the NSX had terrible brakes? They may not be the best out there, but they certainly aren't 'some of the worst brakes on a sportscar - ever."

From the last Road & Track test:
60mph-0 in 117ft
80mph-0 in 215ft

As compared to a F430
60mph-0 in 113ft
80mph-0 in 192ft

And the brand-new DB9:
60mph-0 in 133ft
80mph-0 in 231ft

Many sports-cars out there have brakes much worse than an NSX's.

[JoeHahn]

Originally Posted by sentra_dude Originally Posted by JoeHahn Some of the worst brakes on a sportscar - ever. Added to the fact that its all aluminium build weighed in at about that of a steel based 911 makes it a terrible example of aluminium use, not to mention the price of the thing. People complain about VW making expensive cars - Honda thought they'd get away with pricing this thing higher than the competition, no wonder it died. Uncool Since when has the NSX had terrible brakes? They may not be the best out there, but they certainly aren't 'some of the worst brakes on a sportscar - ever." From the last Road & Track test: 60mph-0 in 117ft 80mph-0 in 215ft As compared to a F430 60mph-0 in 113ft 80mph-0 in 192ft And the brand-new DB9: 60mph-0 in 133ft 80mph-0 in 231ft Many sports-cars out there have brakes much worse than an NSX's.

Yeah, try after 3, 10 however many stops you like - the NSX brakes catch fire quicker than a barbeque. They are terrible and I've yet to see worse since its release (of a true sportscar). I remember a comparison between a 993 4S and it beat the 4S in the first 2 stops and then after that the stops were so violently ill that the brakes did in fact catch on fire. This car is as exciting as a mullet. Uncool :roll:

[Mattk]

^Brakes can't catch on fire when the car is standing still. Coolness is determined by how the car looks, not how it operates.