Mega-Asian-Tribute Thread

[Speedjerk]

Ok, someone thought it would be funny to make 10 different "tribue and appreciation" threads about various asian brands. So, its all in one mega-thread. JDM'ed for your viewing pleasure
Big Al

I thought I'd post a tribute to the Honda/Acura NSX, a car I have come to enjoy and respect. "Respect" because I believe it raised the bar for such cars as our beloved Corvette. Here are pictures of a www.nsxprime.com member's 1991 coupe with black canopy and SSR wheels. Go there to learn more about this once exotic supercar from Honda or feel free to check out this interesting and informative book on the history and making of the car.




















I thought I'd give you all an idea of how my car performs and sounds without having to go to jail for it. I plan to do some track events soon, so I will be posting up some footage. Until then, enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaRGwtQ9tG0&NR=1...

Be sure to hit the HQ button!

[Higher Rhymes]

Interesting tribute, but it's no doubt one of the greatest car Honda has ever built.
One of my favorites too, although they cost wayyy too much [when they were new and used] it has earned its place in car history.

What a screamer with a supercharger though hahaha

[forsbach427]

No thanks

[johnstarnes]

I always liked it...I just wish the new one was a production version of that stunning concept they showed a few years back that was clearly an evolution of the original....the new one looks to be much more "normal" in proportions and stance and styling.

[Glenns]

I always liked the Acura NSX too, but let's face it: it's too inefficient, and not very well engineered.
A car with an aluminum chassis, smallish brakes, gracile suspension components, lil' tires (16") with lil' rims and a lil', lightweight V6 engine that makes 290 HP should weigh well under 3,050 pounds, but it doesn't.

To put things into perspective, the ZR-1 Vette generates over twice the power, has componentry that's twice as robust and is dimentionally larger, yet the Vette weighs almost the same as the NSX (only 150 pounds heavier). Don't get me wrong, because the Vette is also superior to Lamborghini and Ferrari from an engineering standpoint, as well.

Still, had Honda invested substantial R&D in refining the NSX, it would certainly be the best exotic on the road, regardless of model year!

[vsd]

I love those wheels. Such a simple, but elegant design. So many good wheel designs similar to those have been ruined by putting fake rivets in them.

[cdp326]

Originally Posted by Glenns

I always liked the Acura NSX too, but let's face it: it's too inefficient, and not very well engineered.
A car with an aluminum chassis, smallish brakes, gracile suspension components, lil' tires (16") with lil' rims and a lil', lightweight V6 engine that makes 290 HP should weigh well under 3,050 pounds, but it doesn't.

To put things into perspective, the ZR-1 Vette generates over twice the power, has componentry that's twice as robust and is dimentionally larger, yet the Vette weighs almost the same as the NSX (only 150 pounds heavier). Don't get me wrong, because the Vette is also superior to Lamborghini and Ferrari from an engineering standpoint, as well.

Still, had Honda invested substantial R&D in refining the NSX, it would certainly be the best exotic on the road, regardless of model year!

Given it was released in 1990 I'd say the NSX was very advanced then. I would hope a ZR-1 is better now, it's got more than a decade and a half of technological and engineering developments behind it. Much of the NSX fits in with the time it was in. 16" was pretty big back then, now it's one of the basic wheel choices for a compact car and you can get 22" wheels on a Ford Edge crossover; we've got engines like the Nissan VQ and the GM High Feature 3.6 getting over 300 hp now, Camcords offer V6 models with around 270 hp, and even I4s like GM's turbo direct injected 2.0L are getting 260 hp, but back then 270 horsepower from a V6 was pretty amazing. Keep in mind this was when '85 L98 was at 230 hp, and the later LT1 V8 was introduced at 300 hp.

After that, I don't know why Honda didn't update it more, they tend to build these technological showcase halo cars and not do much else with them (S2000).

[Glenns]

Originally Posted by cdp326

Given it was released in 1990 I'd say the NSX was very advanced then. I would hope a ZR-1 is better now, it's got more than a decade and a half of technological and engineering developments behind it. Much of the NSX fits in with the time it was in. 16" was pretty big back then, now it's one of the basic wheel choices for a compact car and you can get 22" wheels on a Ford Edge crossover; we've got engines like the Nissan VQ and the GM High Feature 3.6 getting over 300 hp now, Camcords offer V6 models with around 270 hp, and even I4s like GM's turbo direct injected 2.0L are getting 260 hp, but back then 270 horsepower from a V6 was pretty amazing. Keep in mind this was when '85 L98 was at 230 hp, and the later LT1 V8 was introduced at 300 hp.

After that, I don't know why Honda didn't update it more, they tend to build these technological showcase halo cars and not do much else with them (S2000).

I didn't say the Acura NSX wasn't an advanced car for its time (it was--perhaps the most advanced in the world for 1990). I said the NSX was poorly engineered. There's a difference.

At the time of the 290 HP NSX, the Corvette was getting like 400/400 from their engine (1994), not that I'm a big fan of Mercury Marine powerplants or anything (in fact I'd rather have any LSx engine over that thing)...

[Mr. Burns]

Originally Posted by Glenns

I didn't say the Acura NSX wasn't an advanced car for its time (it was--perhaps the most advanced in the world for 1990). I said the NSX was poorly engineered. There's a difference.

At the time of the 290 HP NSX, the Corvette was getting like 400/400 from their engine (1994), not that I'm a big fan of Mercury Marine powerplants or anything (in fact I'd rather have any LSx engine over that thing)...

How can the "most advanced car in the world for 1990" not have been well engineered?

[Glenns]

Originally Posted by Mr. Burns

How can the "most advanced car in the world for 1990" not have been well engineered?

By using advanced concepts like hi-revving mid-mounted V6 engines in clunky, heavy frames assembled with adhesives, etc...

[Speedjerk]

Originally Posted by johnstarnes

I always liked it...I just wish the new one was a production version of that stunning concept they showed a few years back that was clearly an evolution of the original....the new one looks to be much more "normal" in proportions and stance and styling.

Yeah, I agree John. That first iteration that debuted in 2003 (HSC) was a step in the right direction. I even think it could have passed for an MR Corvette. I think any hope now of Honda bringing a modern supercar to the world stage is little to none with the new administration's 2016 CAFE requirements. If so, it will likely be a hybrid, which may not necessarily be a bad move, especially if Honda has built a cult following with those who believe the carbon theory...or want to at least "look good" in the eyes of those who do.

Here are some early 2001 pictures from Honda's press department showing a second generation, lighter yet more powerful (MR) NSX, before the HSC was revealed. I like this even better than the HSC. It could even be released today and would probably be well received by the automotive press. It's amazing that this did not follow the 2005 model, especially the first picture below. It was conservative yet forward thinking enough to be ahead of even the LFA from Toyota and with a 420hp 3.7L V6, it would have been a successful competitor to the Z06 or anything <100k IMO.



or this...




Better than HSC w/ V10 for 150K?

[Speedjerk]

Originally Posted by Glenns

By using advanced concepts like hi-revving mid-mounted V6 engines in clunky, heavy frames assembled with adhesives, etc...

The ZR-1 weighs in at 3324lbs per GM's website. The 1990 NSX weighs in at 3009lbs with the 1999 Alex Zanardi addition weighing in at 2970lbs. These are coupe models. My targa top car weighs more, but no more than a Z06.

Now, 3324 - 3009 is greater than your claimed 150lbs difference. It's a 315lbs difference.

The car was not made out of clunky, heavy frames assembled with adhesives, etc...



Here is something for you to read. And here...

....NSX's ultra-rigid, ultra-light all aluminum monocoque chassis, all aluminum suspension, boasting the world's first production car with titanium connecting rods, with forged pistons and ultra high-revving capabilities—the redline was at a lofty 8,000 rpm - all traits usually associated with track and race engineered motor cars.

....The result of Honda's NSX-R effort was a vehicle that could challenge the latest sports car models on the track, despite having a base design that was more than 15 years old. For example, noted Japanese race and test driver Motoharu Kurosawa piloted a 2003 NSX-R around the legendary Nurburgring road course in 7:56, a time equal to a Ferrari F360 Challenge Stradale.[citation needed] The NSX-R accomplished this feat despite being out-powered by the Ferrari by nearly 100bhp (75kW) and weighing almost 100kg (220lb) more than the track-oriented Ferrari (at 1180kg).

In fact, it lapped the ring in the same time as the C5 Z06, which weighs only a few hundred pounds more yet makes a whopping "underrated" 405bhp. That's at least 115 horsepower greater than the NSX-R. Theoretically speaking, with its power/weight ratio and bigger brakes, the Z06 should be much, much faster if the NSX was engineered so poorly as you claim. Therefore, I wouldn't exactly call the NSX a "clunky, heavy frame assembled with adhesives" or "inefficient" if I were concerned about my credibility.

The later cars are much faster than what many suspect. In 2001, Car and Driver was the last major publication to perform a road test. Testing the heavier targa topped (NSX-T), they achieved a 4.5 second 0-60mph time and a 12.9 second quarter-mile time @ 110.0 mph! Most enthusiasts believe that the later cars (2001-2005) had a revised ECU for a leaner burn and shared the same hand-built motors with tighter tolerances that went into the 2nd generation Japanese NSX-R, even though it was never rated at anything more than 290bhp. However, the NSX-R weighs about 2800lbs and ran a 12.5 to 12.8 second quarter-mile.

Edmonds was the last publication to do a comparison test and with the heavier 2003 NSX-T, the car was a tick faster than the Supercharged Mustang Cobra that everyone knows is well underrated at 390bhp. The Cobra even has a more favorable power/weight ratio yet both cars did the quarter-mile in 13.6 seconds at similar trap speeds. This was slow, but edmonds.com (as you probably know) is notorious for getting conservative times. Most '03 and '04 Cobras ran a stock time of about 12.9 seconds. This bodes well for the NSX by showing that an MR car is more efficient at putting power to the ground.

+ YouTube Video

[CACressida]

NSX is an awesome vehicle.

[Mr. Burns]

Originally Posted by CACressida

NSX is an awesome vehicle.

Somehow referring to this type of car as a "vehicle" sounds wrong.

[Speedjerk]

The press calls the styling of one of these cars "dated", and the other is new for 2005. Guess which is which?