RE: PH Heroes: Honda NSX

RE: PH Heroes: Honda NSX

Monday 24th January 2011

PH Heroes: Honda NSX

A car that was partly developed by Ayrton Senna? Definitely a hero...



There's not the same novelty value as when Honda launched this, its first supercar, in 1990, but you still get a buzz when the NSX's VTEC system hits 6250rpm and kicks into rampant life. The surprisingly rich, deep, refined tone of the V6 suddenly loses its smooth edge, turns grittier, more menacing, and the revs soar as if the engine has been blessed with a mid-run revamp. And the higher the revs rise, the more this naturally aspirated motor sounds like a competition unit, tuned as only the Japanese know how.


The 3.0-litre VTEC will rev to 8000rpm, a party piece that seems slightly old hat these days, but which marked out the New Sports car eXperimental as a supercar extraordinaire when Honda wheeled out the first production model at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show.

Now we've got hot hatches with bigger capacity engines in the front and boasting as much power as the 270bhp the mid-engined Honda started out with; the difference is, what the NSX has got can be applied in a more satisfying way, thanks to rear-wheel drive and an original team of development drivers that included Satoru Nakajimi, Bobby Rahal and, famously, Ayrton Senna.


Even in its youth, though, the NSX initially came across as the supercar playground weakling - not enough cylinders (everyone else had eight or 12) and not enough power. But the Japanese newcomer managed to avoid being bullied by staying light on its toes, nimble where it mattered, especially around a track.

Honda deployed its then considerable motorsport might in the development of the NSX, a tactic that often cancelled out its Top Trumps spec deficiencies. In 2003, for example, an NSX-R matched a Ferrari F360 Challenge Stradale around the Nürburgring, despite the latter's extra 100 horses; these days you could create a whole marketing campaign around a feat like that - just ask Nissan.


Honda's engineering ethos has always focussed on efficiency, and as Colin Chapman had previously proven to some effect, you can achieve great efficiency through light weight. Remove mass from the body, for instance, and you then don't need such a large, heavy engine to propel it, nor such large brakes to stop it, you can reduce the size and weight of the wheels - and so it goes on. The NSX was the world's first supercar to use an aluminium monocoque body. Which saved about 200kg compared with a steel equivalent. Incorporated into the body was an extruded aluminium frame, for strength and to attach components to, together with aluminium suspension and an all-alloy engine.


That all equates to lightness you can feel from behind the wheel. You can feel it in the NSX's willingness to change direction; in the way that, once you've changed tack, there's not the momentum of excess weight trying to drag you further around. You can feel it in how the springs and dampers don't feel overworked, or in how snappily the Honda responds to the throttle and dives into three-figure speeds, and in how brutally fast it comes to a halt when you're serious with the nicely progressive and feelsome brakes.

The only heaviness associated with the NSX is its steering in slow, tight corners. Bucking yet another piece of traditionalism, Honda equipped its supercar with the world's first electric power steering. On a modern car, electric power steering means being able to park one-fingered and arcade game feedback, but to hustle the NSX over any great distance, you'll be wanting to work on your shoulders and biceps before you get in.

Meaty steering is the Honda's anomaly - everything else about it was designed to make it convenient to own and to encourage you to drive it as often as possible. Bit like a 911, in fact, though somewhat more exclusive and with the engine a little further forward in the chassis. The NSX's reputation for everyday usability is now so ingrained that even when we pick up Honda UK's 21-year-old demonstrator from its home in Slough, we don't hesitate about using it just like we would were we relieving the press office of a 2011 Civic for a few hours.


Okay, we are slightly wary of the consequences if a mishap should befall this particular car. It's a pre-production prototype (which means Honda can either crush it or keep it - it can't be sold), and its claim to fame is that Ayrton Senna is alleged to have once driven it briefly around the roads of Chiswick. For a while it was butchered by trainee mechanics at the Honda Institute as they honed their skills, before being stuck outside to decay. A couple of guys from the press workshop later reclaimed the NSX - said to be the second ever in the UK - and restored it for use as a sort of 'museum' demonstrator. The fact that it has done less than 12,000 miles suggests they're pretty picky who they lend it to...


On the trip down to our photographic location on Salisbury Plains, the NSX proves an amiable companion. Ride quality on the motorway is fine, helped by the damping effect of the substantially upholstered seats, and visibility is excellent - the glasshouse was modelled on that of an F16 fighter jet and, while we're not inspecting the clouds for signs of bandits at 12 o'clock, the fact that the NSX stands knee-high to an SUV does make you wary of trucks.

There's not too much road or wind noise; no tramlining from the steering or thumping from the chassis. The air-con's chilly, the radio easy to tune. And the V6 has enough torque to waft you along at 3000rpm. (The auto works well on the motorway, too, but never be tempted to buy one - it ruins the driving pleasure everywhere else.)


Which is all very... worthy. A considerable achievement given the NSX can also scorch around a track. But it does leave you wondering if perhaps your supercar ought to feel, well, supercar-ish all the time, even on the run down to Tesco.

On the other hand, the Honda's friendliness extends to its behaviour in extremis. Gentle understeer evolving into a progressively sliding tail, with none of the snappiness, say, of a contemporary mid-engined Ferrari. Compliant suspension that, while allowing more body roll than you'd expect, doesn't become jittery at speed over rough surfaces. A well-judged balance between the responses of all the major controls. A lack of threat from the chassis and aggression from the engine. It's a car you quickly have confidence in, a confidence that ultimately builds into very high speed.

The NSX continued to improve throughout its life. In 1997 the engine grew into a 3.2-litre with 290bhp, while in 2003 the second generation lightweight NSX-R proved that Ferrari and Porsche didn't have the monopoly on insane road racers. But the original NSX was the most remarkable of the bunch. Remarkable that Honda did it at all. Remarkable that it broke with supercar convention in its powertrain and construction. Remarkable that it was done so well and could go so quickly. That it could never quite out-point the other establishment players, failed to arouse the same sort of intense passion, doesn't make the NSX any less of a hero.









Pics: Brett and Antony Fraser

Author
Discussion

scampbird

Original Poster:

265 posts

281 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
God I miss mine...

I know the original 3 litre, non PAS cars, are seen as the best but, call me biased, I'd rather have my 3.2 6 speed. Little bit more power and a 2nd gear that isn't quite so crazy.

Perhaps the auto made it feel more normal, but I never felt I was driving a normal car when I took mine to the shops. It did have a sense of occasion. And it had its foibles, like a gearbox that needed warming up before it worked well.

What a massive shame that Honda UK chose to keep an auto.

anything fast

983 posts

163 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
the best Jap car ever...

it has aged gracefuly and i think it now looks truly beautiful and better than a Ferrari 348. Funny thing was it looked a tad arkward next to a 348 when it came out, of the two the NSX is the now one that makes me smile with the fondness you have for an old friend.. when i see a 348 i just think you couldnt afford a 355!

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

245 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
The greatest tragedy of the NSX is that it left the drawing-board with such dull styling.

Truly the frumpy ferrari, and not helped in the marketing department by its cylinder count.

kambites

67,442 posts

220 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
Ozzie Osmond said:
The greatest tragedy of the NSX is that it left the drawing-board with such dull styling.
And yet I think it's probably the best looking car of its era. Subtlety isn't necessarily a bad thing.

GlenMH

5,199 posts

242 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
I walk past an NSX specialist every day and he usually has a couple in being worked on. I *always* stop and look longly at them.... Particularly the Type R he had until just before Christmas... frown

Edited by GlenMH on Monday 24th January 10:51

v8will

3,301 posts

195 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
Lovely car and just so much more special than the Nissan Skyline Rxx or Supra. This car is on my dream list.

Pity it didn't sell like the 911

james_gt3rs

4,816 posts

190 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
Beautiful cloud9

ArranAshman

144 posts

188 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
One day I will own one of these. Has to me manual though...

CliveM

525 posts

184 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
GlenMH said:
I walk past an NSX specialist every day and he usually has a couple in being worked on. I *always* stop and look longly at them.... Particularly the Type R he had until just before Christmas... frown

Edited by GlenMH on Monday 24th January 10:51
Just out of interest - who's the specialist?

clonmult

10,529 posts

208 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
ArranAshman said:
One day I will own one of these. Has to me manual though...
Likewise.

I will have one.

Only occasionally see them, but they've always had the same effect on me - there really is something truly breathtaking about them.

isee

3,713 posts

182 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
There was one, seemingly abandoned in my apartment bloc's car park for a while. It looked rather tired through not being driven, But I always did wonder what the owner looks like. I now see the NSX has been removed and in that car space lives a Honde Civic Hybrid, driven by a woman who did not return my nod, nor thought to hold the door up for me when i was following her into the apartment block with both my hands full... I guess the owner of the NSX moved out alon giwth his car.

Dracoro

8,655 posts

244 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
CliveM said:
GlenMH said:
I walk past an NSX specialist every day and he usually has a couple in being worked on. I *always* stop and look longly at them.... Particularly the Type R he had until just before Christmas... frown

Edited by GlenMH on Monday 24th January 10:51
Just out of interest - who's the specialist?
Not sure it will have been a real Type-R (rare as fook) but you never know.

GlenMH

5,199 posts

242 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
CliveM said:
Just out of interest - who's the specialist?
A company called Axle and I can't find an English website for them. Takanawa area of Tokyo if you are interested in visting....

GlenMH

5,199 posts

242 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
Dracoro said:
Not sure it will have been a real Type-R (rare as fook) but you never know.
Trust me - he wanted over USD120k for it so I am fairly certain of its provenance. They are very rare and very well respected here too.

britsportscars

281 posts

177 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
Incredible car. I remember reading a group test (maybe top gear or performance car) where it was tested against a Corvette and a 348 and the NSX won easily.

I always keep an eye on the classifieds just in case I see a good one... I'd love a Type R (I think there is only 1 in the UK though) i will keep dreaming!

The Top Trumps point just shows how cars are percieved these days (all facts and figures rather than balance and steering feel etc) even Jay Leno discounted the NSX as the first proper Japanese Supercar because he felt there wasn't enough power... If it's as fast as a Challenge Stradale round the 'Ring with 100bhp less, it must be pretty special!!

I'd settle for a drive of the Red Auto in the article tho! Care to lend me the keys PH? smile

Dagnut

3,515 posts

192 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
Real shame that more weren't sold, so we could pick one up for reasonable money..I think if Honda had of used the Acura brand and marketed it in the same way as Toyota did with Lexus the car could of been a lot more successful...which would of lead to more development...where would the NSX be today if it had of been developed as extensively as its peers of the time?
I don't think its the greatest Jap car ever..I don't that any Jap car has had the impact of the GTR(r35)..but again that car has been totally reworked 4 times in it's life...the NSX basically stayed the same for 15 years

Edited by Dagnut on Monday 24th January 12:14

dinkel

26,863 posts

257 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
Compare one with a 328 / 348 . . . Ouch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAwJsOECGBU
Senna driving one.

bob1179

14,107 posts

208 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
I remember spending a long time looking at one of these and talking to a guy from Honda about it at the '99 British Motor Show at Earls Court. I loved everything about it, the understated looks, the swoopy dash and that lovely V6 engine.

I've alsways thought they were such an awesome car, I too would love to own one at some point.

smile

Frimley111R

15,490 posts

233 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
Totally irresponsible article. After reading I am now scanning the adverts to buy one.....biggrin

bob1179

14,107 posts

208 months

Monday 24th January 2011
quotequote all
Frimley111R said:
Totally irresponsible article. After reading I am now scanning the adverts to buy one.....biggrin
I've just checked myself, there only seem to be 11 for sale in the PH classifieds and a couple of those look a bit ropey.

Is there an NSX UK specialist?

smile

Edited by bob1179 on Monday 24th January 12:23