Why do I hanker for an NSX
Discussion
Im sure they are nice, but i didnt ever see the point in them, they were just too expensive and didnt have the same amount of power its rivals had, especailly when you consider what was in the same price bracket.
Although they sold pretty darn well in the US and Japan.
Now you could buy a 355, 911 turbo for same price as an 02 NSX
I know where my money would go anyway.
But i have never driven one so maybe thats what i dont see the point in them.
Although they sold pretty darn well in the US and Japan.
Now you could buy a 355, 911 turbo for same price as an 02 NSX
I know where my money would go anyway.
But i have never driven one so maybe thats what i dont see the point in them.

shibby! said:
Im sure they are nice, but i didnt ever see the point in them, they were just too expensive and didnt have the same amount of power its rivals had, especailly when you consider what was in the same price bracket.
In defence of the NSX, when it was released in 1990, it's main rivals were the 964, Esprit and Ferrari 348 (though the Ferrari cost a fair bit more). The NSX was more powerful than the Porsche (unless we're talking about the Turbo) and Lotus and was not far adrift of the 348.The Ferrari and Lotus rivals got much faster as time went on but the NSX was still in touch with the 911 in terms of performance and price. It was only towards the end of its life that it was starting to look a little pricey next to it's rivals.
I take your point in terms of used prices of late NSX's but if you compare used prices of early NSX's to its then rivals, they don't look too ridiculous.
kambites said:
shibby! said:
Now you could buy a 355, 911 turbo for same price as an 02 NSX
Well yes you could, but neither would drive as well as the Honda and they (or at least the Ferrari) would probably cost twice as much to run. Ill stand to be corrected having never driven either!

Running costs for sure.....
But then if that was an issue, then should you be buying a 70k sports car?
I do think the later Mr2's look nicer, but i am a fan of the MR2's and a turbo version will be very fast, extremely reliable (if your sensible) and can be had for a fraction of the price.
Forget the looks, it's not a handbag (besides, I love the way they look!).
Forget the performance, it's not a racing car
Look at the drive: that's just incredible.
I drove the 2003 press demonstrator seven years ago at a Honda sponsored track day and it stuck out as the best road car I'd ever driven at the time. The Elise I bought a year later bettered it for the drive, but with obviously practicality disadvantages. However, I'll never forget stepping out of my Caterham, which I'd been blasting round in for fifteen minutes previously, and being utterly bowled over by the NSX (that's saying something). The first things that struck me were the engine response (cable throttle...), incredible gearhchange, and lovely V6 sound. The second thing that struck me was when I went to pass a car in a 100mph corner, and the supervising instructor told me to back off (it was my first track day after several years of racing and test days, so had passing in corners ingrained in my psyche), and the ensuing neutrality and oversteer was the most controllable and connected that I've experience in any car ever - truly magical; and for 1300kg+ at 100mph, astoundingly good (find the Senna Suzuka NSX video and watch him take the double left hander halfway round the lap - that's what I'm talking about! Not many big heavy cars will drive like that at speed). Later that lap, the instructor urged me to boot it coming out of a 2nd gear corner, and I had the NSX on the lock stops, but at no point did it feel like it wanted to spin, it just gently came back into line without any jerk or over-correction or anything. Aside from these antics, the actual handling and responses of the thing at speed when driven neatly were truly magical.
It's true what some people on this thread have said, cars made since the NSX may be technically better, but in my opinion none that I've tried has driven as well. Gordon Murray actually raves about it in a book I've got on the Mclaren F1 - the measurable figures for the NSX (geo deflection with suspension movement etc) were way in advance of any other supercar at the time.
I think the NSX is the closest road car to perfection that I've ever driven. Only an awkward driving position and tiny boot mark it down imho.
Forget the performance, it's not a racing car
Look at the drive: that's just incredible.

I drove the 2003 press demonstrator seven years ago at a Honda sponsored track day and it stuck out as the best road car I'd ever driven at the time. The Elise I bought a year later bettered it for the drive, but with obviously practicality disadvantages. However, I'll never forget stepping out of my Caterham, which I'd been blasting round in for fifteen minutes previously, and being utterly bowled over by the NSX (that's saying something). The first things that struck me were the engine response (cable throttle...), incredible gearhchange, and lovely V6 sound. The second thing that struck me was when I went to pass a car in a 100mph corner, and the supervising instructor told me to back off (it was my first track day after several years of racing and test days, so had passing in corners ingrained in my psyche), and the ensuing neutrality and oversteer was the most controllable and connected that I've experience in any car ever - truly magical; and for 1300kg+ at 100mph, astoundingly good (find the Senna Suzuka NSX video and watch him take the double left hander halfway round the lap - that's what I'm talking about! Not many big heavy cars will drive like that at speed). Later that lap, the instructor urged me to boot it coming out of a 2nd gear corner, and I had the NSX on the lock stops, but at no point did it feel like it wanted to spin, it just gently came back into line without any jerk or over-correction or anything. Aside from these antics, the actual handling and responses of the thing at speed when driven neatly were truly magical.
It's true what some people on this thread have said, cars made since the NSX may be technically better, but in my opinion none that I've tried has driven as well. Gordon Murray actually raves about it in a book I've got on the Mclaren F1 - the measurable figures for the NSX (geo deflection with suspension movement etc) were way in advance of any other supercar at the time.
I think the NSX is the closest road car to perfection that I've ever driven. Only an awkward driving position and tiny boot mark it down imho.
I was lucky enough to use a Honda UK NSX for a week back in early 2005. It was without doubt the best car I've ever driven and I absolutely loved it. I'd have one in a heartbeat if I could afford it. My only criticism is that at 6ft3, the driving position was always a little cramped/compromised. However, it was no worse than a 911 C4S or 355/360/550 Ferrari, all of which I've driven and none of which was as much fun as the NSX.
A truly magnificent car.
A truly magnificent car.
Paul 8v said:
I would LOVE one, but they're still quite expensive (for me anyway)I've always wondered why there aren't more tuned ones about compared to Skylines or Supras etc, is it just the price or is it allready too good to mess about with...
I suspect it's because they're normally aspirated. Paul 8v said:
I would LOVE one, but they're still quite expensive (for me anyway)I've always wondered why there aren't more tuned ones about compared to Skylines or Supras etc, is it just the price or is it allready too good to mess about with...
Plenty in Japan 
Not so many here my guess is due to the price and most likely the amount of products available for it. Also Skylines and Supra's are fairly easy to tune due to being turbos

The cheapest one in the sales section is just under £12k
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1487759.htm
Still a bit out of my price range unfortunately, a lot of car for the money though, I'd have to lose the NOS though...
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1487759.htm
Still a bit out of my price range unfortunately, a lot of car for the money though, I'd have to lose the NOS though...
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