RE: Time For Tea? NSX vs Testarossa
Monday 30th July 2012
Once again we come back to Best Motoring: the finest track battles know to car-kind. Even if they’re almost completely fictitious.
Dabs of oppo never came more heroicThis wonderful piece of footage shows how an NSX mauls a Testarossa around Tsukuba. Having driven both cars and the circuit, albeit in an MX-5, I can confirm that the result is absolutely spot-on.
Time For Tea? NSX vs Testarossa
A classic Best Motoring battle from the archives proving quite how fiery a redhead the Testarossa really was
Dabs of oppo never came more heroic
Many people wonder just how spiteful the Testarossa really was. Well, here it is laid bare, at 4min 26sec. Bit of trailing throttle and whoooooopie! It lets go like an Elise on 125/75s in the wet being pedalled by a drunk man. Quite how M Kurosawa manages to wind in the correct lock and remove it again given the hideous driving position and steering weight is anyone’s guess.
When the director asked the legend that is Tsuchiya-san to drive the car for the moving shots in a manner that would reflect the lap times he clearly thought “Sod that, I’m going sideways everywhere.”
Discussion
The video makers seem bias in favour of the Honda, the Ferrari driver should gives his head a wobble for that poor start off the line.
The Honda really has dated badly, although I can't say they ever did anything for me at the time of release.
The Honda really has dated badly, although I can't say they ever did anything for me at the time of release.
Edited by thewheelman on Monday 30th July 16:20
Edited by thewheelman on Monday 30th July 16:51
Not really comparing like with like are they? The NSX was launched 6 years after the Ferrari and was more an adversary for the 348 and 355.
I couldn't care less about the TR track time. They didn't design the Testarossa to win races, so what relevance does this have? If we're honest the 6 cylinder NSX is a bit of a white-goods product in comparison. I mean they even sold a large proportion of them with auto boxes. Urghh.
I couldn't care less about the TR track time. They didn't design the Testarossa to win races, so what relevance does this have? If we're honest the 6 cylinder NSX is a bit of a white-goods product in comparison. I mean they even sold a large proportion of them with auto boxes. Urghh.
thewheelman said:
The video makers seem bias in favour of the Honda, the Ferrari driver should gives his head a wobble for that poor start off the line.
For sure!! All these mad japanese with group tests always favour the home nation. The ferrari driver was def out for a sunday drive, where as the NSX driver was abs booting it.Good fun to watch though, which is always the point!
I don't know if it’s because it was my bedroom 'poster car' when I was a child or the fact that i was allowed to stay up late to watch Miami Vice, or the fact that my first employer owned a yellow one - But i adore the Testarossa, even more so than the easily arguably better 512 TR.
The late spec Yellow one, owned by a certain Mr Frost (whom I am told still owns the car) was epic, with OE style Compomotive 3-piece wheels and a full Tubi exhaust system...... If I ever get the chance again (once nearly purchased a 308GTS QV) to be in a position to own a Ferrari, as a car to keep hold of - It will be a Testarossa (i watch in dismay as the prices seem to slowly creep up).
I’m not knocking the NSX at all, I really like them, but I don’t covet them the way I do a Testarossa (even with all the cars floors and issues).
The late spec Yellow one, owned by a certain Mr Frost (whom I am told still owns the car) was epic, with OE style Compomotive 3-piece wheels and a full Tubi exhaust system...... If I ever get the chance again (once nearly purchased a 308GTS QV) to be in a position to own a Ferrari, as a car to keep hold of - It will be a Testarossa (i watch in dismay as the prices seem to slowly creep up).
I’m not knocking the NSX at all, I really like them, but I don’t covet them the way I do a Testarossa (even with all the cars floors and issues).
Edited by richard300 on Monday 30th July 16:26
LotusOmega375D said:
Not really comparing like with like are they? The NSX was launched 6 years after the Ferrari and was more an adversary for the 348 and 355.
I couldn't care less about the TR track time. They didn't design the Testarossa to win races, so what relevance does this have? If we're honest the 6 cylinder NSX is a bit of a white-goods product in comparison. I mean they even sold a large proportion of them with auto boxes. Urghh.
I'm not alone in thinking this was aimed at the 348 then, & this "race" is more of an exhibition.I couldn't care less about the TR track time. They didn't design the Testarossa to win races, so what relevance does this have? If we're honest the 6 cylinder NSX is a bit of a white-goods product in comparison. I mean they even sold a large proportion of them with auto boxes. Urghh.
My favourite Ferrari by miles. kaliber said:
thewheelman said:
The video makers seem bias in favour of the Honda, the Ferrari driver should gives his head a wobble for that poor start off the line.
For sure!! All these mad japanese with group tests always favour the home nation. The ferrari driver was def out for a sunday drive, where as the NSX driver was abs booting it.Good fun to watch though, which is always the point!
I dove a Testarossa about 17 years ago on an experience day at Mallory Park. I was soo excited, I’d dreamt about driving one since I read the launch article in Car magazine. I got in pulled away from the pits and just couldn’t wait to floor it – as you when you are 20. I thought I was going quickly and then my expectations were shattered when I was overtaken easily buy an instructor in a Mk 2 golf GTI 8V – gutted. http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/imgs/8.gif
Writing this makes me feel very very old as it feels like yesterday.
Writing this makes me feel very very old as it feels like yesterday.
At some point there will be moaning that the Testarossa's engine is mounted to high, the handling compromised. And it's 80's reputation...
...But I think it's epic. In part it's my age (I too was allowed to stay up late to watch Don hoon around in one. Pretty much every episode was 10.10 on a Monday
)
A proper V12 Fezza and one of the most distintive Ferrari's of all time. I'll have mine in white please
Love the way that NSX moves on track though.
...But I think it's epic. In part it's my age (I too was allowed to stay up late to watch Don hoon around in one. Pretty much every episode was 10.10 on a Monday
) A proper V12 Fezza and one of the most distintive Ferrari's of all time. I'll have mine in white please
Love the way that NSX moves on track though.
I love the Best Motoring vids for the shear amount of metal they seem to be able to get a hold of and put on track. I mean where else can you see Porsches vs Lamborghinis vs Ferraris vs a Mclaren F1 all on track at the same time and they absolutley hammer them all, often bumper to bumper racing. I have no idea how they manage to convince all the owners of these exotica to let them loose with their cars but it's an epic spectacle.
I will agree with other posters though in that it is HUGELY biased towards Jap metal. When you see a 10 year old NSX with barely 300bhp handily beating a 500bhp+ Lambo or Ferrari around a track, I think you quickly work out that the "races" are just a tinsy bit staged.
I will agree with other posters though in that it is HUGELY biased towards Jap metal. When you see a 10 year old NSX with barely 300bhp handily beating a 500bhp+ Lambo or Ferrari around a track, I think you quickly work out that the "races" are just a tinsy bit staged.
hairykrishna said:
An NSX that sounded like a Testarossa would be more or less my perfect car.
Whilst i'm not saying it sounds like a Testarossa, it does sound more Angry Flat 12 than it does Honda V6.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo7hDeqgZ_4&fea...
St John Smythe said:
DanDC5 said:
I'd take the NSX any day. And watching Keichi Tsuchiya driving like that is always a great thing, the man is a legend.
No chance. If both of these cars were put in front of you I can guarantee you'd take the Testarossa!I'm not sure if you're a genius or just have your head up your arse to be honest.
So Testarossa's have a dogleg box or he started in 2nd? 
First trackday I ever did WAY back in about - err - 96ish (993 launchtime, whenever that was) the instructor I got had been out in a Testarossa and a Diablo before he got into my (corporate sponsor provided) 993 and his first words were
"Ah - thank god I'm back in a car which does corners"
I then went on to prove him wrong on that topic - at least with me driving - but he did say it was hard to tell which of those 2 were actually poorer at doing anything other than going fast in straight lines and looking good.
The Diablo ended-up in the kitty litter shortly thereafter and the Testarossa went home on a transporter leaking oil - wheras I gave the Porsche back sans any brakepads whatsoever and some poor bugger had to drive it back to HQ anyway
First trackday I ever did WAY back in about - err - 96ish (993 launchtime, whenever that was) the instructor I got had been out in a Testarossa and a Diablo before he got into my (corporate sponsor provided) 993 and his first words were
"Ah - thank god I'm back in a car which does corners"
I then went on to prove him wrong on that topic - at least with me driving - but he did say it was hard to tell which of those 2 were actually poorer at doing anything other than going fast in straight lines and looking good.
The Diablo ended-up in the kitty litter shortly thereafter and the Testarossa went home on a transporter leaking oil - wheras I gave the Porsche back sans any brakepads whatsoever and some poor bugger had to drive it back to HQ anyway
Edited by 405dogvan on Monday 30th July 16:47
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