Why was Honda NSX not a great seller?
Discussion
Pentoman said:
Engine not large enough really.
Engine not characterful enough. It certainly has character but it's sports car character not supercar character.
Engine is probably closely related to that from an everyday saloon car. I am assuming this, by the way - but then so would potential buyers.
All the above are probably suffered by the Esprit and Evora as well. Compare to some of the great units in the 911, 348, and maybe even Corvette.
In a way, this is the problem in a nutshell. As someone who owns bonafide supercars like the DB9, 550 Maranello, 996 Turbo and full fat AC Cobra amongst others, I can quite categorically tell you the NSX mill has more character than any of them. Drive one and you'll get it. It's plenty big enough, it's plenty powerful enough, and boy does it make a noise.Engine not characterful enough. It certainly has character but it's sports car character not supercar character.
Engine is probably closely related to that from an everyday saloon car. I am assuming this, by the way - but then so would potential buyers.
All the above are probably suffered by the Esprit and Evora as well. Compare to some of the great units in the 911, 348, and maybe even Corvette.
I know you say you like NSX's, but it seems that is despite the engine. After 10 mins in one you will understand. Sadly most opinion seems to be from those who have never driven one.
cccscotland said:
In a way, this is the problem in a nutshell. As someone who owns bonafide supercars like the DB9, 550 Maranello, 996 Turbo and full fat AC Cobra amongst others, I can quite categorically tell you the NSX mill has more character than any of them. Drive one and you'll get it. It's plenty big enough, it's plenty powerful enough, and boy does it make a noise.
I know you say you like NSX's, but it seems that is despite the engine. After 10 mins in one you will understand. Sadly most opinion seems to be from those who have never driven one.
Well said. I know you say you like NSX's, but it seems that is despite the engine. After 10 mins in one you will understand. Sadly most opinion seems to be from those who have never driven one.
cccscotland said:
Pentoman said:
Engine not large enough really.
Engine not characterful enough. It certainly has character but it's sports car character not supercar character.
Engine is probably closely related to that from an everyday saloon car. I am assuming this, by the way - but then so would potential buyers.
All the above are probably suffered by the Esprit and Evora as well. Compare to some of the great units in the 911, 348, and maybe even Corvette.
In a way, this is the problem in a nutshell. As someone who owns bonafide supercars like the DB9, 550 Maranello, 996 Turbo and full fat AC Cobra amongst others, I can quite categorically tell you the NSX mill has more character than any of them. Drive one and you'll get it. It's plenty big enough, it's plenty powerful enough, and boy does it make a noise.Engine not characterful enough. It certainly has character but it's sports car character not supercar character.
Engine is probably closely related to that from an everyday saloon car. I am assuming this, by the way - but then so would potential buyers.
All the above are probably suffered by the Esprit and Evora as well. Compare to some of the great units in the 911, 348, and maybe even Corvette.
I know you say you like NSX's, but it seems that is despite the engine. After 10 mins in one you will understand. Sadly most opinion seems to be from those who have never driven one.
I agree entirely.I can see Pento's point about the Esprit engine, but the V8 with a decent exhaust solved that problem.
Without having read the preceding pages, where these points may have become the fuel for all manner of discussions:
1.) The badge - A silver metal H is for Chris Barrie's forehead, not a supercar.
2.) The interior feel - It may be bespoke to the car, but it looks and feels like a regular civic.
3.) The styling - The practical boot gave it the unusual rear overhang
4.) The number of cylinders - "Just" a V6 isn't enough.
1.) The badge - A silver metal H is for Chris Barrie's forehead, not a supercar.
2.) The interior feel - It may be bespoke to the car, but it looks and feels like a regular civic.
3.) The styling - The practical boot gave it the unusual rear overhang
4.) The number of cylinders - "Just" a V6 isn't enough.
jackal said:
Conversely, its fabulous when you have these preconceptions and expectations smashed. I was expecting that with the F430. Having sampled older ferraris in years gone by I was expecting a kit car feel, ham fisted damping, and an inert overassisted steering wheel with only a vague diffuse sense of connectivity. WRONG.
Blimey! What it that bad...!?
NoelWatson said:
TomJS said:
Heck the 928 even had 51/49 % weight distribution which rather detracts from the point of the NSX being mid engined.
Assume you are joking.http://www.topspeed.com/cars/porsche/1978-1995-por...
Top Speed Cars says said:
Thus equipped with a front-engine, rear transaxle layout the 928 has near perfect weight balance distribution of 50/50 front to rear.
TomJS said:
NoelWatson said:
TomJS said:
Heck the 928 even had 51/49 % weight distribution which rather detracts from the point of the NSX being mid engined.
Assume you are joking.http://www.topspeed.com/cars/porsche/1978-1995-por...
Top Speed Cars says said:
Thus equipped with a front-engine, rear transaxle layout the 928 has near perfect weight balance distribution of 50/50 front to rear.
TomJS said:
NoelWatson said:
TomJS said:
Heck the 928 even had 51/49 % weight distribution which rather detracts from the point of the NSX being mid engined.
Assume you are joking.http://www.topspeed.com/cars/porsche/1978-1995-por...
Top Speed Cars says said:
Thus equipped with a front-engine, rear transaxle layout the 928 has near perfect weight balance distribution of 50/50 front to rear.
RobM77 said:
TomJS said:
NoelWatson said:
TomJS said:
Heck the 928 even had 51/49 % weight distribution which rather detracts from the point of the NSX being mid engined.
Assume you are joking.http://www.topspeed.com/cars/porsche/1978-1995-por...
Top Speed Cars says said:
Thus equipped with a front-engine, rear transaxle layout the 928 has near perfect weight balance distribution of 50/50 front to rear.
http://www.autozine.org/technical_school/handling/...
I keep coming back to the NSX but having been in two (manual and automatic) I found them really disappointing to be honest.
The noise of the manual on full bore sounded great but it seemed that it had to be high in the rev range (so exceeding speed limit or keeping in a lower gear) and the acceleration was ok-ish. The roads did not allow any exploration of the handling but I got out thinking "Really, is that it?"
I then had a look at, and a decent drive of an auto, and that was even more disappointing and felt very very underpowered.
In both instances I left the cars without a sense of "wow, I need this RIGHT now". Now, it may be a issue of not having spent enough time with them but there was just no connection.
On the other hand, I had a decent drive of a Mercedes S600L Biturbo and was left gobsmacked and more than once just laughed out loud when accelerating at just how quick it was. And contrary to what is commonly thought, it is amazing at how quickly an ABC equipped S-Class can go down B-roads (Active Body Control).
Completely different cars, granted, but maybe a case of horses for courses?
The noise of the manual on full bore sounded great but it seemed that it had to be high in the rev range (so exceeding speed limit or keeping in a lower gear) and the acceleration was ok-ish. The roads did not allow any exploration of the handling but I got out thinking "Really, is that it?"
I then had a look at, and a decent drive of an auto, and that was even more disappointing and felt very very underpowered.
In both instances I left the cars without a sense of "wow, I need this RIGHT now". Now, it may be a issue of not having spent enough time with them but there was just no connection.
On the other hand, I had a decent drive of a Mercedes S600L Biturbo and was left gobsmacked and more than once just laughed out loud when accelerating at just how quick it was. And contrary to what is commonly thought, it is amazing at how quickly an ABC equipped S-Class can go down B-roads (Active Body Control).
Completely different cars, granted, but maybe a case of horses for courses?
XB70 said:
I keep coming back to the NSX but having been in two (manual and automatic) I found them really disappointing to be honest.
The noise of the manual on full bore sounded great but it seemed that it had to be high in the rev range (so exceeding speed limit or keeping in a lower gear) and the acceleration was ok-ish. The roads did not allow any exploration of the handling but I got out thinking "Really, is that it?"
I then had a look at, and a decent drive of an auto, and that was even more disappointing and felt very very underpowered.
In both instances I left the cars without a sense of "wow, I need this RIGHT now". Now, it may be a issue of not having spent enough time with them but there was just no connection.
NSX straight line acceleration and speed was sufficient 10-20 yrs ago but now all manners of VERY modern hot hatches will acchieve sub 6 sec 0-60mph....therefore most drivers nowadays will feel a little underwhelm with the NSX.....but take the NSX onto a B road and you will appreciate it's abilities...the stability, the grip, the accuracy of the steering, the abilty to iron out bumps and camber etc. In this environment, modern Ferraris, Porsches and Lambos had difficulty to shake the NSX off it's tail. The handling of the NSX allows the driver to drive at 9-10/10th of the cars abilities and the feeling is sublime! This with ONLY 280bhp!!!The noise of the manual on full bore sounded great but it seemed that it had to be high in the rev range (so exceeding speed limit or keeping in a lower gear) and the acceleration was ok-ish. The roads did not allow any exploration of the handling but I got out thinking "Really, is that it?"
I then had a look at, and a decent drive of an auto, and that was even more disappointing and felt very very underpowered.
In both instances I left the cars without a sense of "wow, I need this RIGHT now". Now, it may be a issue of not having spent enough time with them but there was just no connection.
I have remedied both my NSXs of this power problem by fitting a supercharger....so now I get the best of both worlds...no suped up hot hatch will even have the chance to come close...I can also hold my head high in the face of the modern supercar/sportscar....the blast down A and B roads remains even more shockingly enjoyable...
You do have to drive an NSX longer than 5 mins to appreciate them...
All ex-owners of NSX regret selling them!!!!!!!
SS
SS
XB70 said:
I keep coming back to the NSX but having been in two (manual and automatic) I found them really disappointing to be honest.
The noise of the manual on full bore sounded great but it seemed that it had to be high in the rev range (so exceeding speed limit or keeping in a lower gear) and the acceleration was ok-ish. The roads did not allow any exploration of the handling but I got out thinking "Really, is that it?"
I then had a look at, and a decent drive of an auto, and that was even more disappointing and felt very very underpowered.
In both instances I left the cars without a sense of "wow, I need this RIGHT now". Now, it may be a issue of not having spent enough time with them but there was just no connection.
On the other hand, I had a decent drive of a Mercedes S600L Biturbo and was left gobsmacked and more than once just laughed out loud when accelerating at just how quick it was. And contrary to what is commonly thought, it is amazing at how quickly an ABC equipped S-Class can go down B-roads (Active Body Control).
Completely different cars, granted, but maybe a case of horses for courses?
The noise of the manual on full bore sounded great but it seemed that it had to be high in the rev range (so exceeding speed limit or keeping in a lower gear) and the acceleration was ok-ish. The roads did not allow any exploration of the handling but I got out thinking "Really, is that it?"
I then had a look at, and a decent drive of an auto, and that was even more disappointing and felt very very underpowered.
In both instances I left the cars without a sense of "wow, I need this RIGHT now". Now, it may be a issue of not having spent enough time with them but there was just no connection.
On the other hand, I had a decent drive of a Mercedes S600L Biturbo and was left gobsmacked and more than once just laughed out loud when accelerating at just how quick it was. And contrary to what is commonly thought, it is amazing at how quickly an ABC equipped S-Class can go down B-roads (Active Body Control).
Completely different cars, granted, but maybe a case of horses for courses?
The NSX is not a car that impresses with its power. It impresses with its ride and handling, and the quality of the engineering in the gearchange and engine. The ride and handling is the truly impressive thing though. As I mentioned earlier, the Mclaren F1 book covers measurable parameters of this for all the cars around at that time, and in parameters such as toe change through suspension deflection, it was way ahead of the other cars around at the time. Subjectively, on the 2003 model that I drove I found the handling nothing short of extraordinary. It most definitely was a car I got out of thinking "I've simply got to own one of those!".
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