Filed under: Sports/GTs
New NSX to get V10 + AWD
About a month after Acura officially announced the end of its much-beloved current generation NSX, more information is
becoming available on its replacement due in 2008. According to
AutoWeek, in addition to a V10 engine, Acura also intends
on giving the next-gen NSX its SH-AWD (Super Handling All-Wheel Drive) that debuted on the new RL. It is possible
the upcoming NSX will be based on the HSC concept (shown) that Acura unveiled in 2004, which featured an aluminum
and carbon fiber shell, mid-mounted engine, and the super-car-mandatory F1 style paddle shifters. The new NSX
definitely has some big shoes to fill, as the out-going NSX is one of the coolest super cars ever built. We can't
wait.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sid Ghosh 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
I hope they make it a bit cheaper than the NSX was. Way to pricey. There is a lot of stuff at that price range. Porsches, Vettes, Vipers, Beemer Ms, AMGs...
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Hub714 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
god...flappy paddle shifters...i want a clutch!
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J Zeke 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
Nice!
And here I was losing faith in Honda. Faith: restored. Seems like Honda and Toyota are squaring off for an epic battle of supercar-stardom. Perhaps the kids of the decision makers have made their parents watch a little too much "Dragon Ball Z."
What I like is that this wont be another Ferrari, Lamborghini etc. While plenty of people love the exclusivity of a car that needs a 30k service every 4000 miles, I dont have the patience. The previous NSX was bulletproof like a Porsche, and even more reasonable to run as a daily driver.
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Brent 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
A bit cheaper????
All new V10, aluminum and carbon fiber shell, F1 style paddle shift transmission - I don't think we can expect this car to be cheap.
This would be the introduction of three technologies Honda does not currently use - my guess is the price jumps by 20-30% to around $100,000.
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Sid Ghosh 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
I agree, Brent. Let me rephrase that - the old car was not worth that price point. The new one will be but they can still reduce the price. I mean...the M5 is right there and so is the Carrera.
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BF 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
JAPS Lie on Horsepower....new SAE ratings show Honda and Toyota inflated horespower claims. Check todays Detriot News.
http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0508/17/A01-283759.htm
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Prince David 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
The old car NSX premiered at a time when 275 HP was a lot of power, and it was one of the world's best handling cars. Problem is they have been using the same car forever with no changes, I have been waiting for them to update the car but I have to say this has exceeded my expectations! Can't wait to see how it performs agains the competition
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Joel A 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
"And here I was losing faith in Honda."
You may have good reason, J Zeke. Looks like both Honda and Toyota have been lying:
Asians oversell horsepower
http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0508/17/A01-283759.htm
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Chris K 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
An aluminum/carbon-fiber mid-engined V10 AWD sports car? That sounds kinda cool. :)
Any specs on the V10 get out? I'm guessing it will be shades of Honda's F1 engine? Hopefully without the propensity to explode. :)
Honda needs to lose the "super handling" moniker for the US market... it sounds completely juvenile, which won't fly here in the US compared to serious sounding names like Z06 and SRT10.
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Mike 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
It will probably 300HP, with 140ft/lb...
All for double the price of a 'Vette that would kick it's ass, and still more expensive than a Viper...
Will they come up with their own style this time instead of copying a Vette front end and a Ferrari back end???
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Brian 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
Wow BF, that comment was really helpful to this discussion. I feel all the more enlightened because you posted that. How can Honda lie about a HP claim when they haven't made one for the next gen NSX? Wow...
As for the price, all we can do is speculate. But I wouldn't be surprised if Honda would keep it relatively low and even take a loss if this is going to be a halo car for the company. I mean, it's not like it'll be selling in volume like the Civic or Accord.
And Mike...come on, let's not be juvenile and make a ridiculous claim like "300HP with 140ft/lb." Give some credit here to Honda, they've earned it.
I'd like to see a lot of F1 trickle down into this car. I'd like to see a high-revving V10, maybe 9-10k redline. Only time will tell though.
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BrettInWeHo 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
Let's hope some marketing guy intercepts the "SH" designation. "Super Handling" is a cheesy term that sounds ricey in the translation, and will not appeal to knowledgeable enthusiasts who will be buying exotics such as this.
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Scott 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
"As for the price, all we can do is speculate. But I wouldn't be surprised if Honda would keep it relatively low and even take a loss if this is going to be a halo car for the company. I mean, it's not like it'll be selling in volume like the Civic or Accord."
Everything you just said could have been said before the previous NSX gen came out, and guess what. That went for $80k. I highly doubt they would LOWER the price with a new one.
"And Mike...come on, let's not be juvenile and make a ridiculous claim like "300HP with 140ft/lb." Give some credit here to Honda, they've earned it."
They sure didn't earn it with the S2000! That car is definitely a torqueless wonder. The current NSX is completely outpowered by any other car in it's price range.
So where did they earn this "credit" in the supercar realm? Maybe after they put a V10 in, they will earn credit, but I don't think they've earned it yet!
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Bob 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
@ mike:
maybe you should look again cuz the nsx didnt steal the corvette front end or the ferrari back end. they nsx looks nothing like a corvette from the front or a ferrari from the back.
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Zeus 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
New NSX looks sweet. I love how the domestic fanboiz respond with negative attacks that are totally unrelated. BTW Mike and all the other "Asians are Liars" dumbasses, if you actually read the article you'd see that many of the domestic manufacturers aren't even retesting because they don't want to spend the money until they upgrade their drivetrains. Also, if you knew anything at all about cars you'd know that modern engine management combined with varying octanes, air temps, and humidity make a fixed horsepower rating pure fantasy. Most of California's premium gas is only 91 octane... guess what, sports cars make less power on it because the ECU has to run the engine more conservatively. Should -all- manufacturers have to stipulate that their performance cars make less HP in Cali because of the available gas?
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Brian 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
Scott,
No where did I say that Honda should/would LOWER the price of the next NSX. I merely said that maybe they'd keep it relatively low (relative to other supercars, not $80k). Also, there weren't as many options in the supercar realm back when the NSX originally came out, so pricing wasn't as large an issue. Again, they may RAISE the price. No one knows, and to attack my SPECULATION is rather pointless since none of these comments are based in fact.
"The current NSX is outpowered by any other car in its price range." Well of course, it's a 15 year old design that Honda stopped developing several years ago. Nothing noteworthy there. Everyone knows it was just a place holder and wasn't meant to sell in droves in recent years.
And as for the credit I was referring to, I was talking about Honda's participation in that tiny little racing series known as Formula 1. You know, that racing series that pits international manufacturers against one another in the most technically advanced form of racing. To presume they can't build a supercar based on the former NSX's performance against CURRENT supercars is an ignorant statement. Do you have any idea how much "credit" Honda earned when the NSX originally came out?
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whofan 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
"modern engine management combined with varying octanes, air temps, and humidity make a fixed horsepower rating pure fantasy"- (Zeus)
Nothing truer can be said. Horse power is just one varible that contributes to the over all performance of a vehicle. It is one important reference used as a measure for performance. Its easy to understand but overrated and not real accurate.
NO two engines are exactly the same.
The new NSX and previous one are the nicest sports cars built outside the Corvette. The NSX is one Japanese car that has character.The old Datsun 240z was another one.
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JinFX 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
didnt somebody say the next NSX will be at most a little close to the HSC concept?
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philip 11:16PM (12/18/2005)
How do Japanese auto maker "inflate" HP ratings? The 2006 Honda Civic Si is rated to have 197 HP at the crank, if you put one on a dyno, they produce 214whp, thats UNDER rated from the factory, not OVER rated. All Japanese automakers follow a self imposed HP rating, r34 skyline, rated at 276hp, put one on a dyno, it will produce in excess of 300whp.
Im gonna beleive ANYTHING that comes out of detroit about Honda and Toyota.
Theyre called Dumbestics, for a reason. American Iron, is no longer best, in fact, its the worst. Stupid redneck morons.
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McCamish 9:49PM (11/23/2007)
You are saying the (240hp) S2000 doesn't deserve respect. There is no other 2 litre non-turbo engine stock standard road legal that compares. Now if honda makes a non-turbo 5litre V10 to the same standard as the S2000, it would easily be capable of 600HP. And since this is going to be their supercar I wouldn't be surprised. That's why honda have earned respect.
Also the old NSX was one of the best handling road car of all time, and I think you'll find that's where the American cars have been walked all over is in the handling department. I think a lot of the Corvettes were still running leaf springs.
With regard to power testing rules, all car companies have been testing power from the crank, which is always higher than at the wheels, and it's possible that they've been flowing in cold air and doing any number of things to increase power readings. But to say it's just Toyota and Honda is very naive. Stamping different rules on power readings will change EVERY companies power readings even you beloved Corvettes etc.
Just for general interest, Honda were getting 240HP out of their motogp 0.99L V5 motorbike.