RR of the Day: What does a designer drive?
Being avid auto enthusiasts, we often get pulled aside and asked, "So what do you drive?" It's flattering to think of our own rides as endorsements, but to date I haven't found many willing to follow my lead and plop down a few grand on a 1999 Oldsmobile Alero (it was a desperation purchase). Today's RR of the Day, a 1991 Acura NSX, is the dream car of one Detroit area auto designer, who highly recommends picking one up if you have the means.
Though largely stock save for a custom exhaust, this NSX is a pristine example of Honda's everyday exotic. The owner, who goes by the Flickr handle blodi, found it in Texas with only 29,000 miles and drove it back to Detroit over three days. He plans to swap out the wheels, work on the suspension and add a forced induction setup to fix what is considered by many to be the car's only flaw: its lack of power. Still, the NSX remains one of the most balanced automobiles ever built, and such a fine example deserves recognition. And hey, if it's good enough for a designer...
f you'd like to see your own ride featured here, simply upload photos of your ride into our Flickr group. We select one image to highlight each week day, and on the weekend let you vote for the RR of the Week. Detailed instructions can be found after the jump.
Instructions for submitting to Autoblog's RR of the Day:
Create a Flickr account if you don't already have one. Search for and join the group called 'Autoblog RR of the Day'. Upload up to three photos of your ride to your own account at a size no larger than 450 pixels wide if possible and include as much information about it and yourself as possible. Even if your ride is sweet, it will not be chosen if there's not a lot of info accompanying it. Click on each photo and just above the picture it will say "Send to group". Click that and select the Autoblog group. You're done, that's it!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Juan 10:24AM (9/18/2006)
Good photography!
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XB Owner 6:35PM (9/18/2006)
Hmm...GM designer not being loyal to the spoon that feeds him. I would expext him to drive some run of the mill vette. I don't blamm him though, the NSX is far more desirable and exotic than a vette' from the same year.
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RRL 11:07AM (9/18/2006)
GM designer? If I had to put $$$ down, I would bet blodi is Camilo Pardo of Ford GT fame. As for not being loyal, Peter Stevens of Mclaren F1 fame, drove an NSX as his daily driver.
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Migo 11:12AM (9/18/2006)
wrong.
camillo is true to heart, and rolls around town in a championship white ford GT, sans stripes.
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Carbsumer 11:41AM (9/18/2006)
I love NSXs, but I've stayed away from buying a used one only because I've heard the maintenance is insane. How has the upkeep been? Any problems finding parts or mechanics who can work on it?
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RRL 12:50PM (9/18/2006)
Migo,
If that's the case, why does Camilo's website clearly state that in the "attached garage in the studio houses his classic Ferrari 308 GT and topless 1964 Thunderbird."
Camilo's website quote, not mine. I'm glad he's open minded enough to appreciate the best, regardless of who's trademark is stamped on it.
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Migo 1:04PM (9/18/2006)
i guess most people can find the distinction between the cars you drive daily and the cars you let sit in your studio to admire....but hey, maybe there's another guy, that looks exactly like camillo, driving a GT around detroit and dearborn....
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JZeke 1:06PM (9/18/2006)
Car designers are a lucky bunch then, because some of us *cough yacht/boat *cough designers would have a bit of trouble buying a 40k used car no matter how sweet.
what do we drive? WRX's, Zs (great financing available) or the odd C-Class. :-D
Guess the marine industry $uck$... Hey Toyota, im sending out my portfolio early next year, holler...
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Snot 1:17PM (9/18/2006)
The NSX was a brave attempt that resulted in a soulless second-class supercar. The car has little visual character, a lack of power, and is notoriously tail-happy. It is not well-balanced. Contemporary vehicles (often costing thousands less) did and can wipe the track with the NSX.
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Andy 1:49PM (9/18/2006)
If you take note that the C5 borrowed heavily from the NSX and RX-7 in styling, driving an NSX isn't so insulting to GM when you think about it.
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anahit 2:33PM (9/18/2006)
Excellent backgrounds. They nicely summarize Detroit's past and present. Makes me almost miss the place. Almost.
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RRL 2:45PM (9/18/2006)
Migo,
I guess you didn't checkout Camilo's website in regards to the T-Bird, ""If it starts raining, you just hope you don't catch any red lights on the way back to the garage," he says. "If you're going fast enough, the airflow blows the rain right over the car and off the deck."
What's so impossible to think that a designer couldn't enjoy/appreciate/own more than one car? It's as preposterous as thinking Camilo's garage = Camilo's studio.
BTW, YES he does drive a Ford GT among other cars.
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Lee 8:37PM (9/18/2006)
I lust for this car. And It's still gorgeous 15 years later.
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Tony 7:16PM (9/18/2006)
Maybe the Acura NSX Snot (I don't know what was done to the car in order for it to be sold in America), but the Honda NSX-R was faster than cars like the 996 911 GT3 and Ferrari 360, with only 300hp. I've seen many videos of Honda NSX's and NSX-R's of both generations on the track and none seemed tail-happy at all. I doubt a car which wasn't sold before Ayrton Senna was totally happy with it would have any handling flaws. What cars sold up until a few years ago could beat it on the track Snot? If you want to say Z06, the C5 Z06 which was the fastest Corvette of the time, was slower than the '03 NSX-R.
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Onsoku 7:54PM (9/18/2006)
Tony, thank for the support! I own a 91 supercharged NSX. At 350+ hp to the wheels; it has the street power to match the race handling...btw, I esp. love the fact that even in San Diego, I will see no more than 1 per week on the road!
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Snot 8:26PM (9/18/2006)
Tony,
The contemporary RX-7 cleaned the NSX's clock with even less horsepower and for far less cash. The RX-7 dominated the national (and local) autocross scene for ten years until the Z06 showed-up. The NSX was rarely seen and never victorious in that time.
Videos, unless they show the driver madly counter-steering, don't show the nature of the car. I've never driven one, so I only have hearsay from people who actually have, but that's more than video.
The NSX-R didn't show up until 2002, seven years after the RX-7 had left the US. Mazda didn't have Honda's deep pockets to keep producing a money-losing "halo" car.
While the Z06 may have been "slower", I am not aware of any NSX-R national titles, while the Z06 has dominated since it's introduction. You can talk all day, but the proof is in the pudding.
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Tom Design 8:35PM (9/18/2006)
Oh well, nice write-up and ride. I agree the styling is gorgeous. Too bad about the tires that wear out at 8-10k and the comparatively weak engine for an exotic. Great look and would love one.
An aside => It doesn't take much to incite the hate on here. Where the heck did the post say "GM sucks" or "hate the NSX?" You guys, Snot, Tony, XB Owner...leave the guy alone. He loves cars and doesn't express it in hate filled statements, but buys what he wants and enjoys himself.
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Yo Mama 8:47PM (9/18/2006)
Stop hating on the NSX........if you do your research you will know this car is from F-1 racing and tested by the late Aryton Senna.
That car will look sexy 50 years from now it is a timeless masterpiece.
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slowv6 9:41AM (9/19/2006)
Snot, if you consider yourself a good driver, you owe yourself one for never driving the nsx and called it a not well-balanced car by someone's heresay. Only incapable drivers will call nsx "tail happy", you know, it's a good excuse when someone just side swipe the beautiful engineered car. Plus, oversteer, understeer, pushy, under-over transition, they all depends on the modification, and the car set up.
nsx never shine in autocross because its slow ratio steering wheel (It's heavy too.) just never mean to deal with 10mph corners. The car was really born for street and track driving. nsx did had its share of glory days in professional motorsport.
In fact my 15 years old nsx wiped quite many cars that are few 10s-thousands more. But then it's only on track day and not in racing environment.
NSX is not expensive at all, you could spend more with a full optioned 06 Honda accord!!
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Andy 11:26PM (9/18/2006)
The NSX was a balanced car, with sharp handling and solid acceleration. Its styling was no less bland than a Ferrari F355, Lambo Diablo, Chevy Corvette, or Bugatti EB110. Such "beautiful" Italian sports cars in the decade: the F355, 512TR, 456, 550...they made the Taurus look like a 365 Daytona.
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