Honda Racing finally puts NSX out to pasture as SuperGT tweaks regs
The Honda/Acura NSX has had a good run. The mid-engine supercar developed with input from the legendary Ayrton Senna first hit the market in 1990 and didn't cease production until 2005, giving it one of the longest production runs in the business. But even after Honda stopped selling the NSX, it was still being campaigned in Japan's SuperGT racing series. No more, says Honda, as the 2010 regulations switch exclusively to the use of front-engine, rear-drive chassis, forcing the NSX into retirement after nearly two decades of duty.
Based on the roadgoing supercar, the SuperGT-spec NSX-GT featured a heavily modified chassis that swapped the stock transverse V6 for a 500-horsepower competition-spec engine tuned by Mugen and mounted longitudinally. The car's been driven to three drivers' titles and three teams' championships in the Japanese touring car series.
No word yet on what, if anything, will succeed the NSX – or the Toyota MR-S for that matter – but Japanese automakers dropping out of motorsports like so many flies, we won't be holding our breath.
[Source: Honda via Jon Sibal]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Avinash machado 9:37AM (10/26/2009)
Sad.
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cpv-35 9:42AM (10/26/2009)
The toyota MR-S is succeded by the GT300 corolla axio and IS350. But i real don't know what honda is gonna use in the GT500 because they don't have one sports car or coupe left in Japan.
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mk15 9:47AM (10/26/2009)
They could use the S2000.
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Todd 9:48AM (10/26/2009)
Sad to see it go, its a cool car.
I think there is a preview of next years Nissan campaign in the Subaru Legacy Super GT car:
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/22/tokyo-2009-subaru-legacy-b4-gt300-is-pure-jdm-awesomeness/
...Altima or Maxima built the same way?
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cpv-35 9:54AM (10/26/2009)
@Todd
Nissan uses the 350Z in the GT300, they are probably gonna switch to the 370Z. And the altima and maxima are US only.
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RG 9:57AM (10/26/2009)
Not only will it mean the loss of the NSX, but a host of other cool cars that raced in the SuperGT series. The Saleen S7, McLaren F1 and ASL Garaiya come to mind.
As for what is going to replace it, I dont think Honda offers anything that could compete without serious modification. In my mind this is Honda's major oversight in building environmentally friendly cars in that they are all but abandoning development of technology through automotive racing at the highest level. Granted they have the ARX, but I don't envision any technologies trickling down from that.
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blogged to death 10:01AM (10/26/2009)
One of Honda's greatest achievements and a legend in its own time. The NSX has done so much for the world making supercars somewhat affordable, yet reliable. It also proved the old adage that HP wasn't everything - that meager power in a wonderful chassis could still prevail.
Now with Honda going all green yet heavy (with weird styling) and away from its racing roots - it's a sad day. S2000 is also going out to pasture so their current sports car will be the Insight (lol).
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why not the LS2LS7? 12:34PM (10/26/2009)
I dunno where you think it prevailed. It had to have a blower just to keep up with Corvettes and Mustangs in Speed GT. I liked the car in a bunch of ways, but I'm not sure "affordable" or "supercar" actually apply to it. And not just in the LS2LS7 "that's not a supercar" normal way, but in the way of if a car is getting its behind handed to it by its contemporaries it isn't a supercar no matter what it costs or how few they sell.
EJ25RUN 10:01AM (10/26/2009)
I don't believe this will affect GT300 as the Shiden, Ferrari F430, Gallardo, Murcialago, Porsche 911 and Boxster, Toyota Axio and Lexus IS350 are all mid engined chassis.
And, here is the front engined Honda NSX prototype.
http://image.blog.livedoor.jp/lemondowner2003/imgs/f/5/f56f874c.jpg
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JSams4131 10:28AM (10/26/2009)
so long NSX... here's a lap of Ayrton Senna in the NSX around Szuka
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izaWlKxVo1A
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nastinupe 10:31AM (10/26/2009)
It's about time. Maybe this is the push Honda needs to stop living in the 90's. The NSX was a great car... 15 years ago.
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Carlos 10:43AM (10/26/2009)
You have to love racing politics
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hashiryu 11:21AM (10/26/2009)
Morethan anything else, they are trying to homologate engines, and get more inline with international regulations. It's a by product of the economic situation, believe it or not. The 3.4 NA V8s (460~500hp in Super GT) are also being used in Formula Nippon (over 600hp in that configuration), and rumor is Toyota will use theirs in LeMans next year or 2011.
Money makes the world go round.
hashiryu 11:18AM (10/26/2009)
What a coincidence. I was just catching up on all this crap over the weekend, with the new regs and all. LOL.
Anyway, as already said, The MR-S has already been replaced by the IS350 and Corolla Axio GT (both with a mid-engined setup), and they probably won't be affected as they compete in the GT300 class, whereas the new regs apply to the higher GT500 class only.
Sad to see the NSX go, but seriously, Honda should have had it's successor waiting in the wings. FAIL Honda. Rumor has it that they will use the Prototype chassis to compete. Failing that, I guess there is the S2000, and they already tested an NSX with an FR setup.
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Streetrally 11:48AM (10/26/2009)
The Jon Sibal site was rather loosely translated from the Honda site. Not only does the Honda site not mention anything about a rule change, but he neglected to mention that Honda states that it is in the planning stages for next season's machine and will announce it at a later date. Makes me wonder where he got the info that they banned mid-ship designs in the GT 500 class (he does explicitly mention the 500 class btw).
I really don't see Honda dropping out of the series. Super GT is a HUGE series in Japan with the top three companies dropping major amounts of cash into their works teams. Though the teams are a huge source of advertisement and motor sports prestige, I don't see how Honda can be competitive. Sure they can take something from the Acura stable and make it into a GT racer ala Lexus and the SC 430, but without a V8 to challenge Toyota and Nissan I don't see them winning any championships next season or any time soon for that matter.
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JDM Life 8:15PM (10/26/2009)
Jesus the NSX is still running?
This was bound to happen.
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fmwso 8:37PM (10/26/2009)
That's sad news but hopefully Honda will have a replacement for the NSX.
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