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NSX fights Ferraris and the aging process

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1 September 2001
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Acura's aspiration on wheels
NSX fights Ferraris and the aging process
By Michael Bettencourt
Thursday, August 29, 2001

When Paul Tracy comes to town for the Toronto Molson Indy, he drives in style. This year Tracy was given a pumpkin orange Acura NSX to enjoy during his time here, courtesy of Honda Canada, in exchange for an appearance at company headquarters. Talk about a great way to be welcomed home.

Of course, the NSX is Acura's image booster. Yet over the last few years, Honda's upscale brand has found itself in a somewhat unfamiliar position - playing catch up. Not with all its products, mostly those at the top of its price scale. The 3.5RL is a comfortable and luxurious vehicle, but was designed when the upmarket Japanese brand was still encroaching on the luxury market, not boldly challenging its star players.

When the exotic NSX was introduced back in 1991, it showcased the high performance sheen Honda generated then with its domination of Formula One racing. It was also an unmuffled statement to other car manufacturers that Acura was coming on, and no one - not even Ferrari - would go unchallenged.

Styling was more exotic car extreme than anything to ever emerge from Japan, with its waist-high roof clinging to the ground like wet clothes on a Maxim cover girl. Cutting-edge technologies like super-pricey titanium connecting rods and the extensive use of aluminum throughout only reinforced its high-tech reputation. Its image was furthered by the fact that the NSX's base price came in under $80,000. This was a relative bargain compared to the more expensive (and less powerful) Porsche 911 Carrera.

There's just one hitch: Acura hasn't changed much on the car in the decade since. Horsepower has been boosted by 20, the roof can be shed thanks to a removable panel and the wheels and headlights have been updated for 2002. And that's it. This is not usual in the ways of Acura, although low volume, high performance cars have traditionally needed longer life cycles to break into the elusive profit zone. It may be ironic, but that low-buck Civic that's redesigned every four years is likely to be more modern than a house-plus-cottage-priced Lamborghini that comes around once every decade.

Driving the NSX reinforces how right Acura designers nailed it. As soon as the key is turned, the engine behind your derriere fires up with a momentary yelp that literally sends shivers up your back. With the beautifully linear clutch action and easy shift, one could easily learn how to drive a standard transmission in this car. Can you imagine an NSX with a driving school hat and a passenger side brake pedal? Don't laugh, it could be done.

Hit the nearest off-ramp and discover the NSX's best quality by far: its cornering prowess. The mid-engine design means the majority of weight is centred near the driver, so the weight shifts of turning, braking and accelerating all correspond precisely to what the driver feels from the pilot seat. The rear-wheel drive, independent double wishbone suspension, stiff damper settings and sticky tires all combine to straighten out curves. It's amazing how a tight 50 km/h highway cloverleaf becomes a gently bending sweeper at the same speed behind the wheel of the NSX. Body roll is banished and the seats grip your torso in a gentle but motherly firm grip. To get anywhere close to the NSX's limits, you'll need access to a racetrack. Toronto Motorsports Park (née Cayuga, just south of Hamilton) has lapping days meant specifically for exotic cars.

Power in the NSX is plentiful at 290 hp (for the 6-speed manual version), but not as overpowering as one may expect for $140,000. The race-bred shriek makes it feel faster than it actually is, since its high-end howl permeates through the firewall and between your shoulder blades. It'll give you a serious acceleration rush, but if power-per-dollar is your primary buying criterion, there are less expensive alternatives.

The interior is where the NSX's age shows up the most. Although it does have niceties like automatic temperature control, leather power seats and the usual power accessories, the list of what it doesn't offer is somewhat surprising. If I'm dishing out 142 big ones for a car, I'm expecting keyless remote and a CD player as standard equipment, not optional extras.

The view out the rear window is decent by mid-engine supercar standards, but pretty limited by any other. Since your butt is literally a couple inches off the pavement, and you must step over the high sills to get out, it takes some practice to gracefully exit the NSX. This is part of the price of dealing with super sleek sports cars, Italian or otherwise.

Despite the automotive greying behind the ears, driving the NSX reaffirms how advanced its design truly was. As one obviously smitten twenty-something onlooker remarked, "I'd take that over any Ferrari or Lamborghini."

Immediate competition:
Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Dodge Viper, Ferrari 360 Modena, Porsche 911 Targa
http://www.globeandmail.com/globemegawheels/20020829/acura.html
 
Well said
 
Power in the NSX is plentiful at 290 hp (for the 6-speed manual version), but not as overpowering as one may expect for $140,000.

A new NSX variant?!? Took me a minute to realize this was in Canadian dollars of course!! Doh!

Despite the automotive greying behind the ears, driving the NSX reaffirms how advanced its design truly was. As one obviously smitten twenty-something onlooker remarked, "I'd take that over any Ferrari or Lamborghini."

And how.

Regards.

[This message has been edited by NSXaholic (edited 03 September 2002).]

[This message has been edited by NSXaholic (edited 03 September 2002).]
 
This article was in Canada's national newspaper (Globe and Mail) so good advertising for NSX's up north.There were also 3 great pictures in the newspaper which are not in the online report.



[This message has been edited by Lionel W (edited 03 September 2002).]
 
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