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NSX Genesis: the Creation of the NSX According to Honda

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NSX creation by Honda

Read this a bit ago and was reminded of it yesterday - felt compelled to share. Having come back from NSX Fiesta and put my hands on and been around some of the people who've had a role in the story below, I can't help but feel some connection with the car's history now. I remember Bram telling me about the NSX prototype having a Legend engine and now we get to see why and how they went with a 3.0. Also remember overhearing Kawamoto talking about the NSX development in general and now we get to see just how much work they actually did. There are some extremely interesting parts of the story for any NSX enthusiast. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Tremendous thanks for the translation work done by CR-V9 from vtec.net:

NSX Story said:
What inspired the birth of NSX ?

Nobody knew the truth behind NSX.
Because people who were associated with had never spoken out.
It was finally told after 15 years of time past since.
Because the truth are revealed,
It opened a curtain to the real stories of NSX.

Beyond the Super Cub !

"Not good, it won't be a product as it is.".
PL(Project Leader=product principal), Mr. Uehara of the Honda R&D said to his project members.
It was of the project of a midship car with an engine under the rear seats.
"Under-floor Midship RearDrive", the project of placing an engine under an arse. It was called "Za-buton engine" by the project members. [Za=sitting, Button=futon(cushion)]
It had been 100 years since cars were born. A revolutionary layout of a car born out of Honda's original creativity. It was the project of a seed which NSX was born later from. The year 1984. When the first City and the second Prelude were hit products at Honda.

page 2.
"surely, the side-mounted radiators are not sufficient enough."
"The engine noise seeping through into the interior, it wouldn't be good without intensive sound insulations."
Discussing the project members as they were sipping their coffee.
The idea of putting an engine under rear seats, was the new idea in order to develop a revolutionary layout car. Even an inexpesive compact car it has a spacious and useful interior, has a good driving dynamics because it is midship, and it's fun to drive. Looking at product lineups back then, it was a unique idea.
"This is the project with dreams, going beyond the Super Cub the oldman created. Can't give up now. Start rethink from the begining.".
Said Uehara, finished his coffe in one gulp and left.

The Super Cub which "The oldman", the founder Soichiro Honda created, is a bike which could be said to be the world's standard and still be loved around the world even after a half century later today. And it was a legend even the four wheel project members sincerery purely admired.
.... 'We, would like to creat a car beyond the Oldman's Super Cub ...' ....
The 'Za-buton engine' project started with that dream. These are the true stories behind the seed to the birth of the NSX.

page 3.
Despite bearing the member' dreams, the project was given only a half year because there were top executives who were rather being hasten back then. They had to get the result in a short time.
Uehara and his men cut the City-turbo car bodies in half. They connected two long halves, front and rear. They made one midship engine test car. Honda then didn't have the experience of a midship car. Without the experience, making a real thing, and developing and researching by actually doing it on the ground, is Honda's way.

Since started at the company, having been involed with the development of car's driving dynamics, Uehara had tuned up suspension geometries and tires' effective balances. The next 'Za-buton' test car they made, unlike a FF car, showed better drving dynamics.
"This is fun. Let me go around again.".
At the test run in snow, the evaluation executives lost themselves in enjoying controling the car by an accelator.
In the meanwhile the engine noise and engine cooling problems were not resolved.
Moving the radiator in the front and introducing enough sound damping materials ended up in more weight in the car. Considering different materials and other researchs though, it was impossible to achieve the objectives within a reasonalble cost.

And then it came time for the final decision.


page 4.
Uehara reported the realities of the project with agony.

The decision the executives declared was "Pass/Hold". "Didn't find decisive advantages over current FF cars." was the reason.
Uehara lowered his shoulders when he heard the decision. Since started at Honda, this was the first humiliation he had ever tasted. Gathering his team members in the project room, he reported the decision. All of the members looked down while listening to Uehara's voice.
"As of now, the team will be resolved. But I firmly believe that know-hows' we had gathered will be useful for something next time. I sincerely thank you all for you hard work.".
As Uehara told his project members, he still thought that he could not let go of the technology to creat a joy of the midship RWD car, deep in his heart.
.... in order to use this, it must be a sports car. ....

As it was, the development of NSX opened its curtain with a failure.

Revival of the "Za-buton engine".

Even though the decision of the project had been made, the executives didn't quite let it go of. One day at a meeting they talked about how much fun they had on the test day. They decided to restart the project as for further research. Mr.Uehara was called up and assigned as the LPL(Large Project Leader) for the smaller project.
>>>A research project to pursue good driving dynamics, a very vague diffinition. He thought there was nothing but a sports car for a good driving dynamics. he'd believe everybody, including the executives in Honda want to make a sports car once.<<<<
He started at Honda because he wanted to make a sports car. 15 years since 1971 he had started, the dream finally came true.
"Yes sir. Be happy to be allowed to do it."
>>>the "Za-buton engine", the challenge to go beyond "the oldman", finally led up to a dream sports car<<<
It was 1985.

This time, Uehara and his men used CR-Xs to make the test car.
The noise problem was not much of a problem with a sports car. The good engine sound became rather part of the sports car experience. The radiator was moved to the front. In order to get a good driving balance, the double wishbone suspensions were used in front and rear. Because the engine and the transmission were sitting in sideway and too closed to the rear axle, any stock suspension was not able to be used. Uehara had to drag the design engineer down to the ground to show the actual test car to show.
"Here, here the con(necting) rod can be sneaked through."
Next to Uehara under the test car, looking up...
"Well, could be done, I guess ... "
Everything was the first time. Wondering and pondering, one step at a time, they had developed the "Za-boton engine" car.
Car's weight balance. Suspension alignments. Momentum characteristics with a mid-ship engine.
Gathering data, it was becoming a real sports car.
 
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Breaking this up into pieces b/c the translation makes my eyes cross sometimes...

NSX Story said:
To achieve the world's top class drive with a 2.0l 4cylinder engine.

This was the goal Uehara's team had.
Many Honda engine-ers were from racing engineers. The tradision of Soichiro's high-rev nivirna was living well among them. They had the pride of aiming for the world's best Hp per liter.
Uehara and his men were looking at "One of the world's best sports cars with a 2.0l engine."

"For that, we need to have better weight to power ratio. We have to do an aluminum body."
"Do you mean, a bonnet or fenders ???"
"Everbody are doing such things already. It has to be all aluminum."
"But, but ... , there isn't any production aluminum car."
"It wouldn't mean anything if Honda copied someone else's to make a sports car."
"It would be so ... though ... "
Uehara had already decided on the all aluminum body.
It is one third lighter than steel. On the otherhand, it reqeires more power to weld because of its better conductivity, and its difficulty of molding into shape, painting problems, Aluminum oxidation.... Uehara had made up his mind no matter what kind of problems there were.

As such there was a plan to creat a new brand "Acura" in the US in March, 1986. AHM requested a sports car as an image leader for the Acura brand.
In 1985 Fall. Uehara introduced the concept of a light 2.0l 4cylinder engine midship sports car with a good weight to power ratio.
But AMH barked agaist uehara's concept.
"Flavorless like airline food."
They wanted more luxry, more power and torquey sports car.
"4 cylinder engine is a piece of shit in the America."
"Weight to power ratio is worthless."
"There is nothing special about all aluminum body.'
Uehar couldn't believe his ear, and was getting angry.
"It is meaningless to add a little sprinkles over an ordinary sports car."
"It may be. But will you be responssible if it would fail in the US's huge market ?"
Without agreeing by both sides, Uehara returned to Japan in agony.

The development was turned back to the begining.
"We understand the America has a unique sports car culture but we can not make a big engine, big power sports car."
"Nobody is saying to make such a sports car."
Said Uehsra, to calm down his members.
"There is no change in making a unique sports car nobody has ever made. However they do have a point, too. We will raise the engine's diplacement to 2.5l V6 from the Legend and redefine the car's concept.

A blacksmith's son.

----- What kind of a sports car Honda should make ? -----

Uehara's team was cementing the basic concept of the car while researching sports cars like Ferrari, Porsche and likes. Every famous sports car had its unique character. What were they ?
"Ferrari created by a genius racer, Enzo Ferrari, is a sports car for few selected drivers."
"Porsche made by engineering doctors is a soul of an efficient sports car."
Someone in the team remembered that Soichiro was a son of a blacksmith.
"That's right, a blacksmith's son."
As uehara said it he was touched by the word "a blacksmith".
"The blacksmith is a village blacksmith who makes and repairs tools for everyday village people. It is not like a sword smith."
"There has been no sports car made by a blacksmith's son ?"
That example was easy for the members to understand. Making jokes, they understood what he was talking about. Uehara used art of rhetoric to have his members look at the same goal and in the same direction.

“Basically, we just have to keep the Honda principal of thinking centered on the people(when you’ve making something, think about the person who spends the most time with it).”
“A sports car everybody can drive easily though it’s efficient, yet doesn’t punish the driver for its own sake.”
The members discussed so, mixed with the subsequent sports car concepts.
Many super sports cars back then had a bad seating position, a bad front view, a heavy steering feel and forcing the driver to sacrifice. It had a severely sensible steering. Only few who are used can enjoy driving. And it was often said “It can’t be helped if it can't be driven easy because it’s a super sports car.”..
It was to escape from such conventional concept of centering on the car. It has a good seating, a good views and is easy to drive. And it is comfortable with an air condition and power windows. Yet it is a world's top level sports car, that Ueharas’ were aiming for. It was revolutional considering the 100 years of sports car tradition.

In order to explain to the US of an all-aluminum body and 3.0l V6 sports car, He created the famous "Milky way chart".(on page 14.)
This was a chart of Power-weight ratio/vertical scale, Wheelbase-weight ratio/bottom scale to show car's mobility with engine power, weight, and wheelbase length.
He placed different cars in the chart, heavy weight cars, light weight cars, high powered cars, etc.
He placed a F1 car, an ultimate sports car in the base point of the chart.
Uehara intended to persuade the US which wanted a big engine and wasn't interested in an all-aluminum body.

To make a world's first class sports car nobody has ever made.

Every member’s sprits were up.
The development code was decided on NS-X(New Sports*X=new sports for an unknown territory).
 
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More content...

NSX Story said:
A big wall standing in front of the aluminum body.

The reason Uehara's team was sure of the all-aluminum body was that they had already created one. Using existing press molds of the CR-X, all aluminum body CR-X was made and tested. The special welding machine was ordered for aluminum. A handheld steel welder weighted 200kg. Aluminum one weighted one ton. With a huge amount of electricity, it also needed 3 times more pressure at welding spot. With great efforts, Mr.Ito, the chief body engineer had created the all-aluminum CR-X.
"A car can be made with aluminum."
The man who drew this conclusion was Mr.Ito. It was just after the time when they had decided to abandon the idea of a plastic composite body CR-X because of the recycling difficulties

"Bullet trains and air planes are made of aluminum. Cars can't be impossible. I will make it happen."
His logic to the answer was simple and clear. As soon as he accepted Uehara's request, he visited Honda's 2 wheel factory to see aluminum bike frames and flied to see the Bullet train designers to consult possibility. He finally visited aluminum supplier to talk.
"You can't be serious about making this happen ?"(there is another Honda story(mine) of an engineer of supplier, another time)
The aluminum supplier didn't believe it at all. Making an all-aluminum body was unknown territory. It was an unimaginably high challenge even the supplier didn't believe it.

"Don't get involved in Ito's Alumi-body project."
So staffs were told at the R&D center. It would be waste of time to help a fail project. Officially, Ito had to act alone. Researching, making reports and presentations at meetings.
Had been acting without reporting to his immediate boss, but he was finally scrutinized.
"I've got a claim from the factory that they had a special order from you. Are you sure you could make the alumi-body car ?"
"Can do it."
"Can't do it."
"Can make it happen,"
"Can not be done."
After endless arguments, Ito had to escape from his boss in order to make it happen.
----- Now I can concentrate on the development. -----
He and his limited members locked themselves in a room, secretly continued the development. Being dispelled from every department, being told "can't be done." though he felt he was happy because he could still continue the development. And he knew that the top executives had let it continue because they'd respect the idea of "making something new out of nothing.". In fact the NS-X project became the prime project which was directly reported to the top executives.

When the CR-X was made in aluminum, Ito gathered date of material fractures when it was pressed and data how the fractures were made. He foreseen the possibility material development despite the complexities of press molds of a car compared to air planes and built trains Oxidation or safety measures, there were many problems to overcome but it was a big accomplishment.
----- can be done if you try it … it is true … -----

Ito gained his confidence as he had succeeded the test Alumi-body CR-X. But they still need AHM’s understanding.
"AHM wouldn't understand the alumi-body. We'll make a steel test car, too, to compare."
Uehara accepted Ito's idea.
It is best to see it real to understand it.

Time limit.

Uehara went to the America, again. In order to develop an actual product in next stage, he needed AHM's approval.

“ … As you can see, with an all-aluminum body and a 3.0l high output engine, it is a new world class sports car.".
Uehara explained with confidence.
"A projected price?"
"About $50,000."(back then $1.00 = 200 yen, today 80 yen)
Everyone gasped.
"We don't remember requesting such an expensive sports car."
"But ... " said Uehara.
"We wouldn't want to introduce an ordinary production sports car. It is Honda to do something none has done before." To this, Nobody was able to reply.
But it was closed to twice the price of the legend of $30,000. It was indeed a surprise.
“Do we have customers who can afford such an expensive sports car ?”
“A $50,000 sports car !. How Honda has become so lofty.”
Although accepting of overall concept of the car, AHM still was against the all-aluminum body.

Later days, AHM’s marketing people visited Japan.
This was the day, the time limit day; they had to decide, otherwise the delay would disrupt the time schedule afterward. Until today, AHM had not accepted the alumi-body and Uehara had insisted on the alumi-body.

Both staffs gathered in a big meeting room at the Tochigi R&D center. A meeting was consisted with half from AHM staffs and half from R&D staffs, sitting at tables forming 2 rings, and a row of chairs around the tables, 3 rings total facing each other.
"Without an alumi-body, NS-X can't be done. It can't be a heavy sports car."
"Doesn't need to be aluminum. What about aluminum oxidizing problems ?"
"It's been resolved."
"Don't trust you."
The discussions went in parallel lines. Either top didn't give in an inch. But it had to be decided today.
"Well then. You've got to see the real thing. Let us explain with the 'white body(body only test car)’."
Said the top of the R&D and pointing to Ito sitting in the outside raw.
"It's me to explain ?"

Ito explained to AHM in front of the ‘White body’. Formability, anti-oxidization, paintability, crush-safety; they had been all resolved.
The ‘White body’ Ito used to explain was so beautiful. Such as the all-alumi suspension arms, were a piece of art. Ito didn’t forget to mention that it was a product of pride for people who create things.

"Well then, next. Let's drive the real one."
People from AHM with stern faces drove the alumi-body test car and the steel test car to compare.
After the test drive, the tops from AHM said
"The car itself is good. But we ... can't yet accept this expensive car though."
But ...
"If you, the R&D insists so much, then."
The all alumi-body NS-X was approved in the end.
Since having been started as the “Za-buton engine” midship project, it finally led up to the revolutionary sports car, NS-X.
 
Some engine history:

NSX Story said:
A model change in the middle of development

The prototype II with the approved alumi-body and the 3.0l SOHC engine which was upgraded from 2.5l, with 250Hp, became reality.
It was of the concept to achieve the world class power by a simple SOHC engine.
.
It was when it had been moved to the final stage to the production, after all the body design and crush safety tests had been done, less than 2 years before its debut .... in mid 1988.
One of the top executives, Mr.Suzuki expressed his concern on the NS-X's engine.
"It'd be ok it's a SOHC as a world's best engine though... I'd think that the DOHC VTEC one which the next Integra will debut with, would be a better choice. It is the Honda's next generation engine."
It was the top executives who decided to use the simple SOHC instead of DOHC. Suzuki knew it was the hard order to suggest the change at late stage of the development.
However using the VTEC, they could raise RPMs and Hp. The top executives decided to use the DOHC VTEC despite the hard work ahead.
"Changing to the DOHC VTEC, and we aim to achieve the 8,000RPM/280Hp."
The tops declared to Uehara. It was currently the SOHC 7,500RPM/250Hp.
But Uehara could not easily accept the directive. Changing SOHC to DOHC meant to redesign the whole body. It meant to redo all tests, aerodynamics, driving-dynamics, etc. All they had done so far would become waste of time. It was the hard order indeed.
"I can't tell my team to do it now. It'd be the same as the FMC change."
Suzuki who was stuck between tried to convince Uehara.
"Urgent ! Come to the Project room."
The members gathered to the room wondering what had happened. Uehara was pouring coffee and giving to each and every member. Everyone realized it was something big happened as they watched him. Uehara explained slowly what had happened about the engine.
All barked, yelled and complained as they listened.
"They were the one who said to use the simple SOHC. Can't accept to change at the late stage of development."
Uehara listened quietly without a word.
After venting out, ranting out their frustrations, they realized to see their own feelings. It was need for speed, love for the NS-X. They started to accept the higher level of excellence as Uehara felt the same.
"It's not just the DOHC though. It's the VTEC."
"Well, the Integra has the VTEC and the NS-X doesn't ?"
"All right, Uehara-san. Let's do the DOHC VTEC. But you have to tell them off."
"I thank you all. I will give them hell."
Uehara sincerely appreciated their understandings.
"Well, it'll get busy."
The members finished their coffee and went back to their works. Uehara went upstairs to Suzuki's office.
The test car debuted before the official debut.

It got very busy with the development with the change of the engine to DOHC VTEC.
Because the engine-head became bigger, the straight-mount became the 5 degree tilted-mount toward the rear. Besides shaving around the engine to create an extra space, the wheel-base had to be extended 30mm. Even 30mm, 3cm, the calculated values of body strength had to be recalculated. The whole design had to be readjusted.

"I'll make the space for the engine, and 'm counting on you on the 8,000rpm engine."
"Well, it's not that easy peasy lemon squeezy."

From 7,500rpm to 8,000rpm. It's just 500rpm more where the engine group was struggling. In 3.0 liter V6, 500cc per cylinder. There might not had been any production cars with such a large cylinder spinning at 8,000rpm. If it had been an 8 cylinder, it'd have been a smaller cylinder and then it'd have been easier to spin higher. But it'd have been heavier and it'd have been out of NS-X's original concept.

Struggling engine development members decided on the extraordinary measures. They decided to use the technologies from racing engines, such as a titanium Con(necting) Rod as used in racing cars, a thin shaft valve and a forged crank shaft were used. Mori-tsuden(?) coating was used on the skirt to reduce friction of the pistons. They used, beyond the boundaries of normal production cars, means to achieve the high revving engine, fine tuning on the cooling system and even blue printing the pistons. And finally they achieved to rev up to 8,000rpm.
In addition, magnesium was used on the cam-cover and the intake manifold to reduce the weight.
 
Engine and suspension history...

NSX Story said:
----- 3.0l V6...280Hp. 93hp per liter. -----
The highest output production NA engine had been completed. And with VETC, It was Honda's unique engine which was useful in low rpm and able to rev up to high in ease.

Along with that development, the Proto(type)2 was tested on not only the company's test ground but also on the Suzuka Circuit. As testings at racing speeds on the circuit went, Makoto Tamamura, a main test driver started to complain of weakness of the body.
"On the high speed ascending corner from the high bank, it weakens its knees. I can't let it run safely."
Tamamura had not only excellent driving skills but also the ability to sense car's conditions. His comments were to become NS-X's development targets.
"We really can't do by night test at the Suzuka alone to strengthen the body."
Uehara asked Mr. Suzuki who had become a good friend since the DOHC-VTEC debacle.
"We need a top training ground to develop the car. I was told to make the best handling car in the world by our top brass."
"I'm thinking the same way that we are aiming for the best in the world. For that we do have to run it more ... "
"Alright. I will go around to see world's best road circuits to find the best training ground. You will prepare for the Proto2's debut. We'll debut it before it'd be scooped by media on the circuit while testing. So that we wouldn't have to camouflage the car. We could run in correct aerodynamics."
"Well, that is interesting. I've never heard such a way to develop. It's the NS-X's unique way."

Then in February 1989, at Chicago Auto Show the Proto2 debuted as the NS-X. A real super-sports car from Honda which had been winning in F1 captured world's attention. A simple show car ? A real developing car ? Many rumours flew around.
..... "No worry for the scoops. If pictures were taken during the test it'd be rather a good PR.” .....
Uehara was wondering so standing beside the NS-X which was gathering a lot of attentions at the Chicago Auto show.

At the same time in Japan, Ayton Senna who had been visiting Japan was asked to test drive the Proto2. The place was the Suzuka circuit.
Senna said that his impression of a road car was not accurate though, he did complained of the weakness of the body structure at the high speed corner as same as Tamamura did. This Senna's comment accelerated the efforts to find the test circuit.
Suzuki who had looked for the circuit around the world informed Uehara.
"Uehara-san, come to Germany right the way. The Nurburgring's old course, I've finally found the right course for the NS-X's development. It's 22km a lap. It's like a mountain road with ups and downs. There are as many high speed corners as low speed corners. And it has a 4km straight."
"Understood. Coming right away."
Uehara and Suzuki met up in Germany and then went to the Nurburgring. It was a perfect course as Suzuki said. Here, European car makers such as Porsche and BMW come to test their cars.
..... "Here, road's MU is low and Ups and downs are severe. One way winding course. It'd become a race car at Suzuka when pushed to limit, but here it'd become a real sports car." .....
Uehara instinctively felt so.
Soon enough Uehara and Suzuki started. Introduced by one of Japanese tire makers who had been here testing, they looked at a paddock nearby, in order to set up a garage as a main center. They needed a good solid place so they could really develop up NS-X's body. The goal was the best handling car in the world.

World's training ground, the NurburgRing.

"Right. Do it this way."
Ito, the chief body engineer who had succeeded the all-aluminum body was considering about the unconventional methods.
"Yes, that pipe. All of them. Don't forget the tools. Bring enough Fax paper, too."
Ito was thinking that he'd insert pipes to strengthen at places where Tamamura felt it weak at the Nurburgring. As they'd try and fail with various size pipes to find the best one and send a fax back to Japan. In Japan they'd analyze the fax and input into the super computer to calculate values to redesign the body. Those were the development methods. Hands on the real thing on the ground development. It's crude and it's the "Honda way".
..... ""Because it's the first all-aluminum car body so it could be a little weak though ... ." That, I'll never let it happen." .....
Ito's obsession of better up the body's stiffness was beyond reproach. The body structure values were not bad at all before the Nurburgring but the reality, when the car was running, was unknown until it was tested over and over. Ito resolved to strengthen even the driving stiffness feel of the car.
There was a famous story. Japanese members wondered of the first fax from the Nurburgring.

"The mid-air posture is bad." so written in the fax. There was a spot where a car was coming down at 200kmh and the car jumped off about 30m in the air. It meant the car broke off its posture right after the jump.
With texts and hand written images on fax, the members in Japan didn't understand it easily.
"What the stupid thing Tamamura in Germany is saying ?"
The Japanese members who had wondered so, soon understood as they watched the video Tamamura had brought home, from time to time. The car's posture in the air was bad. As they struggle through, they developed the stronger body whereas they couldn't have done so at the Suzuka circuit, one step at a time.
On the test ground Tamamura said, for example.
"The right front fender side is weak."
Upon hearing that, Ito and his men relied on their instincts 100%, and decided the support points. It wasn't logic. Relying on his long time experiences, Ito figured it out and his staffs made the re-enforcements.
As soon as pipes were fitted at the pit, Tamamura got back in the car, drove 22km in about 9 minutes a lap, tape recorded his comments. Then Ito listened to the tape and decided the re-enforcement spots and pipes were fitted. Such were repeated over and over.

"Placing a reference of the car's rigidity in the driver's senses." was the team's objective. Even for a sports car, it is a driver who drives it. And it is the engineering to satisfy his senses."
It was Tamamura who drove the car pointed out weaknesses of the car’s body based on his intuitions, and it was Ito who fixed them based on his instincts.
The re-enforcements had become 45kg on the ground, but it ended up at about 11kg in the end. The structural rigidity got twice stronger.

Of course, besides the body, as for suspensions and brakes the same methods were used. They fine-tuned the selection of the tires with as many tires as you can count.
"This was 120th set of test tires. Can't believe we ran this much for tire tests for a single car."
"But you can count in one hand for good ones."
The tire development team staffs couldn't believe their eyes at the Nurburgring looking at the NS-X's development members' tenacious wills. It gathered 6,000 tires.
 
NSX Story said:
"When braking hard, the arse slides to the front. The upper body shakes, too and the seat doesn't hold tight. I can't feel safe driving."
Tamamura complained about the seat, too.
Interior staffs brought in the seat sawing machines and changing the form millimeter by millimeter and re-sawed the cover to better fitting.
The nurburgring can be used from April to November without snow. It was only 8 months which was one of reasons that forced to have innovative ideas to develop.
The NS-X reborn.


"Compared to the stiff body now, it was as weak as water before.",
So laughed Ito with his men who had almost completed the car's body strengthen task.
......... by the way, how fast that Porsche was .........
At the times they had started at the Nurburgring, Porsche which routinely tests here was testing their racing car model. That Porsche ran behind the unfamiliar Japanese sports car as if to see how it run, then passed by and teased, "Can you come after me ?", in front of the NS-X. Even though it was a racing car, that Porsche was fast..

"The Nurburgring is such a place. This is the best training ground for a sports car." so contemplated Uehara.

Suzuki who found the Nurburgring suggested making their planed test track at Takasu, Hokkaido to emulate the winding course. Taken this suggestion, the Takasu test track has become their training ground for all Honda cars.

I think there's still more to be translated but the above represents the majority of content.

Chris Willson suggested to Uehara at NSX Fiesta 2010 that he should write a book about his experiences with the NSX. Reading just this short history by Honda makes me really hope he does.

I'll post more once the rest of the history gets translated or perhaps some of our Japanese reading members here can translate to finish it out.

Good read, huh? :wink:
 
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This was an awesome read! I didn't really want it to end and am still hoping there is more to come!

Reminded me of the book Skunkworks by Ben Rich, another great book on the development of stealth technology.
 
Very good read, Want more.
 
Incredible. Thank you for sharing, though I should have not discovered this while I was at work >:) oh well a nice chunk of time well spent either way.

I agree:biggrin:. Glad it was a little slow at work so I could finish it.

Thanks for sharing this:smile:
 
lovely lovely story. Thank god for the mad dedication to this wonderful car. I'll appreciate it's creators and their dedication to this masterpiece even more every time I drive the car.

Thanks for posting.
 
Thanks for all the hard grunt work translating this and getting it posted up. What a rewarding read. I hope it gains a much deserved special place on Prime.
 
FWIW, I just copied and pasted CR-V9's translated content but just put it in a more accessible form. :)

Here are pics of a prototype from NSX Fiesta with the 2.5L Legend engine. Looks like it has different and more aggressive seats and a rollbar.

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Great story! Thanks for sharing.
The incredible passion and rawness of the NSX development staff is really inspiring. What an incredible car and company. It's such an amazing car to drive and still is quicker than most sports cars today on the track. I've been looking at buying a Porsche GT3RS within the next year or two and have been having trouble coming to grips with selling my beloved NSX. I just don't think I can sell it now.
 
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Thanks for posting this. It was great to read.

If Uehara writes a book, he can add me as a pre-order right now.

You're welcome. I think every NSX enthusiast would get a kick out of it.

Perhaps we should start a petition for Uehara-san to write a book? ;)
 
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