New NSX on cover of Automobile Magazine

Good news and bad news here. The article itself is quite flattering. HOWEVER, Robert Cumberford (an icon in the field of automotive design) has just posted a column on their site that trashes it: http://www.automobilemag.com/features/by_design/1504-by-design-2016-acura-nsx/

Wow...that's why I don't read that crap magazine...although he does make some points, he goes completely overboard and clearly has done zero homework on the design function...

Just complete crap article IMO ....

Some of the same things were said about the 91 NSX at it's intro. But overall, both then and now, the car is greeted with positive responses. He's in the minority. Though a couple of his points are true IMO.

Automobile is typically tied with AutoWeek for my favorite mag.

They LOVE the original NSX: http://www.automobilemag.com/features/collectible_classic/1404-1991-2005-acura-nsx/

That's why it stick with MotorTrend... They seem to be much more accurate on the future cars and would never publish such a diatribe on a car they never actually have seen in person...

On the original NSX - "The greatest sports car ever built" - Motor Trend.

He has some good points though entirely melodramatic. The front end is complicated though, for me, it works.

Just got MT and Automobile in the mail a few days ago. The thing is…I don't subscribe to Automobile.

Wow another designer who hates the new "NSX" ugly ass looks. We must know something others don't about aesthetics [emoji41]

These design analyses are so subjective, as always he makes some good points as well as questionable nitpicks.
I personally like the design, but I am concerned that front end is too busy - I'll have to see it in person first.
My deeper concern is while I really would like to own an exotic looking mid-engine sports car, I consider a new Audi R8 V8 being the highest price I'm willing to pay (I may consider lightly used options out there also) and the NSX apparently exceeds this price limit. :frown:

So far, I love the car...but don't like the front end.

I'd love to see his designs...

By the way, the car is also on the cover of the latest issue of Motor Trend. Can R&T and Car and Driver be far behind?

I think the car will look better in black, which should visually tone down the large and plentiful inlet grills. Otherwise I will wait until I actually see one before passing judgement. But the styling is functional, with every surface designed to manage airflow for cooling and overall aerodynamics.

Quagmire, your avatar raises the question: "What can brown do for you?"

Obviously Robert Cumberford has nothing personal against the NSX.
He is calling the front end as he sees it. Many, many others feel the same way, he is simply dissecting the numerous parts that make up that front end.
Beauty is very subjective however and if you like that front end, good for you.
I have always felt it to be extraordinarily busy and this final iteration is particularly so.
The number of angles, textures, shapes, grilles are just way over the top.
The side view of the car is the best without a doubt.

liftcontrol said:

The side view of the car is the best without a doubt.

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The rear is nice too ( 3/4 rear view ) ....

For sure the front is too busy and even worse it looks flat ( considering the perpendicular plane of the longitudinal axis of car ) which gives the impression the car is thick and not wedge shaped and this is a MAJOR flaw for a rear midengine layout exotic sportscar. It ruins the short front section ...

Removing the tacky front grilles would add more depth and thus would create the desirable ''wedgy'' look.

Of course, I will reserve my final judgment until I see it in real ...

- - - Updated - - -

Just to visualize what I am saying, look at the NSpec rendition of the NSX 2, it doesn't have a ''flat'' front grille and the car looks sportier and more aggressive.

Honda should take note and elaborate on these premices ...

effer said:

The rear is nice too ( 3/4 rear view ) ....

For sure the front is too busy and even worse it looks flat ( considering the perpendicular plane of the longitudinal axis of car ) which gives the impression the car is thick and not wedge shaped and this is a MAJOR flaw for a rear midengine layout exotic sportscar. It ruins the short front section ...

Removing the tacky front grilles would add more depth and thus would create the desirable ''wedgy'' look.

...View attachment 120219

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Very true...I like your analysis of the shortcoming of the front end.

Re: comments about the "wedgi-ness" .. I recently saw it in person at NAIAS and I was surprised by how the latest tweaks have combined to make the top of the grill into an extension of the hood while continuing to slope down and, by my eye, has visually lowered the front of the car and improved the "wedgi-ness". I was also surprised to see that nearly the entire top half of the grill has been closed off to airflow .. but the very bottom of the grill has been opened up compared to previous versions. Overall, I think the latest tweaks were well done .. the style lines for the ones on the side behind the front wheels have been nicely integrated. The tail now has a slight spoiler added. Love the new exhaust.
YMMV

tof said:

I think the car will look better in black, which should visually tone down the large and plentiful inlet grills. Otherwise I will wait until I actually see one before passing judgement. But the styling is functional, with every surface designed to manage airflow for cooling and overall aerodynamics.

Quagmire, your avatar raises the question: "What can brown do for you?"

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I completely agree that the car will look better in black. But, brown is versatile, and can do many, many things...

at least it doesn't have the beak kinda anymore

He does make some good points. The lack of consistency in the front grilling bothers me too. They got it right in the back.

And the exhaust, they should have left it as a trapezoid, rather than the trapezoid framing four circles. Could have looked very menacing if done properly.

I hoping that after 3 years of production, the front end gets a much needed facelift.

Robert Cumberford's analysis can be summarized in one word: HARSH

"Why in the world would you stick three grilles and a chin scoop on the nose of a sports car, especially if the biggest, shiniest, and most prominent one is a complete fake, a solid barrier shield with merely a few tiny holes on the bottom row that air can pass through?"

Seems like he is more concerned with aerodynamics than design and he really does not know what he is talking about here. And again:

"The cheap-looking plastic grilles on the surface of the hood are presumably there to relieve some of the dynamic pressure created by ramming air through those grilles that are, in fact, permeable, but the relevant intake and outlet areas are woefully disproportionate."

Then when he gets into the details:

"4. This simple planar surface joining the fender peak and headlamps slot is elegant and flows nicely but is interrupted ahead of the doors by more supposed air outlets."

So he does't like a lot of vents and scoops. Fine but what about the overall proportions? And what about the unique roof arches, and the ground breaking side intakes? He was very stingy with identifying anything positive. I wonder what he would say about the Ford GT Concept? Talk about overdone scoops! Of course he could take one look at the Ford GT and determine whether its aerodynamics were flawed. It pretty easy apparently.

He talks a lot about all the plastic. I am sure it's not just cheap plastic. And I wonder what he had to say about the C7 Corvette when it came out with all its scoops and cheap plastic meshes and vents.

I can admit that the front is a little too busy but how about the cool things about it like the lights, the floating strakes that frame the front side intakes, the unique arrow front that muscularizes the front wheels or the cool front splitter?

I detect an anti-Honda or anti-import bias and its pathetic.

Nero Tenebre said:

Wow another designer who hates the new "NSX" ugly ass looks. We must know something others don't about aesthetics [emoji41]

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Nero - Can you honestly say that you don't like anything about the NSX in its current form? Not even the side profile?

And are you suggesting that you are a designer or are you referring to Cumberford?

To me, the different grilles that guy was criticizing are actually stretched versions of the same honeycomb structure grille. The center grille is stretched horizontally as if there is something that wants to burst out, but those are still hexagons. Similarly, the front corner grilles are stretched in a way that looks like tension applied to fabric across the shape. The rear venting is the same hexagonal grille but without the tension.

Check out this video where Ted explains what the various vents were for. I've seen the car in person and missed the tiny vents hidden on the underside of the rear spoiler. Cool stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-q4uLMvfVA&feature=youtu.be

Glenn Quagmire said:

So far, I love the car...but don't like the front end.

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Agreed, front end too busy (imo). Also there's nothing really groundbreaking, competition is fierce. Only differentiating factor is that it's 'new' (that'll fade). However, the treatment of air thru the car and hidden vents did win me over a bit. The real test will be seeing it in person. If that doesn't impress the question becomes will it evolve?