NSX competitors - the 570S, 570GT, Turbo S

So in this crazy price range there are clearly some choice for sports cars. What comes to mind is a certain
Mclaren 570S and the 911 Turbo and Turbo S. The reviews of both the 570S and 911 Turbo have been great.
NSX reviews don't paint it as a true track car, but a sports car with multiple personalities between its different modes.
Love the fact that the NSX has the multiple drives modes, but heck my SUV has more power output and more torque.

Do you think the NSX is in the same league as these machines? What makes the NSX stand out?
I for one am not a fan of the Carrerra shape. Nor am I a huge fan of the 570S shape- love the 675LT but I don't care
much for the 570S or the 570GT. Although I think the NSX would have looked badass with dihedral doors :smile:

Thanks for your thoughts -

The more I look at the market the more I say Acura focused more on the R8 than anything else.

The price of an NSX is very close to that of the base R8, even the carbon ceramic brake option is the same $9,000 prior to pick your caliper colors stuff.

The Turbo S is not an every day type of car for many folks. I know a guy who was exited to get one and excited to exit it after 1 week to move to an MB GT-S. All he would point to was the ride being harsh in the Turbo S. GT-S is a good sounding car!

I like the 570, but it is more dough and McLaren has kind over done it on their volumes and thus resale value has been an issue. I also believe their cars have not shown the kind of bulletproofedness that many of us expect from Honda/Toyota/Nissan.

My analysis is that the NSX wins when factoring in the uniqueness of the platform (in this price range). I think the turbo hybrid AWD with software-defined torque vectoring is a glimpse of the future of all future high end performance cars-- it's a taste of hyper-car technology at the low/mid end of supercar pricing.

Also agree on R8 as the most comparable model. It's a shame that NSX doesn't have a "Type R" (or whatever) variant to compare with the line-topping R8 V10 Plus (or whatever they call it). I'm sure that will get addressed in a year or two. For me, I break the tie by favoring the new-new thing (NSX) even if performance is not completely up to snuff (yet).

The other major factor for me is the real-world fun available via instant-on EV TQ while tooling around town. As anyone who has driven a BEV as a daily driver can attest to, the instant TQ is FUN and those 0-25 or 20-35MPH "squirts" are more frequent and can be as satisfying as the occasional WOT pulls on lonely highways at felony speeds. Combining both in a single car should be really special.

So I have narrowed down my choices to either the Acura NSX or the McLaren 570S. I recently pulled out my deposit for the Acura given the fact that I had no idea when the car was going to be delivered. My main issue with the vehicle is its interior quality. Although I have yet to judge for myself, I have heard that the interior Quality is something that is questionable for a car that cost over $150,000. I have recently been to the McLaren dealership and sat in the 570S. The interior is absolutely superb. The engine technology is the typical TwinTurbo V8 engine unlike Acuras hybrid technology.

performance wise I think the comparison is a wash between the two automobiles. I do like the styling of the Acura a tiny bit better but cannot deny that the McLaren is a very attractive vehicle. I am not as concerned about research an performance wise I think the comparison is a wash between the two automobiles. I do like the styling of the Acura a tiny bit better but cannot deny that the McLaren is a very attractive vehicle. I am not as concerned about resale value as I intend to keep either car that I purchase.

For those of you who have seen and or test driven the McLaren 570S and have seen the Acura NSX in person, I would love to hear your opinions about these two competitive products. I have decided to hold my purchase on either vehicle until I am able to judge actual owners reviews of the NSX before purchasing either car.

Believe me when I say that it was a very difficult decision to pull my deposit on the NSX as I have been eagerly waiting this vehicle for the past 18 months. The reviews out there have been somewhat lukewarm but obviously when making a purchase for a $150,000 car the most important review is the one that you make yourself.

Believe me when I say that it was a very difficult decision to pull my deposit on the NSX as I have been eagerly waiting this vehicle for the past 18 months. The reviews out there have been somewhat lukewarm but obviously when making a purchase for a $150,000 car the most important review is the one that you make yourself.

I appreciate your thoughts and opinions thank you

I have seen both in person a handful of times. Though I have yet to see a 570GT. I can't help but wonder if the 570S will age like the Gallardo (not well). I get the appeal of the 570S on paper (I.e low side bolsters, etc) but it's positioned too close to super car territory while being compromised at the same time. It looks like a supercar so if that's what you're after it will certainly win the debate.

If you need a GT type of car I'd go with a AMG GTS or even a BMW i3. It's unfortunate BMW missed a huge opportunity with the i3. It looks hideous to me. The new NSX on the other hand seems to be the most versatile of the lot. EV torque to squirt around town (which is an underrated benefit except for those who've owned an EV), comfortable interior though not as spartan as a 570S and soft in all the wrong ways, real world practicality, with GTR like performance.

R8, 911 turbo, AMG GTS, 570S, etc... They seem like the best of the old technology.

mclaren P1, 918, BMW i3, Acura NSX, etc seem like the new emerging breed.

If if you plan to keep this car forever which would you like to own in 10yrs?

Note: I do think the NSX missed an opportunity to provide what Honda is good at. They should have provided the nsx with the convenience and safety features you can buy in the civic (lane departure warning, smart cruise control, lane keep assist) or like the tesla... Semi autonomous driving. I really love that feature for the shitty monotonous commutes. Even the new nsx isn't the perfect daily driver sports car still..

RYU said:

R8, 911 turbo, AMG GTS, 570S, etc... They seem like the best of the old technology.

mclaren P1, 918, BMW i3, Acura NSX, etc seem like the new emerging breed.

Click to expand...

Agree completely, although I'm not sure I would include the BMW i3 in this list. I have one and love it for commuting, but it always struck me as being too boxy to be considered a "real" sports car-- and the four-seats, suicide doors, skinny tires and 95 MPH top speed aren't helping it either. Oh. Wait. Did you mean the i8? :smile:

Sorry! i8 is what I meant

Thanks for all the input. The key question is what is it exactly that I'm looking for? I think I am in line for GT touring car while at the same time and occasional sports car. Since I haven't actually sat inside the NSX, I can't really comment on the comfort of the seats during long-distance driving. The seats on the 570 S we're not bad but I read from other reviews that it is probably not the most comfortable long-distance touring car. And for clarification when I mean long-distance I'm referring to weekend drives. By no means am I looking for a daily commute in car.

I have seen almost every YouTube video on the Acura as well as the McLaren products. And after seeing many of these videos on multiple times it still is very difficult for me to make a decision. I only recently test drive the McLaren this past weekend and it was definitely a very sporty drive. Acceleration and breaking were excellent and the interior was phenomenal. The build quality of the vehicle was outstanding. I have never owned a McLaren and therefore cannot comment on its long-term ownership and maintenance needs.

The other issue that I'm facing with the NSX is that since this is the first year of production it is awfully difficult to find a vehicle at MSRP. Most dealers are gouging buyers with exorbitant prices above MSRP. I still i'm finding it very difficult to find an honest dealer who is willing to sell the car at MSRP. If any of you know of such a dealer I would really appreciate a private message or a reply to this post. So the battle in my mind rages on about which vehicle to get.

I grew up with Hondas my entire life and so I am very partial towards Honda products give them their reliability and practicality.

Thank you all for your input and wisdom.

My backup plan was to lease a used 12C with under 10k miles and still under the factory warranty. This way I can hold out until the nsx works out bugs and figure out if I want a to be closer to the supercar side or the GT side of things... As someone said used mclarens are relatively cheap. The lease lets me return it if I hate it. I'll tell you one thing... I've driven a 12C from LA to Laguna Seca and Sears Point a couple of times... It isn't exactly plush.

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Also in a few years Acura will figure out if they will make a road going GT3 version. This would be a better wknd warrior for most people I reckon.

based on what you've described so far, it sounds like the NSX is the better car for you.

based on what i know of the McLaren, it seems the more hard edged and looser car. more Super than GT...

I was invited to a McLaren track day at Palm Beach International Raceway about a month ago. These events are held at various tracks around the country for qualified buyers to test drive the new 570S. I was very interested in buying the 570, but after 4 quarter mile runs, 4 auto-cross runs and at least a dozen laps around PBIR, I wasn't entirely smitten. These were all pre-production cars that have been treated like rental cars, so the production vehicle might be better. I drove three of the six 570's available and each one had similar handling quirks; copious amounts of understeer, a tendency to hunt under hard braking, as if the rear end was about to swap positions with the front. In automatic mode, RPM's were not held in the proper powerband when exiting corners and the acceleration overall was not overly impressive. It was quick, for sure, but nowhere near a GTR or Tesla.

XSNSXTC said:

I was invited to a McLaren track day at Palm Beach International Raceway about a month ago. These events are held at various tracks around the country for qualified buyers to test drive the new 570S. I was very interested in buying the 570, but after 4 quarter mile runs, 4 auto-cross runs and at least a dozen laps around PBIR, I wasn't entirely smitten. These were all pre-production cars that have been treated like rental cars, so the production vehicle might be better. I drove three of the six 570's available and each one had similar handling quirks; copious amounts of understeer, a tendency to hunt under hard braking, as if the rear end was about to swap positions with the front. In automatic mode, RPM's were not held in the proper powerband when exiting corners and the acceleration overall was not overly impressive. It was quick, for sure, but nowhere near a GTR or Tesla.

Click to expand...

Interesting. Perhaps you were experiencing the 570S's "lively" handling that McLaren and all the reviewers like to boast about. They talk as if some degree of handling perfection has been purposefully de-engineered out of the car in order to make the car more entertaining. They then attempt to rationalize the shortcomings by saying "it's a sports car, not a super car" and "it's more at home on the street than the track."

I still say that the new NSX does not yet have a direct competitor. Sure, there are cars that cost around the same amount, but none have the Sport Hybrid SH-AWD Power Unit that the NSX has. Indeed, the only car that came close to this was the Porsche 918, and that was in a different league both cost- and performance-wise.
Comparing varieties of apples is one thing, but trying to compare apples, oranges and kumquats is ultimately fruitless.....

I tend to agree with you Nick, I was in the 570s two weeks ago and loved it the seating was spot on for me also the large compartment upfront meant you could go away for a weekend in it, what a great little car the one I was in was the white colour and it looked good I also was fortunate enough to be at a Ferrari track day recently and got to do some hot laps in the 488 damn that thing is impressive the power level is insane compared to our old cars.
However this ev part to the new NSX means it will be a different animal to these other cars and if you've been in a Tesla in ludicrous mode you will know what I mean and that can only improve from here

I saw the 570 at Amelia island and I hated it. Hated how it looked, hated the interior. It's fast, but that's it. The Nsx looks much better and the interior is much better.

It's still look at a used 12c under warranty before either of those cars.

My brother works for a Acura dealer in MD. He just drove the new NSX in Ohio and Acura had a Porsche 911 turbo or turbo S for comparison. Like myself my brother wasn't sure about the looks just looking at the new car on the internet. He was blown away by the new car when he drove it and saw it in person. He said it was definitely more comfortable than the Porsche while at the same time it felt like you were in a low race car. The performance was simply amazing from his point of view. The employees from his dealership were all very impressed with the car.