Ferrari massages their "NSX"

[MAKO]

Just read that Ferrari is prepping a revised Modena to be unveiled next year, the "420 Modena" to be exact. Gotta love the pothead name, lol. "420-4-Ever" has a whole new meaning now.

They're basically taking the newer 4.2L V-8 that is in the new Maserati coupe, massaging it to 460HP, then replacing the 3.6L 400HP V-8 units that are sold in the 360 Modena currently. The 420 mule has been in testing for a couple months now, and supposedly Ferrari is going to announce the car next March, with intent to deliver it to customers in the fall. No word yet on any small cosmetic changes or additional features.

In addition to the 60HP gain, the larger displacement V-8 will offer a 65+ ft/lb. bonus in terms of torque versus the current 360, so it should be quite a rocket. Obviously Ferrari is getting the Modena ready to battle the 500HP baby Lambo that's also due next year.

Which of course begs the question: For the love of god, why can't Honda's brass be persuaded to knock out a nice 4.5L V-8 for a new NSX? Why is it so criminal and foreign to them at this point? They look at V-8 engines like we look at beluga caviar: wasteful and extravagant.

Come on, screw the enviroment and gasoline costs, give me a 450HP NSX!

 

[matteni]

Simple - allthough we don't like it.

Honda is a car/light SUV company. They do cars like the NSX/S2000 to flex engineering muscle and little else.

They are branding themselves as the "green" company. They are focused on ultra low emissions, environmental friendliness, and the best engineered passenger vehicles. They are not Ferrari, Porsche, Lambo etc. It is an after thought.

We heard the owner of a Honda/Acura dealer at Gingerman this year state to a group of us how he received a letter that Honda was going to stick with 6 cyl or lower through the limited remaining life of the gas combustion engine. They will work to maintain equivelent V8 type power but would not have a V8. Proof - no, but seems to jive with the hybred stuff we have been hearing.

That said, have you ever heard a 911 GT2 owner complain about only having a v6?

I hope I am wrong but don't think there will be a V8 any time soon from Honda - especially with gas prices on the rise, tough EPA restrictions, and talk of mid east war every day.

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Nick M

91' Red/Black with Many Mods
99' Honda Odyssey with Many Kids

 

[Hrant]

Originally posted by MAKO:
...... They look at V-8 engines like we look at beluga caviar: wasteful and extravagant.....

Heeyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, wait a minute there, I resemble that comment

........ I grew up on imported beluga caviar and we sccoped it with teaspoons from the jar while my dad's V8s with Hurst shifters were in the garage ......

International imports at the time was less restrictive and less costly and with the right connections you could export anything from the Soviet Union ...... but then, I was not residing in the USA!

No kidding, have you tried it with an unsalted thinly buttered toasted bread or craker with a few drops of real fresh lemon ....

....... and after that my friends, you will worry less about the V8 and more about the style, and lines and smoothness of the curves, and the company you are keeping ........

[This message has been edited by Hrant (edited 25 October 2002).]

 

[NetViper]

Originally posted by matteni:

That said, have you ever heard a 911 GT2 owner complain about only having a v6?

Yes, but they have Twin Turbo's and 460HP helping them out.

I would by fine with Acura just having factory Twin Turbo's. They did it for the Racing NSX, why not for the street? I think the Race NSX was a 3.0 with 650HP. That would work fine for me

-- but seriously, slap on some TT and boost output to 450 HP and THEN we would have a car well worth the 90K!

 

[nsxtasy]

Honda has known for years that NSX owners don't feel that 270-290 hp is anywhere near enough.

1. If they come out with an NSX replacement with, say, 330 hp, the world will yawn. They ought to know that already, too.

2. And, if they don't come out with an NSX replacement at all, the world will yawn, too. IMO this is a greater possibility than a new NSX with not much more power than the current one.

3. However, if they come out with an NSX replacement with, say, 450 hp, people will get excited - whether it is done using a V8, a V6, twin turbos, or a thousand gerbils on treadmills.

I'm hoping that Monte gives us what's behind Door Number 3.

 

[NetViper]

Originally posted by nsxtasy:
.


or a thousand gerbils on treadmills.

Ken.. what about a thousand gerbils powering the rear wheels and an electric motor in the front

 

[cobalt]

As long as the gerbils don't leave little poop dropping on the garage floor, I don't care how they get to 450hp.

-Andie

 

[BladesNSX]

Originally posted by NetViper:
Yes, but they have Twin Turbo's and 460HP helping them out.

I would by fine with Acura just having factory Twin Turbo's. They did it for the Racing NSX, why not for the street? I think the Race NSX was a 3.0 with 650HP. That would work fine for me

-- but seriously, slap on some TT and boost output to 450 HP and THEN we would have a car well worth the 90K!

Which racing NSX is that?

I agree that if Honda came out with an NSX TT with that much horse power it would really sell. Let's be honest, how many of us here own a brand spanking new NSX for $90K. I think Honda realized the potential in giving more "car for your buck" in the S2K.

On another thought. Honda cannot really be compared to Ferrari or Lambos IMO. I purchased a Honda Bike because I've heard time and agian of how unreliable the "Ferrari of motorcycles: Ducati" is. Any Ferrari or Lambo owners here can say "My car is as reliable if not more than an NSX"?!

I think not...

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'91 blk/blk NSX
'96 Green Integra GSR
'02 CBR F4i Yellow/Black
Honda rules

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by BladesNSX:
how many of us here own a brand spanking new NSX for $90K.

Hopefully, none. Even those who bought their NSX new didn't need to pay that much for it.

 

[Jason Weaver]

Any Ferrari or Lambo owners here can say "My car is as reliable if not more than an NSX"?!

I think not...

Oh no, we're gonna get Allan all fired up again!

------------------
Jason

 

[maomaonsx]

Originally posted by BladesNSX:

Which racing NSX is that?

Le Mans GT1 version. But I believe it was a single turbo. and that car can hardly be considered a NSX. all they have to do to meet LeMans GT1 regulation was to have the same suspension pick up points and keep the engine design relatively the same. You can imagine how much difference there could be between your NSX and the GT1 NSX>

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George W
Porsche 996 for sale!

 

[BLACKL@BEL]

Originally posted by matteni:

That said, have you ever heard a 911 GT2 owner complain about only having a v6?

Well not really, maybe it's because the gt2 has a flat-6

 

[NetViper]

I was talking about the 95 NSX Turbo GT1. I guess maybe it is a single turbo. But HONDA proved it has the ability to create a reliable HIGH output version of the NSX engine with a Turbo. I don't understand why they didnt at least make it an option on the NSX. It would, IMO, have really helped sales.