No recognition for the NSX

[Vytas]

I was at the LA Auto Show all day yesterday and visited the Acura display many times. At times I just stood around in the distance admiring the yellow '03 NSX-T on an elevated display.

What surpised me was that a LOT of people walked by the NSX-T not even giving the car a look. They just waltzed by as if it wasn't there. The car was displayed at an angle with the rear upward so you can see the updated front end just beaming at you. Didn't seem to catch the attention of passer's by.

Surely there was standing room only in the New Beetle and Mini Cooper displays.

 

[bboxer]

Hi Vytas, I was there yesterday too, how sad but you should direct your frustration at Honda and AHonda. Scrap it or do something about it. Dec 02 NSX sales were down to SEVEN cars (even the aging Lotus Esprit sold 9 examples). It is truly a shame that such a wonderful car is kept current with very little ethusiasm from honda product planners. It would be more gracious and honorable to stop production.

 

[fangtl]

Same reactions (or lack of) at the Washington Auto Show.

 

[PHOEN$X]

Boggles the mind. However there were plenty of admirers at the Phoenix show last week. I had a difficult time getting a clean shot of the silver 03 they had there..

 

[Black Knight]

I must say that the SF autoshow last november was different. The NSX did catch a lot of attention. The NSX was placed on a rotating platform with an okay looking female rep, so I assumed the attention from the people were toward the NSX, not the girl. She was also demonstrating how to open the targa. After struggling with the top, I gave her a few pointers and she asked me to join her on the platform. I showed her how to keep the targa storage lid open with the little side hook so she could easily place the targa in the storage without holding the top in one hand and keeping the lid open with the other. There were numerous pairs of eyes watching us and I felt really good about owning an NSX once again....she was pretty thankful since she probably had to repeat that exercise numerous times for the next few days.

This shows that the NSX was still an attention grabber. It was hot in that section. I then stepped into a much cooler section at a corner (cool due to the lack of people) with tons of american cars and trucks.

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'98 Blue NSX-T

[This message has been edited by Blue Knight (edited 07 January 2003).]

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by Vytas:
No recognition for the NSX

What's an NSX?

 

[BLaDz01]

That's so sad. makes me wanna cry. I guess thats wwhy they are planning a new one.

 

[NeoNSX]

NSXTASY: ...hehehe...my turn to help you (a first!!!)

...it stands for New Sportscar eXperiment ...although at that carshow, it sounds like it stands for No Sightseeing eXperience.

Vytas: that's sad... but if i were at the show, i'd be standing there with the NSX-T too. (Actually, last car show i went too, over 50% of my photos were on the NSX alone... despite the 360's, 911's, diablo & countach elsewhere)

 

[Jim]

You mean no one noticed this?

 

[RyRy210]

Originally posted by BLaDz01:
That's so sad. makes me wanna cry. I guess thats wwhy they are planning a new one.

No one knows for sure whether they are planning a new one. I honestly really don't care about what other people think about the car, or whether it turns heads or not. The car always put a smile on my face when I drive it, and to me that is all that matters.

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2001 NSX-T
- Bilstein Shocks
- '02 OEM Wheels

 

[Joel]

Well, if you think about it...

1. Your average joe/joe-ann who aren't into cars don't even know what an NSX is.

2. At first glance, it looks like a regular, run of the mill corvette.

3. The NSX was in the same position, in the same place as it was last year and even in the same color.

4. Los Angeles...it will take a Ferrari or Lambo badge to impress people around here.

 

[wctsao]

The reason why the NSX was missed is because the stand was really high. I had to look hard for it at the Washington Auto Show. I almost missed it myself.

If they wanted more people to look at it, they would have put it on the floor with the rest of the cars. At least rope it off if you don't want anyone to touch it.

 

[Zanardi 50]

Originally posted by Jim:
You mean no one noticed this?

Nope, not at this year's or last year's LA Auto Show, because they're a dime a dozen here in LA.

Joel's and RyRy210's comments sum up my sentiments exactly. Most Angeleno NSX'ers really don't care about this exclusivity thing with exotics. If we did we wouldn't have made NSX's our final decision.

 

[NSX/MR2]

Z50,
If NSX(s) is a dime a dozen up in LA, then what about Ferrari, because pretty much everywhere I travel in LA, whether it is on Hollywood, Santa Monica, or Malibu, I always see quite a few Ferrari, and not too many NSX. Maybe, it is just me.

 

[Dan H]

I was at the SF autoshow as well. Seemed the opposite. Only me and two of my "anti-NSX" friends came to look at it. Maybe because it was near closing time which was close to 10PM...

Deqle, I see more Ferrari's than NSX's as well. If I'm lucky, I see a NSX at least once a month here in the bay area. While I see Ferrari's at least once every week or two weeks. Heck, saw a 550 Maranello just today near downtown SF.

 

[Zanardi 50]

Originally posted by Deqle:
Z50,
If NSX(s) is a dime a dozen up in LA, then what about Ferrari, because pretty much everywhere I travel in LA, whether it is on Hollywood, Santa Monica, or Malibu, I always see quite a few Ferrari, and not too many NSX. Maybe, it is just me.

Deqle,
I definitely agree with you that I see more Ferrari's than NSX's in the neighborhood you've mentioned above. But have you been to San Gabriel Valley (L.A. East Side), esp. during weekends where most SGV NSX'ers come out to play? You'll be surprised how often you'll see more NSX's than Ferrari's or any other exotics! It would be safe to assume that most NSX's in the greater LA county is heavily concentrated in the SGV area, because just about every time I'm out driving about in my neighborhood, I'll always see at least one NSX before the day's over. Swear!

[This message has been edited by Zanardi 50 (edited 08 January 2003).]

 

[naaman]

Originally posted by Zanardi 50:
Nope, not at this year's or last year's LA Auto Show, because they're a dime a dozen here in LA.

No they're not.

 

[12AMNSX]

I live in San Ramon in the east San Francisco Bay Area. With the exception of a few regular local NSX's I see on occasion, I could go for months without seeing another NSX in my neighborhood.

Although I love the car for what it is, a true exotic sports car, there is no doubt that I am attracted to the NSX due to the fact that there are not many on the road. For the money I spent on a 7 year old used car, I could have purchased a new Corvette or other high performance vehicle. Frankly, I'm glad there are not that many around.

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T'S SR71
95 Midnight Pearl

 

[mlambert890]

Despite people's individual experiences, the production numbers don't lie. There are a quantifiable and finite number of NSX's in existance in the US and it's a pretty low number. There can't be all *that* many in LA because there just aren't all that many in the country and we know there are plenty outside of CA.

Of course, there aren't all that many Ferraris either if you drill down to the individual model. It's apples and oranges to compare NSX sightings with "Ferrari" sightings since "Ferrari" can mean anything from a classic Daytona all the way up to a new 360.

Either way, at last years NY Auto Show the NSX drew a pretty healthy crowd and was getting all of the typical exotic car commentary ("gotta hit lotto, rob a bank, etc.")

Considering Honda does absolutely no marketing in the US at all for the NSX, that's pretty impressive.

 

[Joel]

Originally posted by spookyp:


Of course, there aren't all that many Ferraris either if you drill down to the individual model. It's apples and oranges to compare NSX sightings with "Ferrari" sightings since "Ferrari" can mean anything from a classic Daytona all the way up to a new 360.

Precisely!
When someone says "I see a Ferrari more than an NSX..." then you have to ask which Ferrari model are you talking about? If it meant Ferrari in a collective term, then of course you're going to see more of them than NSX's. I mean Acura only has one exotic model. How many Acuras (collectively) do see on the road? A heck of a lot more than Ferraris that's for sure!

 

[JSMDMD]

My son and I went to the LA Auto Show last weekend also. I was suprised to see how little interest the NSX attracted.
And I was all ready, standing there, metal NSX key in hand... just waiting for any excuse to mention that I own one of those....
The most popular cars we saw there were the H1 and H2 Hummers, Lexus, BMW, and MB.
You could have heard a pin drop in the GM exhibit, with the exception of the Corvettes.

__________

91 Black/Ivory

 

[RyRy210]

Honestly, I feel that most people go to see the autoshow to view cars they've never seen before. New concepts or new vehicle debuts. I went to the autoshow last year just to see the debut of the '02 NSX. This year I don't even know whether I'm even gonna stop by and see the NSX. Maybe I'll go check out the TSX. If the NSX was not on a raised stand, I will guarantee that people will stand in line to try to sit in it, open the trunk, play with the clutch, etc. Last year there was no one at the Viper exhibit either. I mean, what can you really do? Stand and just stare at a car that you can't sit in or even touch? Ferrari and lambo exhibits I just go in and walk straight to the nearest exit, glancing at the cars as I walk past. I honestly think most people spend time on cars that they can sit and get an overall feel for. I know my car gets stares when I drive on the street and people just walk up to it for a quick glance of the interior when its parked. There's something very different about looking at a car that you can't touch, than looking at a car up close and personal. When the NSX stops turning heads on the street, that is when the NSX loses its recognition.

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2001 NSX-T
- Bilstein Shocks
- '02 OEM Wheels

 

[Dan H]

Yeah, I only looked at the NSX for about 1-2 minutes while I sat in and played around with the Z06 for about close to 10 minutes.

 

[NSX/MR2]

Well,
For my part anyhow; anytime, I took my baby for a round trip around La Jolla, or Delmar. It is guarantee that i will run into a late model Ferrari sometime during the trip. Here at the Symbolic car(s) dealership, they have all kind of Ferrari(s), but only one NSX, a pearl yellow 2002 supercharged one. I spoke with one of the representative(s) about my interest in the vehicle, and hopefully we can do a deal. It was sold to a doctor, before I got around to it. I asked the representative if and when he can get another NSX in the dealership for that kind of price, $85,000 that is. His exact quote was: "If you want a 360, you can drive one off the lot right now, but if you want an NSX, I am not sure when I am going to be able to bring one around". Enough said, that made my day.

That would have been a great deal, $85,000 for a 2002 supercharged NSX, and they are willing to give at least $27,000 for my 91. Ohh well, next time, at least I will have the comfort knowing that the car is in good hand.

 

[Joel]

Originally posted by RyRy210:
I honestly think most people spend time on cars that they can sit and get an overall feel for. There's something very different about looking at a car that you can't touch, than looking at a car up close and personal.

Good point. Many people do go to car shows not just to stare and glare. Some folks go to make a final decision on which car to actually buy. Perfect place to tinker with the cars a bit. Too time-consuming to go to each dealer to do this otherwise.