Top Speed

[JW]

I am not a speed freak, I usually drive the speed limits or 5 to 10 mph above and haven't had a speeding ticket in 36 years or since when I was a teenager. I have had my NSX up to about 120 mph on an open stretch of highway and I thought that was pretty fast, but I wanted to know if my 91 could reach the 170 mph factory top speed. I left my home at about 5:00 a.m. and drove about 30 east miles of where I live, to a stretch of newly paved highway, with which I am very familiar with. At this time of the morning the regular commuters aren't on the highway yet, so this is where I was going to try it out. Well to make a long story short, the car performed exactly as it was supposed to, engine sound was incredible, the adrenaline rush and the sides of the road moving past were both scary and exhilarating. I don't believe that I will ever try this again, but it was pretty f'nnn cool. My question is, do most or all NSX owners take their cars to the limit at some point or never?

91 NSX Red/Black
09 VW Jetta TDI White

 

[nikey22]

I have'nt done this yet, too scared too!

 

[clr1024]

Well the limit is around 170 MPH on an NA car...so I don't think most NSX drivers have been there. I know I have no plans to go that fast. That said I am sure there are some that have been there...maybe even faster.

 

[eddy w]

The first day I got my 91 nsx (may 2011) and drove it across the border after a 6 hour drive to get to the border, then getting all my documents cleared, i was off, I was feeling invincible! the car felt very tight and solid for a 91 and decided to gun it off the offramp. I
wound it out in each gear and was climbing in 5th gear........looked down and i was at 155 mph!!! being that the speed limit was only 100 km I shut it down and continued homeward. what a rush!
That was and will likley be the only time i will ever go that fast on a public road. pretty stupid when you really think about it, and seeing that I just lost 3 points for speeding in my 4runner of all vehicles, i will have to go fast on the track!

 

[davidf]

I was clocked at 167 and it was completely strung out. The car actually felt comfortable at that speed. Only worries were the windows felt like they were about to depart the car.

 

[HIJACKER]

The fastest I've gotten mind to is about 145mph coming out of turn 10 going down the straight towards turn 1 at Summit Point. I haven't been to a track with a longer leg to stay on the gas to get up any higher.

 

[Meeyatch1]

Yes, the car does sound amazing. I have run both my 1991
NSX and 1994 NSX up to about 170 mph several times. Of course, only at times and places where I was essentially alone and could see for miles. It is quite exciting, but does take a while to get there. All progress past 140 mph seems to come in increasingly slow increments. That said, the car MUST have the thin black chin spoiler attached to do this safely, otherwise you will realize significant front end lift, which really could be deadly at such speeds.

 

[Jacob_Seattle]

I hit 135 mph on the main straight at PIR. I think she would go a maybe 20-30 mph more here. This is good, but going into turn 2 you have to brake hard down to 80 ish within a few tens of yards. The fastest I have gotten my 500 hp M5 was 142 mph at PIR (162 mph otherwise). I would be comfortable around this speed in my NSX, but not much higher at PIR. I am looking for a good stretch of highway to get a top speed run. I am running a high boost SC and should be able to get up to at least 180 mph. This must be done safely and thus my quest continues to get the right safe conditions. The key is to be safe and alone at these speeds. These speeds do not have to be considered dangerous if you have the experience and conditions. I have regularly hit 160-170 mph on the German autobann. Most Americans think these speeds are dangerous by default. They can be, but they don't have to be if you work up your skills and ensure the proper conditions.

 

[Ds92NSX]

155 for me on back road no traffic.

 

[scorp965]

This is the top of 4th gear in a turbo nsx (recall function, afterwards):

Highest is 189mph before running out of road; no picture of the peak recall, but the car had some rpm to go - some local owners saw the recall after the run.

Based on gearing alone, the car can reach 201mph with a 265/35/18 rear tire.

 

[comtec]

Only had mine to about 140. I would take it faster, just don't want that "ride and tow" :wink:. Have driven a couple hundred miles in heavy rain at 125 and it was steady as a rock.


Mike

 

[Nukem]

This is the top of 4th gear in a turbo nsx (recall function, afterwards):

Highest is 189mph before running out of road; no picture of the peak recall, but the car had some rpm to go - some local owners saw the recall after the run.

Based on gearing alone, the car can reach 201mph with a 265/35/18 rear tire.

How stable was your car at 175+? Did you have any excess mods to help with downforce?


Only had my NSX up to 120ish... beliece it or not I have had my Ion Redline up faster than that.(At Road Atlanta)

 

[NetViper]

141 in my white 93 on a back road.

Had the new one to 136 on a back road. It get's there much faster.

 

[davidf]

I was clocked at 167 and it was completely strung out. The car actually felt comfortable at that speed. Only worries were the windows felt like they were about to depart the car.

BTW, I would'nt recommend that anyone try this. We were on a closed road and it was a State trooper friend that was doing me a huge favor. Things go through your head like deer/rabbits/tire failure/driver error ect. While I've been in the 190's on bikes, {years ago I was bulletproof} unless your positive your car/tires are mechanically sound, it's not worth trying it.

 

[heySkippy]

I've been to 140-ish a few times out in the boonies. Would love to go faster in a controlled environment.

 

[SonOfLiberty]

The fastest I've been in my NSX has been about 120 mph.

For stock NSXs, I always thought the top speeds were as follows:

1991-1996: about 160 mph
1997-2001: about 170 mph
2002-2005: about 175 mph

Is that accurate? Can the 91'-96's go faster, it's just car magazines back then didn't take them faster?

 

[greenberet]

In Europe, Honda listed the official top speed of NA1 5-speeds as 270 kmh (168 mph), so it's good to hear that's how fast stock NA1s actually go!

 

[nobby]

160 mph when in Germany on the Autobahn, she had way more to give - 94 JDM NSX btw :smile:

only reason for not going more was my passenger got NERVOUS ... my wife!

 

[Big_D]

Spun mine up to 140 for a short time in Utah on the way home from purchasing it in Colorado. My wife started squirming in her seat with anticipation that a state trooper might jump out from behind some bushes. Decided that it was fast enough and backed off. Would have liked to seen it go to the top, but like other's have said, its dangerous when you are in an uncontrolled environment.

 

[scorp965]

Did you have any excess mods to help with downforce?

Several, from the top of my mind:

• Downforce NSX-R bumper underpanel
• Downforce Battery Tray Underpanel
• Downforce Fuel Tank Cover
• GT-one front end conversion / 2002 update
• I's impact rear diffuser set

The car feels planted, but road noise is higher than other sportscars at speed.

 

[SFNSXguy]

A 1991 NSX is aerodynamically limited to 168 mph.

 

[MvM]

Nice reading

I've had my previous (1994) NSX up to speeds of around 285 kph (177 mph) on the speedo on numerous occasions. And had it many time up to 220-225 kph (around 140 mph) many, many times. But the last only for a quick sprint to avoid troubles.
I have done around 165 mph with my current 1998 NSX on two occasions so far (both in Germany) but haven't tried it's real topspeed yet.

I do have the VIS NSX-R hood and Downforce bumper undercover battery cover and Type-R wing. The car is very, very stable at high speeds.

It's fun doing high speeds, but you need to watch other traffic very very closely. In countries like Germany, people are more used to high speeds and will act accordingly. But even there I have noticed that people seem to be slowing down more and more and many times, the average speeds there is only like 70-80 mph nowadays.

 

[Wavey1]

BTW, I would'nt recommend that anyone try this. We were on a closed road and it was a State trooper friend that was doing me a huge favor. Things go through your head like deer/rabbits/tire failure/driver error ect. While I've been in the 190's on bikes, {years ago I was bulletproof} unless your positive your car/tires are mechanically sound, it's not worth trying it.

I always start thinking about tires, wheel bearings, etc. at speeds like this. Back in my Porsche days I heard about a 911 that seized a front wheel bearing and sheared the stub axle off, and knew a guy who had a speedo-trigger magnet come off and lodge in the differential, locking the rear wheels. Hard to keep that stuff out of your mind at speed, at least for me.

 

[dirtbag]

I usually hit 168ish going to and from work everyday through three school zones and speed bumps. It's a riot.

 

[Acura NsX Pilot]

I have hit between 155-160 I did not want to stare down at the speedo too long. I was pretty scared and shut it down a few seconds after peaking there.
The car felt alttle lite and I was not really comfortable at that speed.