Next NSX? CONVERSATION WITH A HONDA EXECUTIVE
By Craig Campanaro
I sat next to an American Honda executive on a plane last week, and got a chance to talk with him about some of the details concerning the futures of the NSX, S2000 and Integra. Here are the major points he mentioned:
2003 NSX
The specs for the next generation NSX have been complete for approximately 8 - 12 months. There will be no subtle reskin / engine improvement to the current car as the Japanese car magazines s have been speculating. Instead, scheduled for a late 2002 arrival as a mid-year 2003 car, the all new NSX will be mass produced from Honda with near 100% steel based construction. The new car will offer a singular engine option of a massaged 4.0L V-8 that produces between 400 and 450HP. This engine is technologically similar but not identical to the powerplant in the 2001 RL sedan. Price of the next gen NSX is estimated at $50K, but will not exceed $55K. The exec was adamant about this point, even stating that if Honda can not deliver the car to North America for a retail price that equals less than $55K tops, it's likely that it won't be offered there at all.
The exec stated that the new NSX will remain as Honda's / Acura's flagship for technology and performance, but should now be considered a price / performance bargain compared to the Corvette, E46 M3 and 911 on North American shores. The exec doesn't know the weight of the new NSX and wouldn't speculate on its performance levels versus other exotics. Hopefully it will weigh far less than the recently shown BMW Fat Albert E46 M3, which has a ridiculous 3425 LB curb weight.
http://www.nsxsc.com/nsexcitement/nextnsx.html
By Craig Campanaro
I sat next to an American Honda executive on a plane last week, and got a chance to talk with him about some of the details concerning the futures of the NSX, S2000 and Integra. Here are the major points he mentioned:
2003 NSX
The specs for the next generation NSX have been complete for approximately 8 - 12 months. There will be no subtle reskin / engine improvement to the current car as the Japanese car magazines s have been speculating. Instead, scheduled for a late 2002 arrival as a mid-year 2003 car, the all new NSX will be mass produced from Honda with near 100% steel based construction. The new car will offer a singular engine option of a massaged 4.0L V-8 that produces between 400 and 450HP. This engine is technologically similar but not identical to the powerplant in the 2001 RL sedan. Price of the next gen NSX is estimated at $50K, but will not exceed $55K. The exec was adamant about this point, even stating that if Honda can not deliver the car to North America for a retail price that equals less than $55K tops, it's likely that it won't be offered there at all.
The exec stated that the new NSX will remain as Honda's / Acura's flagship for technology and performance, but should now be considered a price / performance bargain compared to the Corvette, E46 M3 and 911 on North American shores. The exec doesn't know the weight of the new NSX and wouldn't speculate on its performance levels versus other exotics. Hopefully it will weigh far less than the recently shown BMW Fat Albert E46 M3, which has a ridiculous 3425 LB curb weight.
http://www.nsxsc.com/nsexcitement/nextnsx.html
