NSX wins 2016 Pikes Peak in Time Attack 2 class; 2nd in EV class

[sadlerau]

that photo was 2005.

i wouldn't say you're wrong in your assertion of massive levels of grip and speed. but bear in mind, all the others have that too...

And yet, early indications are that the NSX is a wash with the much more "track focused" ACR despite giving away power to weight, mass and set-up? And this is multiplied on the street.
The reason I tracked my Legend [for a laugh] was just because it was so insanely quick around public streets, especially despite it's considerable bulk, I just had to see what it could do!

That's what SH-AWD does, it manages to provide a balanced feel to the chassis [in the Legend's case that meant running 50psi front and 36psi rear on the track, 36 front and 28 rear on the road] which means you are maximizing the mechanical grip, and that is compounded when you accelerate so that the algorithms apportion torque to each wheel maximizing that grip in the transient state. You know, like when you hit the sweet spot in your race car's set up, when the suspension, tyre grip and track grip all come together and you can balance you car on a knife's edge, place the car where you want and do seemingly impossible things against your opponents? That sweet spot so hard to achieve and rarely encountered? Well SH-AWD is capable of giving you that balance and grip all day every day. Sweet How else do you explain the claims that the NSX is a "match" for a 458 on the track, carrying all that bulk?

That's why I'm waiting to see direct comparisons on the track, and on the road.

 

[fastaussie]

How else do you explain the claims that the NSX is a "match" for a 458 on the track, carrying all that bulk?

That's why I'm waiting to see direct comparisons on the track, and on the road.

one would sure hope the NSX is a match for the 458, because the 488 is significantly better.

hopefully comparison time will be soon, then we can see how they all match up. Lamborghini Huracan 580-2 & 610-4, McLaren 570S, Porsche 911 Turbo S, Ferrari 488, Acura NSX and Audi R8. there can only be one... :biggrin:

 

[chrisn]

Exactly. Only one of those cars has the powertrain of the future: Turbo ICE power plant coupled with multiple electric motors. Legacy solutions often remain better on some metrics even after we all see the next generation platforms. I want to taste the future.

 

[Hothonda]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYVeC5sHnek

 

[fastaussie]

Exactly. Only one of those cars has the powertrain of the future: Turbo ICE power plant coupled with multiple electric motors. Legacy solutions often remain better on some metrics even after we all see the next generation platforms. I want to taste the future.

not yet apparently, your car is still tops Hothonda. the record for the Time Attack 2 class is a 2014 Porsche Turbo S at a 10:26.896 second run, precisely two seconds faster than the NSX's win time. so the pure petroleum gasoline engines and regular AWD still have the edge, for now...

 

[Bricks and Bio]

Driver matters as well

I believe the Turbo S record was accomplished by a local guy with decades on experience up there

 

[chrisn]

Two second delta on a 626 second run (0.3% variance)? Different drivers on different days means that, at best, you can say the NSX statistically "tied" the 991TTS on the Pikes Peak hillclimb. Also my statement is still true: the NSX has a unique (in its price range) and future-oriented drivetrain. I seriously doubt that the NSX will beat the 991TTS 0-60 or the 488 around the track. And I don't particularly care (as long as it is in the same ballpark, which most of the early data suggests it will be).

As I've said, the "best of the old" is typically better than the "new new thing" along certain dimensions for a while. I'm an early adopter-- I switched to DSLR's before 100% of people agreed that film was dead, for example.

My dream is that the NSX will combine the instant TQ "EV feel" of my BMW i3 in the 0 to 45MPH range with the pulling power of the 911 Turbo in the 45 to go-to-jail MPH range and the "how is that possible for a fat car?" cornering ability of the GT-R.

 

[nosirrahx]

My dream car would have 3 modes:

1. Pure electric mode.
2. Hybrid mode focused on MPG but with the ability to put down some power if you put your foot in it.
3. "You should probably be doing this on the track" mode where you get that stupid low end electric TQ and the roar of an ICE with massive forced induction providing loads of top end HP.

 

[JD Cross]

One of the things about the new NSX that will set it apart is it's relative exclusivity, at least in the short term.
If Honda can stick to their "made to order" plan the NSX will be quite rare.
There will likely be more 488's, R8's and 911TT's on the road.
Quite a change for Honda.

And it's early days for the NSX driveline.
It's possible there's more performance to be extracted going forward, than with the traditional drivelines of it's competitions

 

[chrisn]

I agree with you, [MENTION=32851]nosirrahx[/MENTION], but a useful all-electric mode would add way too much battery weight-- so you (and I) have to keep dreaming on that point. Otherwise, the NSX is very on point. My hope is that the TQ fill will give the car a punchy "EV Feel" across the rev range.

 

[fastaussie]

Two second delta on a 626 second run (0.3% variance)? Different drivers on different days means that, at best, you can say the NSX statistically "tied" the 991TTS on the Pikes Peak hillclimb.

Driver matters as well

I believe the Turbo S record was accomplished by a local guy with decades on experience up there

yes, it appears the guy who owns the record is a local Colorado guy, and he has other wins on the Hill Climb to go with the Time Attack 2 outright record.

a win is a win however, and a 2 second gap in racing isn't a tie, statistical or not. and evidently if the Porsche was running with full power, the record would've been a lot lower:

"But race-day on the mountain showed a different mood. Donner found that his Porsche -- after running flawlessly all month -- was having problems staying in the Sport Plus mode, severely limiting the available power as he climbed up the mountain. While the team thought a sub-10 minute time could be possible, they had to make due with a still-record time of 10:26.896"

 

[chrisn]

A 2 second lead in a *race* is still a win. But these two cars weren't "racing"-- they ran a year apart, with unknown variances in road, weather, etc. Also sounds like this event, even more so than other races, favors the fearless. Also, woulda/coulda/shoulda means nothing, so I don't put a lot of stock in the Porsche comments about being "down on power" (never heard that one before) The ACR thought they should beat the NSX. And the NSX TA2 thought they "should" have broken the record.

NSX doing this well at Pikes is a great/fun factoid, but I am waiting for instrumented tests and for some times from known drivers / tracks (Pobst at Laguna would be a great data point-- especially if he can run head-to-head same day).

 

[fastaussie]

A 2 second lead in a *race* is still a win. But these two cars weren't "racing"-- they ran a year apart, with unknown variances in road, weather, etc. Also sounds like this event, even more so than other races, favors the fearless. Also, woulda/coulda/shoulda means nothing, so I don't put a lot of stock in the Porsche comments about being "down on power" (never heard that one before) The ACR thought they should beat the NSX. And the NSX TA2 thought they "should" have broken the record.

NSX doing this well at Pikes is a great/fun factoid, but I am waiting for instrumented tests and for some times from known drivers / tracks (Pobst at Laguna would be a great data point-- especially if he can run head-to-head same day).

exactly. speculation is speculation, the numbers don't lie...

 

[N Spec]

I agree. Honda should revisit the course and try to beat that record. Or even better Porsche and Honda can go toe to toe one year.

 

[nosirrahx]

I agree with you, @nosirrahx, but a useful all-electric mode would add way too much battery weight-- so you (and I) have to keep dreaming on that point. Otherwise, the NSX is very on point. My hope is that the TQ fill will give the car a punchy "EV Feel" across the rev range.

For now, of course. I am awaiting to see where battery tech goes. If any of that carbon nanotube or graphene battery tech works out weight might become a thing of the past.

Personally I bought into the NSX hype due to it being an important step in the right direction on top of it being an absolutely killer car.