Yet another NSX Rumour
07-18-2008, 09:49 AM
#42
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Quite agree Pete, but we shouldn't rise to it. It's far too easy to slag other marques off, where it takes a bit more thought to appreciate that most cars have some clever points to them.
Unless of course theya re French. I do draw the line there
Subaru - I also think you have a point. I've had a few people have a go at me for having the ordacity to point out that the S2000 has some serious mechanical flaws, regardless of how much I still like the car.
Unless of course theya re French. I do draw the line there
Subaru - I also think you have a point. I've had a few people have a go at me for having the ordacity to point out that the S2000 has some serious mechanical flaws, regardless of how much I still like the car.
07-18-2008, 09:51 AM
#43
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Originally Posted by Moggy,Jul 18 2008, 06:46 PM
Why?
Most people buy cars now on status and what it can achieve (Ring lap times etc) so they have gone for the jugular, and they need to make sure they achieve it by the standards they have set!
To me you would look past all that but we live in a Top Gear / Evo magazine world...
07-18-2008, 09:55 AM
#44
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Originally Posted by MB,Jul 18 2008, 05:51 PM
Well, by their own admission from their top rank, they want to make a "GTR beater"
07-18-2008, 10:20 AM
#46
Originally Posted by MB,Jul 18 2008, 04:32 PM
...I also do agree with Mikey that it would be great to see the new NSX staying to it's roots of being RWD and N/A with little driver aids. It proves that getting from A to B can be done in different ways, and keeps things interesting!
The HSC was the 'old NSX +10%' formula. Whilst it was generally well-received by the NSX purists, the general feedback was that it was too little, too late in a world obsessed with big BHP and Max Power. Whether you blame the Germans or the Evo/GT-R ricers or Osama Bin Laden for that, is irrelevant; it's the Realpolitik.
The old NSX was pretty much irreplaceable directly and it's not really in Honda's culture to produce something over-powerful and undriveable like a Koenigsegg; a truly impractical supercar if you will.
Remember too that Honda needs to produce a halo model for its snob brand, Acura, whose USP is SH-AWD.
So I can see that having got the T-shirt for Ferrari-beaters with the NSX, they had to move on.
The front-engined SH-AWD GT car was something they'd not done, yet fits the bill. Remember, the 512TR was replaced by such a car, the GT-R is a superbly effective piece of kit and there are a lot of advantages to the Front-engined layout; better packaging, visibility and weight-saving, compared to mid-engined design.
Dimensionally, Honda has kept the car quite small, if worryingly wide for my tastes. It appears as if they are trying to squeeze a V10 into a C4 or Gallardo-sized car. The SH-AWD is a given and if the advantages of SH-AWD (which will make active 4WS redundant) are not understood, neither I nor Honda can help that!
The answer is not a direct GT-R rival; the car will be a lot more expensive and exclusive (especially since few will buy it, because of its badge) which answers some criticism of the GT-R that is related to the low-rent Nissan badge, rather than any problem with the GT-R itself. Whilst Honda's achievements are not recognised by the great unwashed, Acura doesn't even have that heritage behind it, being a US-only invention until recently.
Like the NSX, the GT5000 is trying to be an intelligent answer to the parameters and not a 'me too' type product.
This is my understanding of Honda's perspective of the business decision to produce the GT5000. If it sounds as if I am some sort of Honda apologist or am unfairly criticising the cars to which I'm comparing it, I don't actually care. I believe I have read enough to understand (as well as a non-Japanese can!) the mindset of the company and am happy to explain it to those who are interested to listen.
For those that aren't; there's always the 'ignore' button!
07-18-2008, 11:38 AM
#47
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Originally Posted by Nick Graves,Jul 18 2008, 06:20 PM
This is my understanding of Honda's perspective of the business decision to produce the GT5000. If it sounds as if I am some sort of Honda apologist or am unfairly criticising the cars to which I'm comparing it, I don't actually care. I believe I have read enough to understand (as well as a non-Japanese can!) the mindset of the company and am happy to explain it to those who are interested to listen.
For those that aren't; there's always the 'ignore' button!
07-18-2008, 01:12 PM
#48
Paranoia again Sub!
It was aimed at the complainers, who nearly got the thread closed.
I didn't think there was anything wrong with the discussion personally. I believe we know each other well enough to talk from the hip, so to speak, without handbags getting involved. (I'm never mixing my metaphors again).
The thread went a little wide whilst explaining the concept of a design masterpiece in automotive terms (blame the French!) but that was basically necessary.
So the complainers, who nearly wrecked the free speech of the thread should hit the ignore button now, whilst I call them a bunch of [ignore]
07-18-2008, 02:14 PM
#49
Originally Posted by Nick Graves,Jul 18 2008, 07:20 PM
Which brings us back to Honda's dilemma:
07-18-2008, 03:09 PM
#50
...which basically boils down to; perceived image and all that bullshit.
Dunno what they think in mainland Europe, but I'm not convinced calling it an Acura will help.
Only if the car is very, very good (a true masterpiece!) will it have a chance of a breakthrough.
Dunno what they think in mainland Europe, but I'm not convinced calling it an Acura will help.
Only if the car is very, very good (a true masterpiece!) will it have a chance of a breakthrough.