Button Gets A Nsx!

[neilap]

Jenson Button received a little token from Honda in the shape of a stunning NSX sports car, which he collected in person from Honda (UK)’s headquarters in Slough, Berkshire.

"I’m fully committed to my sport and getting the best possible results for BAR and Honda this year," said Button. "Even by the standard of some of the world’s best cars, they don’t come much more desirable than the NSX."

The legendary NSX was first produced in 1990 and the late Brazilian F1 great, Ayrton Senna, was involved in the car’s development.

The NSX boasts a 3.2-litre 24 valve DOHC VTEC V6 engine which is capable of 280 PS and an incredible top speed of 168mph.

"I know that the thing’s capable of 170 mph but I promise you, I’ll be sensible on the road," assured the 23-year-old British driver.

Life is just not fair

[Miss Hardt]

Life is definitely not fair, if we thing the same.

[Lee Janotta]

Legendary?

Honda has sat on this car _way_ too long, and it's never had even a bit of success in proper GT racing (JGTC cars are _not_ proper GTs!).

PLEASE build a second generation to replace this fossil!

[Fred Perry]

Why not?
I wouldn't mind having one of those in my garage.

Diablo's never had any success in GT's (not that i can remember) and they're almost legendary too...

[Lee Janotta]

Well, that's a totally different issue. Sure, I'd love one too!

But legendary? Not hardly!

[neilap]

Originally posted by Lee Janotta
Legendary?

Honda has sat on this car _way_ too long, and it's never had even a bit of success in proper GT racing (JGTC cars are _not_ proper GTs!).

PLEASE build a second generation to replace this fossil!

The NSX has won in LeMans in the GT class and there was also a 600 hp twin turbo version running that had a gearbox failure after it qualified poll. The car is also Legendary in Japan where is competes successfully against cars that have turbo chargers and much more power. The car is also legendary because when it was introduced it was really the only road worthy supercar. Ferraris were basically trailer queens at the time. Senna was also very involved in its design which at the time was revolutionary with its titanium rods, all aluminum body and new (at the time) vtec system. The car is legendary. Now its become a bit long in the tooth but when it was introduced it definately changed the standards.

The problem is that Honda does not spend a lot of money in marketing. Nissan and Mazda spend bundles brainwahing the masses. Honda depend more on their reputation.

I remember there was a post about what JV may drive. I guess now we know there is at least one Honda in his garage.

[Irv the Swerve]

I'm just amazed that a 23 year old can get insured in a car like that. There is no point in me having it for that reason.
Good luck to him.

[NiceGuyEddie]

Senna did some developmentdriving for the NSX and the car still is one of the best in the business. Too bad it is goddamn ugly, but hey... for a companycar, it'll do.

He should be happy he ain't driving for Toyota.

[Wrex]

I hope it gets a working fuel gauge

[oily oaf]

One of my mates at the garage where I work put a new bush in the anti-roll bar of an NXS 3.2 roadster the other day and swapped some paint with a Ford Fiesta. We spent the entire afternoon with a bottle of T cut and rags polishing the living daylights out of it. When the bloke camt to pick it up he was so gratefull he gave us £50 extra for a drink. Result!

[garagegirl]

Originally posted by neilap
Jenson Button received a little token from Honda in the shape of a stunning NSX sports car, which he collected in person from Honda (UK)’s headquarters in Slough, Berkshire.

lol, wouldn't mind my bosses giving me a car, alright for some......

[jetsetter]

Not a bad company car to run around in.

[Tristan]

Lee oh Lee oh Lee. Have you SEEN the new NSX Type-R?? Rudeness personified and I want one with some urgency. "Fossil"?? Nah.

[neilap]

Originally posted by Tristan
Lee oh Lee oh Lee. Have you SEEN the new NSX Type-R?? Rudeness personified and I want one with some urgency. "Fossil"?? Nah.

Yes, Jensons NSX-R is one bad SOB. The car does not have the power that some of its competitors have but with great efficiency and awesome balance, 14 years later it is still cometitive with its rivals.

[Heebeegeetee]

A wealthy mate of mine had an NSX a bit back... and didn't like it.

It was all very nice and everything, but like a lot of modern cars, didn’t become really fun to drive unless you absolutely caned it, at which time it's going too fast for the public roads, and the handling gets a bit twitchy, which is all a bit too much for a bit of fun down the English lanes. We took it up to Curborough sprint track. As members we can attend club evenings. The car was the fastest there, with the traction control in, but absolutely no fun whatever. He could sense the throttle being closed every time he tried to chuck the car about a bit. With the TC out, he spun, twice. First and second times he had ever done so, he reckoned. What’s more, the spin would come in with a right bang, no time to catch it. Curborough is a bit small, so the car wouldn't have been going particularly quickly when it spun.

Thing is, a few good years ago, when we were kids, he had a Lotus Esprit S3 non-turbo. (said he had a few bob.)
Back then we thought we knew it all, but of course knew nowt. Even so, he was able to do glorious tail slides around the top loop at Curborough, as well as slide it all over the place elsewhere. In fact, I have to say, I never saw more impressive tail slides around that loop, (it's egg-shaped, and not that easy to do, for whatever reason)until another acquaintance of mine did similar with a race prepped '59 Lotus Elite. Ironic that both cars were Loti.

That Elite was something else. We had put a line of cones down to zig-zag through, but the chap in the Elite wasn't paying attention and went blasting past, setting fastest time. When we explained what the cones were there for, it was "oh, righto," and blasted through these cones like nothing I have ever seen, and set, honestly, an identical time. We had another guy in a full stage prepped Mitsubishi Evo whatever-the-latest-Evo-was-at-the-time, anti-lag banging away, and could not match the times of the Elite. Extraordinary.

First rich mate sold the NSX not long after. Interior too ordinary, mundane engine note till you hit 4000 rpm, knife edge handling no good for the road, etc etc. It’s probably great for the Ayrton Senna’s of the world, but there was only one of him. The Lotus was much better – it flattered you. Made you look like Ayrton Senna, each time you hurled it sideways into a roundabout. He had an Excel after that, handling probably even better.

Another thought – that Esprit only had 160 bhp, and yet was flipping quick. What on earth is going on with power nowadays? Did anyone see that godawful Alfa 147 understeering everywhere on Top Gear last night? And can anyone tell me that fat lardy Golf, with 230 or whatever bhp, is going to be more fun down the lanes than the old Mk1 or 2 GTi’s were? I mean, it might make its owners feel good as they bully TT’s, Z3’s or whatever, but fun? – Nah.

[Inigo Montoya]

Originally posted by neilap
The problem is that Honda does not spend a lot of money in marketing. Nissan and Mazda spend bundles brainwahing the masses. Honda depend more on their reputation.

You don't remember the silly commercial filmed with the NSX turning heads in the cities of Italy?:

"Ferrari?" "No..... Acura"

[ASCII Man]

Acura isn't Honda.
Acura is to Honda what Lexus is to Toyota.

[Inigo Montoya]

Its the same company. In any case, the NSX is an Acura, and that stupid ad was for the Acura NSX.

[gttouring]

And the NSX lives everywhere in the orld named the HONDA NSX not AcURa- any way in the Speed Gt series he NSX has had some success, ofcourse supercharged with twice the HP.
actually about 400

[BMW V10]

What is the big deal about the NSX? I am sure Button has many millions of pounds right now I am sure he could have just about any car he wanted. I wouldn't mind being given one though..

[eein]

Why should Honda rush to replace it? They are not a super car manufacturer - they have to spend time on other things too. It would be bad business sense to spend millions on developing a car that would sell in low numbers when they can spend millions on devloping new main stream cars that will make money.

The NSX was a technichal revolution when it came out - a supercar that has impecable road manners. Even today, it holds its own in places. They also need to be very careful about any replacement - the Dutone (or whatever it was) that they showed off recently indicates that they want to make a technical leap in the field when they do replace it.

Insurance for a 23 years old? I am not much older (a fe months) and I have had very resonable qutoes for an NSX - around £1600 with 2 years nc. A lot less than many other fast cars.

And he should be glad he dosent drive for toyota? I don't agree - their avensis may be boring, but how many other car manufacturers do you know that have three very good sports cars - the MR2, Celica and Supra. I would not be saying no to these (well maybe the MR2 as it is a bit of a HDC).

Iain

[neilap]

Heebeegeetee, not being able to aford one, I have only read that the NSX will definately let you know if you are doing something wrong. It requires very smooth driving to go fast. Most of the oversteer problems are because of the puny rear tires that come on the car too. The mid engine design does provide the best platform for balancing a car. It just needs a silky smooth driver to go fast.

[f1_smiley]

Originally posted by eein
They also need to be very careful about any replacement - the Dutone (or whatever it was) that they showed off recently indicates that they want to make a technical leap in the field when they do replace it.

Iain

hey eein.... you got me searching the web
it's the honda dualnote
Autoweb.com - Honda Dualnote Concept Car
wouldn't mind having an NSX though

[Heebeegeetee]

Originally posted by neilap
Heebeegeetee, not being able to aford one, I have only read that the NSX will definately let you know if you are doing something wrong. It requires very smooth driving to go fast. Most of the oversteer problems are because of the puny rear tires that come on the car too. The mid engine design does provide the best platform for balancing a car. It just needs a silky smooth driver to go fast.

I remember Tiff Needell found much the same experience as my mate. He was doing a test to find 'the best grey import' you can buy. They had an early Impreza, a Mitsu EVO 1, and an NSX. He found the NSX to be too sharp. It hangs on, but then lets go too quickly to catch, which is hopeless for a road car. Remember, that is what it is, a road car, not a race car. It needs to be friendly.
Anyway, he found the EVO 1 to be much more fun, and much cheaper, so voted it the best.

If you're going to spend a lot of money on a car, then you want to be able to enjoy it, and not have it make you look a herbert. That was what the Lotus was great at. Maybe the NSX is what the Senna's of the world need to be able to enjoy themselves - then again, if an F1 pilot wants a thrill, they don't jump into any road car, they leap into a nice powerful kart...

[garcon]

You missed the best bit!

Dunno if it was the same test, but Tiff Needell was seen on Top Gear testing an NSX and other stuff around Pembrey in South Wales. And yes, he did find the NSX to be rather sharp on the limit, so much so that the bit we didn't see on Top Gear was when he inadvertently took it sideways through the pit entrance... and anyone who's been to Pembrey will understand that that ain't gonna happen without some fairly significant bodywork modifications...