Honda CEO Demands NSX must be faster than GT-R

Honda NSX Prototype / Copyright by AUTOMEDIA

By Clinton Deacon
June 19, 2008 4:00 PM
Filed Under: Honda, Japanese, Spy Photos

Honda's answer to the Nissan GT-R and Lexus LF A hit the ring earlier this week when our spies caught a black and white clad NSX prototype powering round the circuit. We had been questioning what kind of performance we can expect from Japan's newest supercar but now those questions have been answered after information has surfaced that Takeo Fukai, CEO of Honda demanded the development team build an NSX that is faster than both its Japanese rivals.

That would mean a lap time of at least 7 minutes 28 seconds would need to be achieved, that will certainly be a challenging task to undertake. Honda are going a little further upmarket than the GT-R with the package found under the hood with a front-mid mounted 5.5-liter V10 engine producing in the region of 550 ponies and 420 lb ft of torque.

Maximum efficiency for the engine will be achieved with a cylinder deactivation system when the car does not require all of its power such as at low speed. An eight-speed paddle-shifted automatic transmission is expected to pass the power to the wheels via a new version of Honda's Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive system (SH-AWD).

The Honda/Acura NSX is still 2 years away but it will be interesting to see if they can once gain become Japan's ultimate supercar.

Source: insideline

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Comments

William_1991

June 19, 2008 4:09 PM

Now Honda CEO put me a smile on my face :)

A Honda beating 7:28 around Nurburing and Lexus(Toyota) with more than one sportive car and Aston's even more beautifull...

My dream in motor's almost complete :D

_M7_

June 19, 2008 4:29 PM

jajaja keep dreaming...now come the GTR V-spect and thats a serius car lexus and honde now are just american customers car

BENZian

June 19, 2008 4:58 PM

I am quite sure Honda can do this...but a twin turbo V8 would be a better choice

Xenicide

June 19, 2008 5:10 PM

At the end of the day, they're still Asian cars. Bad.

wolff

June 19, 2008 7:24 PM

huh? :O

carcrazy1234

June 19, 2008 8:12 PM

i hate 13 year olds..

Schizo0223

June 19, 2008 8:14 PM

whoa....

wolff

June 19, 2008 8:59 PM

darn crazycar.. u hate urself?

RobERob

June 19, 2008 11:32 PM

Don't you have one of those left turning billboards races to go watch? NASCAR fans not welcomed!

Ferrariguy

June 20, 2008 11:47 PM

And at the end of the day "Xenicide," still can't afford his beloved american or euro cars. Jettas, and focuses don't count buddy!

saint_dracula

June 19, 2008 8:17 PM

To wolff: Rather than being curious or even outraged by Xenicide's lack of knowledge or understanding, we must rather display compassion and pity for this person's ignorance. I wonder if Xenicide would dare utter the same thing if a Lexus LS640, Yamaha OX99 or a Tommy Kaira ZZ2 were present. Indeed, extreme examples, but at the price of the most revered European cars. So A Honda Accord of infinitely superior quality to a, say, Peugeot 407 must somehow be marked down simply because it is, Asian? Or does what Xenicide mean is that inexplicably, a Fiat Uno is a better car than a Toyota Supra RZ (arguably one of the best Toyotas ever) merely because, it is not, Asian.

wolff

June 19, 2008 9:02 PM

its not just that single person.. there r these bunch of real racist fools here who would dispise Hitler but would behave the same!! shame on them n the fact the "so called" open people r actually behaving so narrow minded.. n the fact that they say such foolish comments only makes me believe that they know nothing about cars.. n its all just a fancy for them!! shame on them those who behave so "racially ignorant" of other manufacturers!!

dimeNickel

June 19, 2008 9:59 PM

CEO is putting up a hard challenge, but Honda is the last company to claim it is not capable of doing it. And if they do succeed, im pretty sure other manufacturers wont be smiling much. And like Xenicide, ppl who are either patriotic or believes in the principle stating that theres a manufacturer superiority, will have to cry it out in the corner until they accept the fact.

best of luck to the honda crew working on the "NSX", dont f*ck up the name and its rep.

RS5

June 19, 2008 10:47 PM

With the original NSX having changed the world of sports cars forcing brands such as Ferrari to rethink their priorities, I'm not sure that this one can do that again. I'm still rooting for the GT-R

mortz

June 19, 2008 10:51 PM

easier said than done, look back at history the gtr is a race breed, beating the gtr is one challenge but whats going to happen when the v-spec comes out and claims a even faster time, good on Honda's desperate attempt to catch up with the fast boys, a little competition only makes it better for us to sit back and watch them fight it out..

mortz

June 19, 2008 10:59 PM

And there's nothing wrong with Asian cars wake up and look at whats happening in the world Nissan, Toyota, Honda etc make top cars that's why they are leading the nurburg war, geee. its a pity that some humans are still primitive in they way they think were all human beings no matter what, SHAME ON YOU XENICIDE

lucifa

June 20, 2008 12:00 PM

go easy on him, hes being really narrow minded but you dont have to kill him =P and just a thought, you reckon japan's winning the nurburg wars? well, looking at a recent list of the fastest times of production cars... theres one japanese car in the top 20 (new GT-R) and only 3 in the top 30... so id say europe is still caning the nurburg wars, followed by the US...

RobERob

June 19, 2008 11:43 PM

This is really exciting news! At first, I thought we would be headed for certain disappointment. Then I studied the design a bit more, trying to see more details and compared it to all of the previous NSX concepts; results were good. After that, I thought to myself about Honda's racing history, and how they used that technology to make their cars better. And now this: "Faster than the GT-R"... AWESOME!!! My hope's are way up. Way to go Honda!

tiguy2000

June 19, 2008 11:51 PM

the only reason then NSX doesnt have a twin turbo V6 like the venerable NISSAN GT-R which really stayed true to it s roots, is because Honda cannot boost enough horses out of a 6 cylinder. So much to take down the GT-R... The GT-R did take the 911 down with certain similarities in technology but the GT-R still has its own personality.

RobERob

June 20, 2008 11:59 AM

Actually, Honda doesn't believe in using turbos, let alone "twin turbos" (so that wasn't a possibility with the NSX). Hence, their success in Formula 1 racing 5 years in a row. Rev happy NA engines are what Honda builds and prides itself on. They don't have to cheat to get the most out of their engines. The next NSX, or whatever they call it, won't be using a forced induction system of any kind. Why? Because they don't have to. All motor vtec power ftw!

benz_man

June 21, 2008 7:29 PM

So RobERob, the K23A1 in the RDX isn't turbocharged?

RobERob

June 21, 2008 11:23 PM

I know a lot about K series motors (I have a K20 myself) but the K23 all wheel drive motor you speak of is in a SUV. That turbo is used to produce more torque out of small liter engine, due in part to customer demand. I admit, it seems very unlike Honda to do this but remember, we're talking SUV's here. I never said high reving engines produce the huge amounts of torque need for SUV duties. However, in reguard to their performance cars, such as the s2k making 120hp/liter "NA", why would they go threw all this trouble developing this technology when it would be so much easier just to strap on a turbo? If that were the case, all their years in dominating Formula 1 would have been for nothing and the NSX would've never been the awesome car it once was.

benz_man

June 22, 2008 10:20 AM

Rob, I agree, Honda makes some of the best NA engines around. With Honda's knowledge of free-revving NA engines the V10 in the NSX should be highly competitive to the turbo (and supercharged for that matter) competition of this product life-cycle. However, industry-wide there's been a HUGE shift in engineering power to create lighter, more powerful, more fuel efficient and cleaner burning powertrains. Now that the low-hanging efficiency fruit has been picked, most manufacturers are being "forced" to augment there smaller higher-efficiency engines with turbos to meet these new demands. I'm positive Honda eventually must succumb and start offering forced induction engines more and more (If only just to stay competitive). So, I'm pretty sure Honda "believes" in turbos...

BavarianMS

June 20, 2008 4:30 AM

I am sure they can do it and same goes for the Porsche.

michelin901

June 20, 2008 7:15 AM

i hope the nsx returns n beats the crap out of the gtr

brocky

June 20, 2008 8:31 AM

Takeo Fukai... I love you man

samuelzeus

June 20, 2008 11:48 AM

This race may continue till someone die in the car crush at Nürburgring. Someone's gotta be aware of that possibility.

mortz

June 20, 2008 12:08 PM

if honda make a faster car than the gtr or the gtr v-spec or porsche ( got to see it to believe it) then they will beta the nsx so it will be a never ending war

Xanavi23

June 20, 2008 3:26 PM

Somebody said the V-spec would be a real car and that the Honda(NSX) IS just an American customer car...That person isnt very bright....because he would have a hardtime explaining how the NSX Type R 97~ and '02 were "customer cars". They were 320~hp machines that were also stripped the hell down, no AC, no Stereo, no power...thats a REAL car.

Dont get me wrong, i love the GT-R, i want one...but you cant call the NSX a customer car between the 2, when the GT-R is 4WD so even less experienced drivers can handle it, it has all kinds of other computers helping too. The last NSX to date ? it had none of this, it had a race-bred drive train set-up, an engine with incredible out-put(no turbo)among other things. Dont be stupid, dont make stupid comments. Anyway, the NSX will be a great car, its good to see the Japanese supercar wars are back.

mortz

June 21, 2008 4:35 AM

What i meant to apply Lucifa was that the jap cars are up there with the best the fact of the challenge between car companies to get the best lap time of the nurburgring will only speed progress and eventually the main leading companies will be equal in technology and the lap times will only be nanoseconds in difference making the climate the only factor between results, so really there's no best car company or only to personal preference

norther

June 24, 2008 2:28 AM

hmm, what can i say. "no sh*t mr CEO of honda/acura!" :)). btw, nice tranny name "Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive system (SH-AWD")..and the next one will be "Super SUPER Handling All-Wheel-Drive system (SSH-AWD)" very original. sounds like a bad joke told by an asian. but hey, mr CEO, if it does..i mean, if it will DO the job, i will buy ur car...cuz im mad aboud nsx. hope it will look at least as beautiful as the last one. good luck, mr CEO....

andrewB

June 26, 2008 3:41 PM

to be honest guys above any engine that is higher then a R35 V6 twin turbo would beat it, looks like future cars will be using twin turbo to get the power into the cars, i say a V8TT would be the best bet for example, both ferrari, lamborghini, BMW (X6 V8TT and totally new engine, yeah its still the same engine but turbo's) and suppose others which are refusing to say are looking at that option? as for handling, RWD would be quicker off the line but it wouldnt handle as well as AWD I say it will be RWD since all the rest have been that, would be good if it was AWD to be quicker around the ring, if you notice times on there are getting quicker with every few cars which test that track out. it would want to look totally different for it to be noticed.

benz_man

June 26, 2008 7:28 PM

Most of the time AWD beats RWD off the line (almost twice the available traction) and then the heavy, poorly balanced AWD vehicle plows through corners and loses to the RWD vehicle. However, recently introduced electro-hydraulic drivetrain components have created perfectly neutral handling AWD vehicles. The rear torque-vectoring device in Honda's SH-AWD system is capable of doing just that, and Honda would be amiss if they skipped this opportunity to present the system as an example of their engineering supremacy. A new, RWD NSX would have to be awfully light, or extra powerful (ZR1) to beat the AWD GT-R, 911 Turbo and R8.

Xenicide

July 30, 2008 7:02 AM

Yes, because a kid with the name of "ferrariguy" really holds much ground.

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