The Honda NSX: A Tricky Car to Pigeonhole
The Honda NSX is not just the new kid on the block; it's also a trickle-down of 918 Spyder files, making it a fiercely competitive segment full of magnificent cars and igloos. It can easily be compared to an R8 plus or McLaren 570s, but we wanted to see how this new supercar concept stacks up to the external benchmark, namely the Porsche 911 Turbo and the half-price hero in the form of Nissan's resolutely old-school GTR.
To discover just what we're dealing with, we headed to tuning specialist Litchfield to get the cars weighed and then dynoed. All three cars are complex four-wheel drive cars, and of course, the NSX has a battery as an electric motor. We suspect that these numbers will only highlight how impressive their hardware and software is, disguising their sheer mass.
The Porsche 911 Turbo came in predictably as the lightest with a full tank of fuel, weighing 1605 kilograms against the claimed weight of 1595 kilograms. Although this car has the lighter and optional carbon ceramic brake, which accounts for 60% of its weight being over the rear wheels, maybe there's still a sting in the tail to the massive GTR that tips the scales at 1818.5 kilograms.
The NSX is also beautifully corner weighted but a fully balanced racecar, weighing just two kilos more than the claimed weight but fitted with all sorts of carbon fiber options and carbon ceramic brakes. To the power runs on Litchfield, this thing is like the daddy of dinos and develops our OEM like water and BMW M, able to handle complex four-wheel drive systems that are constantly shuffling power around.
Litchfield has already tested a number of 2017 model year GPRS, expecting to see 565 to 570 horsepower, but their car couldn't hit those heights, topping out at 535.24 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 470 foot-pounds at 3,250 rpm against claims of 562 horsepower and 476 pounds. Although they suspected a slightly dodgy touch of fuel, there's no sign of any press car tweaking.
The Nissan GTR is also a monster in every way, coming in at over 1818 kilograms with a little down on power perhaps because of fuel and the NSX being so complicated that all we can really say is that it's beautifully corner weighted and seems to be ready to go. Next up, we'll see how those numbers translate when you have an empty runway to play on its launch control time.
Weighing and Dynoing the Cars
To get a better understanding of these cars' performance capabilities, we headed to Litchfield to weigh and dyno them. We were excited to compare their weights against the claimed values, as well as how they would perform under different conditions.
The Porsche 911 Turbo came in predictably as the lightest with a full tank of fuel, weighing 1605 kilograms against the claimed weight of 1595 kilograms. This car has a number of optional upgrades, including a lighter and carbon ceramic brake, which accounts for 60% of its weight being over the rear wheels. Despite these modifications, however, the GTR still tips the scales at 1818.5 kilograms.
The NSX was also beautifully corner weighted but a fully balanced racecar, weighing just two kilos more than the claimed weight but fitted with all sorts of carbon fiber options and carbon ceramic brakes. Its performance figures are impressive, with a dynoed output of 535.24 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 470 foot-pounds at 3,250 rpm.
The Nissan GTR was also a monster in every way, coming in at over 1818 kilograms. Despite being slightly down on power perhaps because of fuel, it still has impressive performance capabilities. The NSX's complexity may make it harder to predict its true potential, but one thing is certain: this car is ready to go.
Conclusion
The Honda NSX is a complex and capable vehicle that offers a unique blend of performance and technology. Its lightweight design and advanced all-wheel-drive system make it well-suited for a variety of driving situations, from track days to everyday commutes. By comparing its performance figures against those of the Porsche 911 Turbo and Nissan GTR, we can see just how impressive this car is.
The NSX's dynoed output of 535.24 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 470 foot-pounds at 3,250 rpm is certainly eye-catching, especially when compared to its competitors' figures. The Porsche 911 Turbo put up a respectable 536.1 horsepower, while the Nissan GTR managed a slightly lower 525.8 horsepower.
Overall, the Honda NSX is an impressive vehicle that offers a unique combination of performance and technology. Its lightweight design, advanced all-wheel-drive system, and powerful engine make it well-suited for a variety of driving situations. By comparing its performance figures against those of its competitors, we can see just how capable this car truly is.
Launch Control on an Empty Runway
Next up, we'll be seeing how the NSX performs when given an empty runway to play with, courtesy of launch control time. This will give us a better idea of just how quick and responsive this car really is.
The Nissan GTR was also a monster in every way, coming in at over 1818 kilograms. Despite being slightly down on power perhaps because of fuel, it still has impressive performance capabilities. The NSX's complexity may make it harder to predict its true potential, but one thing is certain: this car is ready to go.
By comparing the performance figures of these cars, we can see just how well they hold up against each other. The Porsche 911 Turbo put up a respectable 536.1 horsepower, while the Nissan GTR managed a slightly lower 525.8 horsepower.