http://www.nsxsc.com/nsexcitement/mag5.html

There's the link for confirmation, however, here's what the link says. I don't know if this guy was making this all up. But notice what he said about the S2000 4 years ago. Funny how they got so much wrong, but the thing about the S2000 was a little bit correct.


Next NSX? CONVERSATION WITH A HONDA EXECUTIVE
By Craig Campanaro

I sat next to an American Honda executive on a plane last week, and got a chance to talk with him about some of the details concerning the futures of the NSX, S2000 and Integra. Here are the major points he mentioned:

2003 NSX

The specs for the next generation NSX have been complete for approximately 8 - 12 months. There will be no subtle reskin / engine improvement to the current car as the Japanese car magazines s have been speculating. Instead, scheduled for a late 2002 arrival as a mid-year 2003 car, the all new NSX will be mass produced from Honda with near 100% steel based construction. The new car will offer a singular engine option of a massaged 4.0L V-8 that produces between 400 and 450HP. This engine is technologically similar but not identical to the powerplant in the 2001 RL sedan. Price of the next gen NSX is estimated at $50K, but will not exceed $55K. The exec was adamant about this point, even stating that if Honda can not deliver the car to North America for a retail price that equals less than $55K tops, it's likely that it won't be offered there at all.

The exec stated that the new NSX will remain as Honda's / Acura's flagship for technology and performance, but should now be considered a price / performance bargain compared to the Corvette, E46 M3 and 911 on North American shores. The exec doesn't know the weight of the new NSX and wouldn't speculate on its performance levels versus other exotics. Hopefully it will weigh far less than the recently shown BMW Fat Albert E46 M3, which has a ridiculous 3425 LB curb weight.

2001 Integra

As recent rumors have suggested, the name "Integra" has been dropped from Acura's compact entry level sports car. Instead an alpha-numeric designation will be utilized that has not been publicly disclosed yet. Power for the new car will come from a 220HP VTEC-i inline 4, and the front drive / front engine layout has been retained. No sedan version will be offered in North America, but the coupe model we will get will be mechanically identical to a JDM Type-R version of the same car. For
some reason the "Type-R" moniker will not be used in North America to denote this new Integra, since just one version of the car will be made available here.

The market will see this new car unwrapped for the press later this year, on its way to a mid / late 2001 arrival in North America.

2001 S2000

No significant changes for the '201 S2000, which means that it retains the infamous plastic rear window for its second year of production.

The exec was unclear on the S2000's future as it relates to Acuca, including rumors of a buffed up torque-improved 2.2L engine in 2002, but he did say that they fought a bitter war with Honda of Japan for the S2000 to be an Acura, not a Honda badged automobile. Honda was apparently set to go with this plan (Acura in North America, Honda in the rest of the world) but reneged at the last minute claiming they intended the S2000 to be an anniversary edition limited edition car that celebrates Honda's progress as an auto manufacturer around the world.

An S2000-owning buddy of mine cringed when he heard this tidbit yesterday as too many non-informed people keep asking if his "Honda Civic convertible" costs between "$17K - $20K". An Acura badge may have gone a long way perception-wise towards giving the S2000 the respect it deserves in the US. No disrespect to Honda, but they are still perceived here as the company that makes value cars like the Accord and Civic.

In any case, I just wanted to relay this info and pass along that the information seemed legit when I heard it. You never know if a guy is BSing. Nonetheless, we swapped business cards after the conversation and I totally played dumb the whole time meaning that he served up all this data as we talked.

Craig Campanaro
Mako88

 

You guys don't think that it's funny how everything was basically wrong except for the remark about the 2.2L engine in the S2000. This comment was made back in 2000. I don't think that any member on here made a comment like this before the beginning of 2003.

 

i read it. seems interesting to me that honda knew for a very long time they were goin to change the S2000 to a 2.2 to and newer design. and most of us just found out in 03 that an 04 was comin out with those features. i too wonder what would this car be like if it had an acura badge. it would probably cost 40k to 50k. Im glad its a honda.

 

If it had Acura badge, they would not have hard time selling it at high 30s.

Also, yes, it would have received better reception in US.

HOwever, I just don't care what average American people's perception is. Honda is Honda is Honda.
Acura is just candy coated name for Dumb Americans.

 

u can say a honda is a honda is a honda.. but when it comes down to it, i'll take a TL over an Accord anyday.

 

i love superficial people

 

Are you aware that the TL and the Accord are not the same cars? The Accord we know of here in the U.S. is only made and sold in the U.S. The Accord in Japan is what we call the Acura TSX, not the TL, or even the CL. Acura is in fact just a name for Americans that don't know any better.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Zach H

 

And just in case you don't believe me... here's something to look at:

http://www.honda.co.jp/INSPIRE/cm/cm01/index.html

 

My bad dog.