As much as my C5 would thrash an NSX at the drag strip and road course, I still take a long look at them when I see them driving on the road. Actually, I've seen quite a few recently around DFW.

 

Did you completely ignore the list I gave you of "technological innovations" on the NSX? I listed six or seven things. You're just sticking your head in the sand because someone actually gave you a valid answer.

The NSX isn't a heavy car - 3070 to 3150 pounds is heavy now? What cars are SIGNIFICANTLY lighter in that bracket? 997? C6? Ferrari 430? Ferrari 360? C5? Lotus Esprit? None of the above, would be the REAL answer. 3100 pounds is still a moderately light car by just about every standard. The Zanardi edition is under 3000 lbs (2970 lbs). The latest version is 3153 lbs - that includes a targa top, of course. The regular coupe (fixed roof) versions were as low as 2985 lbs in 1991 (according to supercars.net). So, that's a sub-3000 lb car, which is less weight than anything I know of right now in that performance category. The Elise isn't that kind of car, nor is the Superperformance S1, or any similar cars.

Sorry, but you're not convincing me here. Heavy? If so, all cars in that category are heavy by your standard. The regular 997 is 3075 lbs and the 997 S is 3131 lbs (and can get heavier with options). The Ferrari 360 and 430 are 3064 lbs and 3196 lbs respectively (fixed roof versions). The C5 and C6 weigh 3218 lbs and 3199 lbs respectively (and can get heavier with options).

In short, none are (significantly) lighter than and some are heavier than the NSX.

Who's heavy now?

 

I 100% agree with you about the movie thing. We could try to re-make The Wizard of Oz and give it a $200M budget and IMO it'd in no way be better than the classic Oz.

However take out Japanese from your question, and take out rare b/c it's rare only b/c no one is buying it. Like the GTO is rare and the Blackwood is rare.

So name a reliable, mid-engine, 2-seat car that's reliable and has <near> equal performance for $80K. I can name one for low $50s.

I'd argue 280hp BS or 290 Boxster coupe. The are down just 10hp or none at all, and weigh 100 lbs less. Can't think they'll be far off the pace (if at all).

 

I am also having a very tough time finding base C5 vette or 996 C2/C4/C4S performance numbers that are better than those posted by the NSX.

So if its not heavier as youve (Steve C) have suggested, and its not slower then its 996 and C5 vette competition of recent, what is it? More expenisive than a 996 C4? It wasnt for me.

No question the NOW EMERGING COMPETITION in the 997 and the C6 vette are faster, but IT TOOK 15 YEARS.

And I still buy the NSX because to me it looks better than either(cheaper than the 997 too).

 

Can't wait till Honda brings another car onto the table. I don't know about you guys, but I like to keep my cars instead of buying a new one every 2-3 years. I would love to give my family in a car ride years from now and tell them what made this car special.

 

I absolutely agree with that. The new boxster could be a real killer. Cant wait to see it.

But Im not so sure it will be that much less...In Canada a sufficiently spec'd Boxster S goes for about $90k, maybe a little more. I suspect that the new one will be about $100k, although that is just a guess.

I can buy a 2004 NSX for less than that, albeit it is a one year older car. But yes, Boxsters appear to have caught NSXs from a performance perspective for a price that is equal to, or slightly less than, what a one year old NSX would sell for.

Cant wait to see that new Boxster.

 

This thread is priceless. Almost as good as "RX-8 is fast" threads.

As fas as timeless vs dated. value vs overpriced

There are valid points on both sides of the question.

I think if you keep a car locked in time, the price should go down.

Take the Supra turbo. I believe the price went up into the $50s and the sales droped off into the low hundreds.

IMO Toyo could sell a few hundred Supra tt per year, just like Acura is doing with the NSX. Problem is, it seems like it's not worth it to toyo to worry about a few drops in the bucket.

Toyo could have keept a the Supra tt and sold in low numbers. Some people still like the Supra tt and it's re-sale is very high. I bet a nice used Supra is close to the price of a used Z06. I bet a good number of people would like a new Supra instead of a used one, and would even choose a Supra over a Z06. If that's true I wouldn't say those people are Morons I'd say they have different priorities.


What most companied do, they either kill it like the Supra or they replace it like the e46 or like the 328->348->355->360->etc...

Acura chooses to sell a few units/month. I don't know why, but it's not hurting anybody. People will stay away in droves (like they are). That's not your problem, that's Acuras problem.

I think Acura should build a new NSX and people will line up around the block if it's as good today as the first gen NSX was in 1990.

 

OK, that would explain why I haven't seen a new one in the past decade except on the floor of the Detroit auto show and explains (I guess) why production continues. Although in my mind after years and years of loyal owners begging for a new model, they should shxt or get off the pot....... new model or stop it. By comparison look at the Ferrari upgrades since the 308 which was the competition at the time. Not sure I got them all but this comes to mind: 308 - 328 -348 - 55 - Enzo.

IMO what makes the NSX special is the fact it was an exotic car that is now an affordable used car. Had production ceased after 6 years, that probably would not be true.

 

If Honda would only update/modernize the NSX's performance relative to its price while keeping everything else the same, I would throw down $89K for one.

Its design is timeless, but its performance is not.

 

Steve.....seriously.....the backseat card? Cmon now.