£5K deposit is non-refundable according to the Honda dealer I spoke with on Thursday. He has two deposits already IIRC and he said the price is expected to be £105 -£110K.

Whilst massively cheaper than a 458, this new NSX is going to have to be very, very, very good to compete with the R8, and indeed the C7, in the NSX core market of the US.

I hope Honda throw every bit of their gizmology and bleeding-edge technology into it; multi-mode CVT, fully sorted SH-AWD and an IMA system to leap-frog the Ferrari Hy-KERS system developed for the new Enzo.

Much as this may offend the purists, if I were the product planner for the new NSX I would tensure the car had a peerless technical specification AND traditional super-car attributes. The former will appeal to the monied but 'CGAF about the car' and ensure demand and the latter will keep us cognoscenti happy.

 

Which dealer Mark, Benfield Stockton?

Chris.

 

Hi Chris
It was Westgate Honda in Grimsby.
Mark

 

I wouldn't dip my toe in, but suspect it will make a nice used purchase!

I do think they will price it out of the mainstream though. That will be used 458 territory and unfortunately there's just no contest there.

The GTR succeeded largely because it destroyed everything, at near half the price. And it's GTR heritage. Honda are coming from a point now, of making a lukewarm hatch and a bunch of shopping cars... Big ask, but it's great they are going to make this.

 

I think the 'NSX' could do ok but my gut feeling is that it will not be any more of a success than the original. As a halo model then that might be enough for Honda, if not fanboys.

The GTR is not a sales competitor for things like Maseratis or Ferraris. It's an enfant terrible, regarded with admiration not desire by owners of the aforementioned cars. It puts more than you ever need performance at the disposal of people that could never afford a 458 or a hypercar like a Zonda (whatever they might claim).

 

Yes, it is difficult to see what the new NSX can do better at the £100K plus mark for we fat old boy racers. This spec doesn't get anywhere near the GTR mad boy spec or compete with the Cayman/M3/911 or even the new Jag, and will have job taking on the R8 and C7 in the US market, as our resident Polish Chemist says. The hybrid angle is I suppose a good direction to go but hasn't the Prius got that wrapped up

 

I'm hopeful Honda manage to pull it off with the NSX; IMHO this might be the 'hybrid' that finally breaks the association of the technology only being suitable for cars for yoghurt-knitting tree-huggers...

... As we all know F1 cars have been hybrids for sometime.

 

tree hugging associations aren't the problem

all any manufacturer needs to do is to produce a (tree hugging) car that performs as well as, or better than, a 1.6 Focus, for the same money

people are not willing to pay a premium of upwards of 50%

even assuming they believe twin crocks of ***t that a) the oil is going to run out and b) man made global warming is a fact and a problem

 

It has to be high tech. It has to have 8 or more cylinders. It has to be better than the competition, whatever that is. Despite all that its still unlikely to sell well and turn a profit.

100k is a lot for a Honda

 

According to that criterion it's already failed, since it's only going to have six.

Chris.