THE NSX: Made for--and by--High-Performance Enthusiasts
01-13-2002, 08:25 AM
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NOTE: Although the following article is written about the Acura NSX, members of the design team, manufacturing plant, and assembly teams are shared with the Honda S2000.
THE NSX:
Made for--and by--High-Performance Enthusiasts
By Patrick C. Paternie
ACURA STYLE Magazine
Winter 2002
P. 38.
"BEFORE THE ACURA NSX took the stage, exotic sports cars were the divas of the automotive world. They were fabulous performers, but temperamental and very high maintenance. Honda research and development engineers had long held a dream of producing a world-class sports car, and the Acura division provided the channel for such a car's distribution.
Tom Elliot, executive vice president of American Honda Co., Inc., played a major role in developing the original marketing plan. Elliott is proud to have insisted that the NSX be part of that product plan. "The NSX symbolized the direction we wanted Acura products to go," he recalls. "We want them to be best in their class. When introduced, the NSX was state-of-the-art. It didn't have the quirks of other exotics like Ferrari and Lotus. It was ahead of its time regarding drivability, an exotic car you could literally drive every day."
More than a decade later, the NSX still stands as a benchmark for exotic cars. "The only nitpick some people had when it was introduced was that it was so easy to drive," Elliott says. Apart from the car's trendsetting capabilities in combining performance with good manners, the NSX also broke new ground with its manufacturing process--one that continues to be state-of-the-art, taking place in a very special facility at Honda's Research and Development Center in Tochigi, Japan. Elliott points out that Honda's goal for the NSX was "to take what we learned in Formula One and bring it to the street." Honda had learned quite a bit; its engines powered six Formula One constructors' champions and five Formula One driving champions between 1986 and 1991. The NSX was the research and development engineers' dream car, and they were going to see that it was manufactured right in their own backyard in Tochigi.
When the NSX project began in 1984, the target was to offer performance--power, handling, and braking--as great or greater than that of the limted-production exotics, but with day-to-day livability--comfort, reliability, visibility, and safety--synonymous with the Acura name. Meeting these goals in designing and building the NSX would require the use of new and innovative methods and materials.
Drawing inspiration from the F-16, a state-of-the-art jet fighter that is lightweight, highly responsive to pilot input, maneuverable, and incredibly fast, the NSX design team determined that the NSX should have a lightweight chassis with a cockpit placed as far forward as possible. Making the car light would not only enhance its maneuverability; it would allow the use of a V-6 engine to leave more room for passengers and luggage while still providing the needed horsepower. The V-6 engine itself would be made of aluminum alloy for additional weight savings. The cockpit's forward location provided the driver with optimum visibility while leaving the middle and rear of the chassis available for the engine, drivetrain components, and luggage. The aerodynamic efficiency of the short nose/long tail design enhanced high-speed stability.
A Cray II supercomputer running sophisticated programs involving stress analysis and finite element modeling churned out the design of an all-aluminum body that was lightweight yet extremely rigid. A rigid body provides a stable platform for proper suspension geometry and the alignment needed for superior handling. The NSX body weighs 462 pounds, including the doors, hood, and deck lids--about 40 percent less than a comparable steel body. Various aluminum alloys are used throughout the body's construction. For example, the alloys used in the underbody parts are extremely strong and corrosion resistant. Critical, load-bearing structural areas employ extremely rigid alloys and are significantly beefier, in some areas as much as three times thicker, than a similar steel part. Side sills are one-piece hollow aluminum extrusions with internal web patterns for added strength and rigidity that also provide protection in case of side impact.
To achieve the precise tolerances needed to ensure the rigidity and durability of the NSX body, the manufacturing process employs robotic machinery to do 40 percent of the welding; the rest is done by hand--hands that belong to a specially picked team of skilled craftsmen.
When it was established, the NSX facility was unlike any other Honda/Acura assembly plant. It was organized according to a slightly different concept than what is common in auto industry practice. Management supplied the goals and the necessary tools and materials, but the assembly teams, who elected their own leaders, had the responsibility for accomplishing those goals, using quality craftsmanship.
Talent and attention to detail are the prime attributes of the dedicated team that hand-builds the NSX. To be selected from the thousands of applicants, those chosen must have 10 or more years of Honda manufacturing experience and must have significantly distinguished themselves in previous assignments by demonstrating the skills of individuals who build automobiles by hand.
Instead of a conventional assembly line format, dollies move the car bodies from one workstation to the next. This ensures that each assembly team has the time it needs to accomplish its task, as well as to meet the extremely high quality standards demanded of it.
The team approach does not apply to engine assembly. Here the "one man, one engine" concept gives one individual responsibility for everything, beginning with handpicking components from the parts bins. Reciprocating parts like pistons and the titanium connecting rods are weighed and measured to make a matched set for perfect balance. Before an engine assembler signs off on a completed engine, all critical tolerances are checked and components tested. The result is a "blueprinted" engine like those from a custom performance tuner.
Seat upholstery is hand-stitched and hand-fitted. Dash covering is a handcrafted five-layer process. The paint-and-finish procedure involves 27 steps aimed at achieving a smooth-as-glass, flawless yet durable exterior finish.
First, the bare aluminum body is thoroughly degreased. A coating of chromate, used by aerospace manufacturers to inhibit corrosion, is applied. An electroplating process draws the protective coating into hard-to-reach crevices and cavities. A coat of anti-chipping primer goes on before a four-coat, four-bake process adds the color. The whole body is wet-sanded by hand, a time-consuming process. The water-based paint is formulated to dry from the surface down instead of inside-to-outside like normal paint; this reverse drying increases the luster of the finish and helps resist fading. A clear coat completes the process.
All bolts and fasteners are coated with Dacro, a material that insulates them from aluminum, to prevent corrosion. The fasteners can be removed and reinstalled at least 20 times before the Dacro coating begins to deteriorate.
As each NSX rolls from the the final assembly area, it is driven onto a 500-meter indoor track to check operation of the major controls. Then there are three laps around the oval of Tochigi proving grounds, primarily to check for braking performance, high-speed stability, and excessive wind noise.
"To me it's still a very special car to drive," Elliott says. "There are very few cars that are better than the NSX." Elliott would like to put the NSX ahead of even those few cars in the future. He has his ideas of what needs to be done, but appreciates the input of other enthusiasts. One thing is a given: There won't be a change to the meticulous and enthusiastic attitude that goes into building each NSX."
Patrick C. Paternie, an automotive journalist, writes for The Robb Report.
__________________________________________________ ___________________________
There is more to the new 2002 NSX than meets the eye. Evolutionary styling enhancements not only update the appearance, but also make this the most aerodynamic, fastest NSX ever sold in the United States.
Externally, the most striking feature is the move from pop-up halogen headlights to fixed position high intensity discharge (HID) headlights. These bluish-hued lights offer dramatic improvement in night vision while reducing front-end weight. They are part of the redesigned nose, which includes a more aggressive-appearing bumper, a revised chin spoiler, and a new hood line. These changes, in conjuction with the added trunk lip spoiler, lower the coefficient of drag (cd) from 0.32 to 0.30 and improve front-to-rear lift balance. The result is enhanced stability, especially at higher speeds.
Other aerodynamic upgrades include lower body side sills and a rear bumper with integrated air diffuser. New taillights and redesigned exhaust tips complete the rear updates.
Larger wheels and tires enhance both appearance and handling. Front wheels now measure 17 inches in diameter (up from 16 inches) and are 7 inches wide. The 17-inch rear wheels have been increased from 8.5 to 9 inches in width. Tire size increases accordingly to 215/40R17 (front) and 255/40R17 (rear).
Also contributing to improved cornering and stability are suspension refinements that include increased front spring rates and a larger-diameter rear stabilizer bar.
Inside, six new interior colors--Vivid Blue, Vivid Orange, Vivid Red, Vivid Yellow, Targa Silver, and White--are available with corresponding exterior colors. Black chrome plating adorns areas previously coated with a tin-nickel finish. The instrument panel now features a dark blue, instead of black, background. -- P.C.P.
THE NSX:
Made for--and by--High-Performance Enthusiasts
By Patrick C. Paternie
ACURA STYLE Magazine
Winter 2002
P. 38.
"BEFORE THE ACURA NSX took the stage, exotic sports cars were the divas of the automotive world. They were fabulous performers, but temperamental and very high maintenance. Honda research and development engineers had long held a dream of producing a world-class sports car, and the Acura division provided the channel for such a car's distribution.
Tom Elliot, executive vice president of American Honda Co., Inc., played a major role in developing the original marketing plan. Elliott is proud to have insisted that the NSX be part of that product plan. "The NSX symbolized the direction we wanted Acura products to go," he recalls. "We want them to be best in their class. When introduced, the NSX was state-of-the-art. It didn't have the quirks of other exotics like Ferrari and Lotus. It was ahead of its time regarding drivability, an exotic car you could literally drive every day."
More than a decade later, the NSX still stands as a benchmark for exotic cars. "The only nitpick some people had when it was introduced was that it was so easy to drive," Elliott says. Apart from the car's trendsetting capabilities in combining performance with good manners, the NSX also broke new ground with its manufacturing process--one that continues to be state-of-the-art, taking place in a very special facility at Honda's Research and Development Center in Tochigi, Japan. Elliott points out that Honda's goal for the NSX was "to take what we learned in Formula One and bring it to the street." Honda had learned quite a bit; its engines powered six Formula One constructors' champions and five Formula One driving champions between 1986 and 1991. The NSX was the research and development engineers' dream car, and they were going to see that it was manufactured right in their own backyard in Tochigi.
When the NSX project began in 1984, the target was to offer performance--power, handling, and braking--as great or greater than that of the limted-production exotics, but with day-to-day livability--comfort, reliability, visibility, and safety--synonymous with the Acura name. Meeting these goals in designing and building the NSX would require the use of new and innovative methods and materials.
Drawing inspiration from the F-16, a state-of-the-art jet fighter that is lightweight, highly responsive to pilot input, maneuverable, and incredibly fast, the NSX design team determined that the NSX should have a lightweight chassis with a cockpit placed as far forward as possible. Making the car light would not only enhance its maneuverability; it would allow the use of a V-6 engine to leave more room for passengers and luggage while still providing the needed horsepower. The V-6 engine itself would be made of aluminum alloy for additional weight savings. The cockpit's forward location provided the driver with optimum visibility while leaving the middle and rear of the chassis available for the engine, drivetrain components, and luggage. The aerodynamic efficiency of the short nose/long tail design enhanced high-speed stability.
A Cray II supercomputer running sophisticated programs involving stress analysis and finite element modeling churned out the design of an all-aluminum body that was lightweight yet extremely rigid. A rigid body provides a stable platform for proper suspension geometry and the alignment needed for superior handling. The NSX body weighs 462 pounds, including the doors, hood, and deck lids--about 40 percent less than a comparable steel body. Various aluminum alloys are used throughout the body's construction. For example, the alloys used in the underbody parts are extremely strong and corrosion resistant. Critical, load-bearing structural areas employ extremely rigid alloys and are significantly beefier, in some areas as much as three times thicker, than a similar steel part. Side sills are one-piece hollow aluminum extrusions with internal web patterns for added strength and rigidity that also provide protection in case of side impact.
To achieve the precise tolerances needed to ensure the rigidity and durability of the NSX body, the manufacturing process employs robotic machinery to do 40 percent of the welding; the rest is done by hand--hands that belong to a specially picked team of skilled craftsmen.
When it was established, the NSX facility was unlike any other Honda/Acura assembly plant. It was organized according to a slightly different concept than what is common in auto industry practice. Management supplied the goals and the necessary tools and materials, but the assembly teams, who elected their own leaders, had the responsibility for accomplishing those goals, using quality craftsmanship.
Talent and attention to detail are the prime attributes of the dedicated team that hand-builds the NSX. To be selected from the thousands of applicants, those chosen must have 10 or more years of Honda manufacturing experience and must have significantly distinguished themselves in previous assignments by demonstrating the skills of individuals who build automobiles by hand.
Instead of a conventional assembly line format, dollies move the car bodies from one workstation to the next. This ensures that each assembly team has the time it needs to accomplish its task, as well as to meet the extremely high quality standards demanded of it.
The team approach does not apply to engine assembly. Here the "one man, one engine" concept gives one individual responsibility for everything, beginning with handpicking components from the parts bins. Reciprocating parts like pistons and the titanium connecting rods are weighed and measured to make a matched set for perfect balance. Before an engine assembler signs off on a completed engine, all critical tolerances are checked and components tested. The result is a "blueprinted" engine like those from a custom performance tuner.
Seat upholstery is hand-stitched and hand-fitted. Dash covering is a handcrafted five-layer process. The paint-and-finish procedure involves 27 steps aimed at achieving a smooth-as-glass, flawless yet durable exterior finish.
First, the bare aluminum body is thoroughly degreased. A coating of chromate, used by aerospace manufacturers to inhibit corrosion, is applied. An electroplating process draws the protective coating into hard-to-reach crevices and cavities. A coat of anti-chipping primer goes on before a four-coat, four-bake process adds the color. The whole body is wet-sanded by hand, a time-consuming process. The water-based paint is formulated to dry from the surface down instead of inside-to-outside like normal paint; this reverse drying increases the luster of the finish and helps resist fading. A clear coat completes the process.
All bolts and fasteners are coated with Dacro, a material that insulates them from aluminum, to prevent corrosion. The fasteners can be removed and reinstalled at least 20 times before the Dacro coating begins to deteriorate.
As each NSX rolls from the the final assembly area, it is driven onto a 500-meter indoor track to check operation of the major controls. Then there are three laps around the oval of Tochigi proving grounds, primarily to check for braking performance, high-speed stability, and excessive wind noise.
"To me it's still a very special car to drive," Elliott says. "There are very few cars that are better than the NSX." Elliott would like to put the NSX ahead of even those few cars in the future. He has his ideas of what needs to be done, but appreciates the input of other enthusiasts. One thing is a given: There won't be a change to the meticulous and enthusiastic attitude that goes into building each NSX."
Patrick C. Paternie, an automotive journalist, writes for The Robb Report.
__________________________________________________ ___________________________
There is more to the new 2002 NSX than meets the eye. Evolutionary styling enhancements not only update the appearance, but also make this the most aerodynamic, fastest NSX ever sold in the United States.
Externally, the most striking feature is the move from pop-up halogen headlights to fixed position high intensity discharge (HID) headlights. These bluish-hued lights offer dramatic improvement in night vision while reducing front-end weight. They are part of the redesigned nose, which includes a more aggressive-appearing bumper, a revised chin spoiler, and a new hood line. These changes, in conjuction with the added trunk lip spoiler, lower the coefficient of drag (cd) from 0.32 to 0.30 and improve front-to-rear lift balance. The result is enhanced stability, especially at higher speeds.
Other aerodynamic upgrades include lower body side sills and a rear bumper with integrated air diffuser. New taillights and redesigned exhaust tips complete the rear updates.
Larger wheels and tires enhance both appearance and handling. Front wheels now measure 17 inches in diameter (up from 16 inches) and are 7 inches wide. The 17-inch rear wheels have been increased from 8.5 to 9 inches in width. Tire size increases accordingly to 215/40R17 (front) and 255/40R17 (rear).
Also contributing to improved cornering and stability are suspension refinements that include increased front spring rates and a larger-diameter rear stabilizer bar.
Inside, six new interior colors--Vivid Blue, Vivid Orange, Vivid Red, Vivid Yellow, Targa Silver, and White--are available with corresponding exterior colors. Black chrome plating adorns areas previously coated with a tin-nickel finish. The instrument panel now features a dark blue, instead of black, background. -- P.C.P.
01-13-2002, 02:11 PM
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Originally posted by Honda Racer
no one is going to read all of that
no one is going to read all of that
I know I am too bored.
I also heard in late 80, early 90 when Ayrton Senna invite to test drive the NSX phototype, his opinion is the chassis is not solid enough due to the using of F-16 style rear window.
honda fix that problem by develop a new set of tires with yokohama for the NSX.
01-13-2002, 11:12 PM
#7
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Car and Driver had an article on the NSX recently that wasn't quite as flattering. It noted that its still a great car, but pointed to the sticker price which seems to be about 20K-40K more than some other high performance cars in its class with slightly better performance ratings. However their conclusion was that you are paying for the prestige of the car.
If rumors are true, the next NSX will be more in line with the cost of the other models they listed and boast favorable performance figures.
-B
If rumors are true, the next NSX will be more in line with the cost of the other models they listed and boast favorable performance figures.
-B
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