Japan is not necessarily known for its supercars. Small eco boxes and station wagons sure, but the nation has only produced a handful of "super" cars. While there has been a number of successful sports cars, very few had the styling or horsepower figures to deem them supercar worthy.
That is until Honda announced the NSX. The Honda NSX was Japan's first true supercar. Originally styled by Italian designer Pininfarina, the NSX had the looks and the power to match. The NSX combined everyday usability and practicality with supercar styling and performance. Like a true supercar, the NSX had its engine in the middle. A 3.0 DOHC V6 Vtec packed with 270 wild, rampant horses was mounted right behind the driver and his chosen passenger. While the power output may not seem that impressive now, it was plenty impressive in 1990. Weighing in at just over 1,300kg the NSX could hit 100 clicks in around 5 seconds and clock the quarter mile in just over 13 seconds. That's no slouch even by today's standards. In its time, the NSX got more powerful and lost more weight in the form of the NSX Type R. Unfortunately, the production of the NSX came to a halt in 2005. The Honda NSX left behind a legacy. It wasn't just the first supercar to come out o Japan, it was the first supercar that could be driven everyday.
 |
| Italian styling, mid mounted 3.0 V6 and everyday usability - the Honda NSX |
 |
| The interior was basic and functional. A simple steering wheel, clear instruments and a manual gearbox made the Honda NSX a true driver's car |
 |
| The NSX Type R. The white wheels, black roof and red Honda badges made sure you didn't mistake this for a regular NSX. Power was upped and weight went down, making this the ultimate version |
No comments:
Post a Comment