Tuesday 8th February 2011

Honda Boss: HSV GT Racer Will Spawn NSX Successor

NSX successor is officially back from the dead (again)

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Honda is once again officially on course to develop a successor to the iconic NSX.

According to major Japanese daily newspaper Asahi Shimbun, Honda's president Takanobu Ito confirmed previous rumours of the NSX successor's resurrection at a press conference on Friday.

Contrary to previous reports, however, Asahi Shimbun suggested that the new car will be based on the HSV-010 GT racer, which was itself based on the previous attempt

"I think Honda should respect the history of the Super GT competition (as a stock-car race)," said Ito. Which raises the most enticing prospect of a front mid-engined, rear-drive V10 Honda sports car at some point in the near future.

Ito also hinted at a possible 'budget' sports car, saying, "there are two types of sports cars - affordable and high-performance. I hope we will be able to market both."

[[AJ]]

Woohoo! Come on Honda, please make it good.

[Spiritual_Beggar]

2nd that!!!

This car NEEDS to be made!


What a sound those HSV's make too

[Fittster]

With Toyota coming back into the coupe market it's nice to hear that Honda may well also join them with a low priced sports car.

[Guvernator]

Yep, talk of the lower cost option excites me more than the NSX. Don't get me wrong, a new NSX is exciting news but I have a feeling they'll try to make it the halo model and go after the big boys which means it'll probably have a 6 figure price tag. A decent Honda sports car (we know they can make them) for around the £30k mark excites me more. Let's hope they stick to the nice revving NA's which they are famouus for rather than going forced induction too.

[newdogg06]

Working for one of the few NSX appointed Honda dealers, we need this car desperately to boost our sporting image. No CTR, no S2000, no NSX in the range. Hybrids are great cars in the real world but we need an adrenalin shot. Honda are in danger of turning 'beige' again so please Honda Europe, import this car!

[Fittster]

newdogg06 said:

Working for one of the few NSX appointed Honda dealers, we need this car desperately to boost our sporting image. No CTR, no S2000, no NSX in the range. Hybrids are great cars in the real world but we need an adrenalin shot. Honda are in danger of turning 'beige' again so please Honda Europe, import this car!

Is there any evidence that a sports car in the range will help shift more civics and accords? Honda wasn't really considered a sporting brand when it had sports cars for sale and was heavily involved in F1.

Does anyone buy a Lexus because they make the LFA?

[britsportscars]

Fittster said:

With Toyota coming back into the coupe market it's nice to hear that Honda may well also join them with a low priced sports car.

Yeah that Subaru/Toyota coupe sounds good... Hoping that the NSX replacement is good... Maybe Honda will reinvent the S2000 as the affordable option?

[forzaminardi]

Yes please to both!

[havoc]

Guvernator said:

Yep, talk of the lower cost option excites me more than the NSX. Don't get me wrong, a new NSX is exciting news but I have a feeling they'll try to make it the halo model and go after the big boys which means it'll probably have a 6 figure price tag. A decent Honda sports car (we know they can make them) for around the £30k mark excites me more. Let's hope they stick to the nice revving NA's which they are famouus for rather than going forced induction too.

This will be £100k+, for definite. Whether it's a £100-150k car to compete with the 458 and McLaren, or a £300k carbon-fibre-clad limited-edition road-racer to compete with the LF-A and provide a lower-priced but still-semi-bespoke alternative to the One-77 and the Pagani is another matter...I'd expect the former but then no-one expected the LF-A from Lexus.

Agree that they need another 'affordable' sports car, although I'm concerned that Euro-V means it'll be FI. Unless they can squeeze a lightweight semi-revvy (7k+) V6 into the shell, anyway. We certainly won't see another S2000, which (despite its faults) is really rather depressing...



Fittster - I'd say the 'halo effect' is more about having a semi-exotic model than it is about that model being necessarily out-and-out sporting - if the manufacturer has confidence that they can punch at the £100k level, then image-obsessed buyers (i.e. the UK) will feel happier treating that brand as a premium product...

[Kozy]

havoc said:

Agree that they need another 'affordable' sports car, although I'm concerned that Euro-V means it'll be FI. Unless they can squeeze a lightweight semi-revvy (7k+) V6 into the shell, anyway. We certainly won't see another S2000, which (despite its faults) is really rather depressing...

Why do you say these horrible things?

[russy01]

Guvernator said:

Yep, talk of the lower cost option excites me more than the NSX. Don't get me wrong, a new NSX is exciting news but I have a feeling they'll try to make it the halo model and go after the big boys which means it'll probably have a 6 figure price tag. A decent Honda sports car (we know they can make them) for around the £30k mark excites me more. Let's hope they stick to the nice revving NA's which they are famouus for rather than going forced induction too.

I agree. A new gen of S2000 would be great, but the S2000 was so successful as it was light and revvy. They need to stick to this.

Also if they chucked in a SC version aswell it would be even better!

[Fittster]

havoc said:

Fittster - I'd say the 'halo effect' is more about having a semi-exotic model than it is about that model being necessarily out-and-out sporting - if the manufacturer has confidence that they can punch at the £100k level, then image-obsessed buyers (i.e. the UK) will feel happier treating that brand as a premium product...

Is there any evidence to support the 'halo effect'?

[Gizmo!]

[Scene: PH Towers, earlier.]

Riggers: What's this? A Honda press release? I wonder what new hybrid white goods they're trotting out now... Lawks! It's a new NSX rumour! We haven't had one of them for at least a week!
Garlick: A new NSX you say? Well, I haven't driven a supercar for at least five minutes, so...
Stuart: Hands off boys. It says a V10. I looked after the M6 so have by FAR the most experience in V10s, I'm afraid that gives me the edge in terms of making it accessible to our reading public.
Riggers: Do not.
Stuart: I so do.
Will: [Emerges from server room carrying a hammer.] What's this chaps? A new Honda? You know I'm the expert on hybrids...
Riggers: No, It's going to be a V10, and I'm going to get a go this time.
Stuart: No you aren't.
Riggers: Am.

[A struggle ensues. After several minutes, Riggers admits defeat when it is established that Stuart is bigger than him.]

Garlick: Oooh, an S-Class for £2k. What could go wrong...

[exit all in the direction of the Dog and Duck.]

[alexpa]

"there are two types of sports cars - affordable and high-performance. I hope we will be able to market both."

Amen. Please do it. Keep it light, keep affordable and they will come.

[havoc]

Fittster said:

Is there any evidence to support the 'halo effect'?

That I can point to right now - no. But it can't be motorsport as Ford, Peugeot, Renault and Toyota have won lots of trophies and championships without much of that filtering down...


Generally though - how did the German brands become perceived as 'better' than the UK/French/Italian? Historically (say 30-40 years ago) it was (at least partially) that they had 'bigger & quicker' models at the top-end - the Merc SEC and the BMW 635CSi coupes for example, and the 7er and the SEL saloons.

The closest the UK or French big-mfrs could get back then were the Citroen SM and the Rover P5 (both of which were considered 'premium' products, albeit without the performance). Both brands could have continued to be perceived as 'above average' though if they'd not had the industrial action and labour issues which turned their cars into unreliable sheds.

[Snoggledog]

Gizmo! said:

[Scene: PH Towers, earlier.]

Riggers: What's this? A Honda press release? I wonder what new hybrid white goods they're trotting out now... Lawks! It's a new NSX rumour! We haven't had one of them for at least a week!
Garlick: A new NSX you say? Well, I haven't driven a supercar for at least five minutes, so...
Stuart: Hands off boys. It says a V10. I looked after the M6 so have by FAR the most experience in V10s, I'm afraid that gives me the edge in terms of making it accessible to our reading public.
Riggers: Do not.
Stuart: I so do.
Will: [Emerges from server room carrying a hammer.] What's this chaps? A new Honda? You know I'm the expert on hybrids...
Riggers: No, It's going to be a V10, and I'm going to get a go this time.
Stuart: No you aren't.
Riggers: Am.

[A struggle ensues. After several minutes, Riggers admits defeat when it is established that Stuart is bigger than him.]

Garlick: Oooh, an S-Class for £2k. What could go wrong...

[exit all in the direction of the Dog and Duck.]

Thought they went to The Anglers

[doodles19]

I would really love for a new generation of Supras, NSXs 200sx's etc etc.

We need some new models to replace the 90's lot when they are all drifted out/crashed.

[rob.e]

Gizmo! said:

[Scene: PH Towers, earlier.]

Riggers: What's this? A Honda press release? I wonder what new hybrid white goods they're trotting out now... Lawks! It's a new NSX rumour! We haven't had one of them for at least a week!
Garlick: A new NSX you say? Well, I haven't driven a supercar for at least five minutes, so...
Stuart: Hands off boys. It says a V10. I looked after the M6 so have by FAR the most experience in V10s, I'm afraid that gives me the edge in terms of making it accessible to our reading public.
Riggers: Do not.
Stuart: I so do.
Will: [Emerges from server room carrying a hammer.] What's this chaps? A new Honda? You know I'm the expert on hybrids...
Riggers: No, It's going to be a V10, and I'm going to get a go this time.
Stuart: No you aren't.
Riggers: Am.

[A struggle ensues. After several minutes, Riggers admits defeat when it is established that Stuart is bigger than him.]

Garlick: Oooh, an S-Class for £2k. What could go wrong...

[exit all in the direction of the Dog and Duck.]

excellent!

[stephen300o]

Honda certainly need a shot in the arm, their whole range of cars are bad at the moment.

[jon-]

Nicest front end of any car period. If they can carry it over for the road car it will make the downie looking front end of the 458 look even more simple.