Honda Says NSX Aiming for Feel of Ferrari 458 at Porsche 911 price

Honda’sHondaJapan, 1948 > present102 models
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NSXAcura NSXJapan, 2013 > present22 photos
is on the way for 2015, and Honda is still staying very tight-lipped about its upcoming supercar. But the car’s development director Ted Klaus has let some new details slip.

“As with the original, the eventual power figure won’t grab headlines, for instance, but the qualities that you can’t write down, such as driver involvement and pleasure, are the ones that will matter,” said Klaus.

Honda had previously said that it was benchmarking the NSX against the Ferrari 458 ItaliaFerrari 458 ItaliaItaly, 2009 > present676 photos
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, 911Porsche 911 Gen.6 [991 Series]Germany, 2011 > present110 versions
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, and MP4-12CMcLaren MP4-12CUnited Kingdom, 2012 > present544 photos
.

“We’re looking for the excitement of the 458 at the price of the 911, and we think the hybrid technology can help us achieve that," he said

We know that the powertrain will use a V6 engine with three electric motors. One motor powers each of the front wheels, and the third is connected to the V6 to power the rear wheels. A similar powertrain is used in the RLXAcura RLX ConceptJapan, 2013 > present4 photos
where it makes 370hp. That is expected to be boosted when placed in the NSX. It will be the first Honda to get the company’s new dual-clutch transmission.

The car made its public track debut the Indy 200 race for the IndyCar Series at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in May. The site was chosen because the NSX is being developed and built at a new site nearby.

"As engineers, we like numbers, but I’m acutely aware that if we build this car against a set of criteria that has been written down, we will lose our sense of focus,” said Klaus.

Source: Autocar