You can really see him struggle to describe the new NSX's character in comparison to the NSX-R. In my opinion, this is by far the most understandable and relatable review on this dilemma of traditional driving pleasure and new tech. Thank you Jethro, thank you Drivetribe.
sebb427 for the love of supercars; drive the car for yourself and then arrive at your own conclusion. That's exactly what I did and the reason why it is now on my short list of next car purchase.
7:05 you can see pivot compliment (xclusive suspensión part of the NSX, but copied later in the Mclaren F1) working in bumps, filtering bumps before arrive to steering and springs, keeping the proper tire geometry in every situation. Nice capture, i never seen working.
its not that's just a better car than a F40.. it will completely outlast and never break in comparison. Honda is truly underrated, Ferrari .. overrated. but that's marketing and human stupidity for you.
From a driving point of view, it's a much better car at the limit (better steering, braking, suspension etc). F40 has more character surely but it's still a car from the mid 80s ^^
I kind of understand even with my absolute lack of experiences with both of those cars. I think that the filosophy of a NSX is about not to be the same with every generation. It is simply a car that represents its own era, pushes the limit of technology and make it "affordable-ish-ish..." I hope that some day I´ll get behind the wheel of a NSX....
16:16....for anyone reading this, this is a true car enthusiast. Appreciating not just the car, the brand, the history, but also the engineering. If you truly are seeking a driving experience, one where you put effort into, feel connected to the car, and are in complete fucking control, then the NSX-R must surely be the way. A JDM legend, where skill and experience matters. And if you are wondering, yes this car is fast...people have pushed it well into 1000hp with heavy mods. But in this video, lies one of the 4 legendary horsemen in its most original form - a true beauty that can only be respected. (Supra, R34, RX-7, NSX)
Why do people care so much about the R34? The R32 is the one that was so unbeatable in racing that it got the Godzilla nickname. The R34 was in a movie. They are basically the same car. The R34 has ATTESA-ETS Pro (compared to the non-pro), but that was also in the R33; and it's also heavier than both the R32 and R33.
Could immediately tell by Jethro's expression which car he preferred. I totally agree. More fun and rewarding. Thats's what driving is all about. Calling a car "intriguing" and "fascinating" isn't exactly a compliment. "Spellbinding" - a definite compliment.
True, that said on the NSC the VTEC is not heard or felt as the engine has a very linear and progressive response. Definitely not like the Integra Type R or Prelude H22 where you have a clear different character when it engages. It's all smoothness on the NSX :)
Hearing Jethro talk like this about the NSX-R almost brought me to tears. I know the new NSX will never be the original and it's not meant to be. Considering the prices of the old car, I would get the new one. Since it would be a better daily driver. Sill why not have an NSX-R as that weekend toy? Thank you Jethro and I am glad you had fun. (:
NSX-R over an F40. Wow. Quite the statement. The white wheels are just so perfect as well. Best review I've ever seen on my favorite JDM of all time. I'll take mine in blue please. Wonder what an NSX-R is going for these days anyways...
I wish I could have told you personally how much I admire your work Jethro when I saw you at the GTR launch last year. Hope you made your flight though!
With so many wannabe car journalists, inadequate drivers, and poorly executed paid scripts all over RU-vid, this is a rare find, and a real joy to be here. Thank you for offering your impressions on both cars. What a difference it makes when a reviewer actually loves cars and is sincere and spontaneous. I've never driven either (sigh), but the development trend for cars, over the past decade has been clear. We are not getting back the "old" school analog feel, and the same levels of directness.
So rewarding to see the NSX-R being driven well … truly shows the balance these cars have. I;m fortunate to own a 3.2T and for UK B roads or trips into Europe it is an absolute blast but will happily pop into town at 30mph … Thanks Jethro, beautifully presented
they actually have around 320hp @ the crank from factory! the 276hp Gentlemens Agreement was inacted for reasons of insurance, safety, and to counter a horsepower war between manufacturers. check dino graphs of stock nsx's , they mostly range between 275 and 292 Hp @ the WHEELS , with an 8% rwd drivetrain loss.
Awesome review! As someone who owned an F40 for many years…and has driven a regular U.S. spec NA2 NSX on a few occasions (can’t even imagine how much better the NA2R is); although it might not be readily apparent at first, they are somewhat comparable as driver’s cars…although a bit apples to oranges. The F40 has an amazing presence. It is surprisingly small...mean, wiiide, low and looks like it's scraping the ground! Couple that with the gated shifter and turbo noises and of course the speed, and it definitely lives up to the hype. It will NOT be ignored, lol! The NSX-R on the other hand is a much more subtle exercise in design and execution…I happen to LOVE that about the NSX-R! I agree with another poster that the F40 is very reliable. I never had a problem with mine after some initial sorting was done. Operating costs are higher for sure (fuel tanks are a big one)…partly because of the “Ferrari tax” lol, but also because it’s a car that is over 30 yrs. old. However, if you don’t let it sit, drive it regularly, and of course, maintain it properly, you could in theory daily drive it! BUT, and this is a BIG but…it is a VERY crude machine…it squeaks and rattles a bit, the seating position is laughable, the gated shifter is clunky, the switchgear and interior bits are cheap feeling. All of that is forgiven given that it performs and drives so well and is just, well, badass! But in my opinion the NSX-R is a better car. Supremely well engineering and built to a standard that the F40 could only dream about…and just as cool as the F40, it being a JDM icon and all…not to mention incredibly rarer. They made fewer than 150 NA2Rs…while they made around 1,300 F40s. The F40 is not that rare of a car, especially by Ferrari standards….but it is an ICON for sure…I enjoyed mine massively!
I hope one day some reviewer gives credit also to Motoharu Kurosawa, 'cause not only Senna helped with the develop of the original NSX. Sure Ayrton is more famous, but Motoharu also has legendary driving skills.
Honestly just by the looks nothing compares to the old NSX-R. Even though there is still a sense of old fashion, there’s just something about it that you can feel it that’s sexy. Maybe all new cars looks like the new NSX and concept looks blah blah blah, but with the right mods the old NSX is definitely my choice.
this is wat happens when you redesign a Japanese legend in north america. Desperate Americans building something just to be impressive on spec sheets then slapping a legendary badge to make it sell.
axsb yea they're trying to conform to the North American market too hard. I guess i could understand they do it cuz they want to push their acura brand to the same status as lexus. however, its lost sight of all the quirks and japanese motorsport charms that the old one had
0812rs That's a mentally disabled-sounding comment. It was Honda themselves that decided the chassis would be developed in the U.S. and would also be co-designed there. About half was still done in Japan. People from Japan also worked in Ohio.
This video confirms what japanese pro driver motoharu kurosawa has also stated. Chassis, suspension balance is all out of whack. The cars looks cool drifting but when he tries to run a proper lap all the flaws come out. The old nsx-r is amazing
I personally have a huge liking for the new NSX which appears to not be very well received. I feel like the multiple personalities that the new NSX has is what adds to the beauty of it. Just as I figured as it was intended to be, it's a supercar made also to be able to be used daily and it's meant to be driven unlike other supercars that'd only be used on more specific occasions. This car is meant to be used for people to find out how they'd want to use it, which of course isn't everyone's cup of tea, as the old NSX R is straightforward, simple, and pure. That said, the new NSX undoubtedly has room for improvement, and rumor has it that eventually it will finally be given the true Type R treatment. We'll just have to see how it turns out (better, hopefully lmao)
The HSV-010 was the real new NSX, all they had to do was use an F1 driver to help fine tune it like they did with Senna. This thing is for silicon valley twats, not driving enthusiasts.
Wow great video! I wanted a lap time so bad! Every time the NSX R was reviwed back in the day it was always raining! Lol. Loved seeing it perform on best motoring videos, epic car
To be fair, the first NSX went on sale in 1990 and the R tested here was launched in 2002, so 12 years of evolution perfected it. The new NSX has the abilities to become much better as well and me thinks that the R of the new NSX will be a much better car for drivers wanting feel from their vehicle and not only performance.
Honda should have done what Porsche did with the s2000 and nsx. They should have kept the original styling with slight tweaks. The new nsx doesnt make me feel excited about it. I still get excited about the old nsx. The sound the styling in and out the senna link.They wont ever be able to make a better car than the original nsx and original s2000! New nsx designed by americans? Whos idea was this? Japanese car buyers want their cars designed by the japanese. The new nsx is insulting to me as a honda fan.
The sound of the nsx-r at 5:38 is beautiful. As the car passess and goes down the gears. Honda sports car engines make a amazing sound that rivals any of the greatest cars in the world. My s2000 sounds amazing.
A stripped track focused midengined nsx with type r pedigree was always destined to be one of the greatest if not the greatest drivers car of all time. Honda in the 90s and its type r's were truely some of the best driving machines in the world. Not only for perforamnce but also fun and feel. They still stand up to this day
couldn't agree more; modern [2010+] cars are just not as much fun - they are easily faster & can put down some unbelievable lap times, but performance isn't everything.. the problem is that modern cars have completely lost connection to the driving experience in the name of performance, fuel economy, daily-drivability, & technology i'll take a 90's/00's car that is more connected to the fun of driving than a modern 10'+ car that can go faster & has a bunch of useless tech i don't need [or care about..]
I'm glad they took some cues from the old one, like those tail lights, but they took the pure experience that makes the nsx, the nsx, and did the exact opposite...
NSX-R all day. I loved this car when it was released, but love it even more now after this review. I hope to see the lap time of the speed delimited R soon!
Good work! Editing is very nice, and camera work is wonderful, however the sound could be better, I mean it's a little bit difficult to hear the dialogue clearly, the mix of car noise is fine but I wish I could hear the voice a little easier, thanks for theses wonderful content!
I really hope they build a Type R of the new one without the hybrid system, just pure petrol engine RWD, normal steering etc. shed a tonne of weight and really taking the spirit of the old one.
Ahh Honda. Love them. The NA1 & 2 NSX's, The DC2 Integra Type R's, The AP1 & 2 S2000s, The EK9 and EP3 Civic R's, The BB preludes, The EG & EF Civics and CR-X's. All amazing cars. I too wish Honda would go back to that era of philosopy and build a modern but simple lightweight NSX Type R, with NA engine but it's never gona happen. They must be scratching there head. Loads of people love the first 2 NSX now but sales were shocking. Was it just because the majority of us who loved the NSX just couldnt afford one when we were in our early 20s etc? Also I believe Honda never made any profit on any DC2 Integra R's made either. They lost so much on them both why would they go down that route again? I think the main problem is they got too european'ee/american aroundn2003 and should have stuck to their JDM roots!
