What do you guys think of the chances for the Honda (Acura?) NSX to be a desirable future classic, and for the values to go up?

It was designed with the help of F1 champion Ayrton Senna, and when it came out blew away the Ferrari 348 and the 911. Whilst it lacks character, it does hold something special in how it did that, and is/was the first true Japanese supercar.


Here in the UK they are very rare and currently fairly well regarded.. but as they age the feelings could go either way: to indifference, where the values fall and it just becomes 'old' (e.g. Toyota Supra and nearly every other fast Jap car, or BMW ~1993-1998 M3 or M5), or to fondness, where people remember what a great car it is and that there will be no new NSX, and it holds its values and remains desirable (like the original four-cylinder BMW M3, or the W124 Cabriolet) and voila you have a valuable classic.


I get the impression in the US it has actually already fallen below desirability to indifference, and is only an aspiration for Integra and Civic owners, not so much Porsche 911 or BMW owners, and I wonder if this will happen in the UK?


In the UK they start at about $30,000 for an early 50-80,000 miler.



Russell

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190E's:
2.5-16v 1990 90,000m Astral Silver
2.0E 8v 1986 107,000m Black 2nd owner
http://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall.jpghttp://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall2.jpg

Can't comment on the value of the cars, but we have one in here right now to do some small body repairs. Tell you this,,, I won't be trading my SL for one. A little too claustrophobic for me.

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95 SL500 Smoke Silver, Parchment 64K
07 E350 4matic Station Wagon White 34K
02 E320 4Matic Silver/grey 80K
05 F150 Silver 44K

Awesome cars!!!! Drove one and they feel like a roller coaster flying through the air.

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Audi TT

kamil, which model year did you drive? What were your impressions of the car other than the rollercoaster effect How was the ride quality, ergonomics, any low end torque? etc. and anything else worth mentioning?

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

Since this is the last year of production (Sept 2005 for Europe, December 2005 for North America), and with about 18,000 total production over the past 15 years, it has a good chance of being a sought after car in the future. Keep in mind, there's the potential of a V-10 replacement in a couple years.

The one I drove was a late 90s model (about 98 I think). It was a manual tranny and it pulled pretty strong. It had plenty of low end torque and once the vtech kicked in it just takes off. I had it on the parkway in New Jersey coming back from the shore around 2am. At certain stretches I was going in the 140mph range. The coolest part was changing lanes at that speed as the car did not even tilt one bit. It just switched lanes like it was on rails. The thing that I most remember about this car was the handling and everyone looking at the car.

At that point I had a 1993 300ZX Twin Turbo (5 speed) and the zx felt faster but did not handle as well. For some reason turbos always make the car seem so much faster than it really is...

I would definitely get an NSX if I was not in school.

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Audi TT

The NSX is appealing to me since it's a unique low production car but has Honda reliability. I've just never had the chance to drive one or compare an air cooled 993.

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

I wouldnt call it a supercar, it has a V6, with no more power than any other V6 out there, in fact less. And its got a pretty low top speed, good acceleration, but its mostly gears. The only reason its as expensive as it is, is because it was hand built. Lots of cars handle well, and plenty more out accelerate this thing. Not to mention, it is after all a Honda, where I come from that aint a good thing, especially for lasting appeal. Not to start arguments, if you like it great, but I think its junk. And yes I've been in one. I dunno how it would beat a 348, that has lots more power and weighs less.

Yes, I believe that car has a good potential of being a collectible in the future. Honda is a company that made its name by making cheap and economical cars and over the years built a good "fan base". I wouldn't compare it to a car like a Mercedes... we all know that Mercedes builds a "beefier" car than any Japanese make. If you do compare it to a SL model or some other German make.. then I am not surprised that some of you claim that its "junk". The NSX has great appeal... heck everytime I see one it grabs my attention. Even an early model thats over 10 years old still grabs my attention... and this is rare when it comes to Japanese makes.

I think the 348 was more one of the Ferraris where they made it knowing people bought it for being a Ferrari, somewhat more than for any particular raw talent it had. Hence when the proper effort that was the NSX came out it was rated much better as a driver's car. The reposte that was the F355 was pretty special though. The 348's handling is supposedly not pretty - very snatchy in fact and dangerous for the track.

The NSX does 0-60 under 5 seconds and over 160mph which is supercar by my (1990) book if not by todays suddenly inflated standards, and the engine is sometimes claimed as one of the best (sounding?) supercar engines anywhere, ever.. but anyway its speciality is claimed to be all in the ride, handling and feel departments where many real classics are 'made' (e.g. 911, Lotus,BMW E30 M3 etc).

It lacks the badge.. but the Japanese badges are becoming more desirable as BMW make ugly over-teched cars and Mercedes can't make anything properly any more.. hence my speculation on the NSX's future.


Russell

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190E's:
2.5-16v 1990 90,000m Astral Silver
2.0E 8v 1986 107,000m Black 2nd owner
http://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall.jpghttp://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall2.jpg

They are a decent car, but will they be a classic? I don't think so IMHO becasue they are fairly few in number and fairly complicated. But only time will tell.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche