Next NSX to get V10!!

[mikes94]

"We are now focused on the development of a new model to succeed the NSX for a new era. We would like to debut a new super sports car equipped with a V10 engine in 3 to 4 years. Please look forward to seeing the NSX successor." - Takeo Fukui (Honda President & CEO)

Source:
http://world.honda.com/news/2005/c050720_a.html

Wow! Sounds like Honda is ready to get serious about this supercar business! I'm speechless ... I was expecting a V8 at a stretch ...

[ViHatcher]

Gonna be good to see major upgrade. Unfortunately, I notice right below mentioned about Civic production made from China. I hope this never reach here..

[Terry]

Gonna be good to see major upgrade. Unfortunately, I notice right below mentioned about Civic production made from China. I hope this never reach here..

No matter where it located, every Honda factory will have high standard quality control.....besides that nowadays chinese also make Benz and BMW........is that quality really a problem?!

[Shraka]

V10 huh... that could be cool. To bad I'll never be able to get my hands on one. lol.

I wonder if it'll be anything like the new BMW V10... 10 THROTTLE BODIES! WEE!

[mikes94]

It’s interesting to note that F1 is moving from V10s to V8s as of next year. I would’ve thought that it would make more sense (from a marketing point of view at least) for Honda to develop a V8. One could argue that after being in F1 for 5 years or so developing V10s, that Honda has more experience with a V10 than V8. But really how much technology actually filters down from F1 to consumer vehicles? I suspect there is very little commonality (certainly in the valve train) between a road car revving to no more than 9000rpm and a race car revving to near 20000rpm! Despite this Honda should have plenty of experience with V8s from CART and IRL in any case!

Perhaps Honda doesn’t want to bow down to consumer pressure for a V8 … and what better way than to release a V10 instead!

Anyway that’s my little rant … I’ll forward to seeing the beast when released (even if I’ll never be able to afford one! ).

[Usual Suspect]

It’s interesting to note that F1 is moving from V10s to V8s as of next year. I would’ve thought that it would make more sense (from a marketing point of view at least) for Honda to develop a V8. One could argue that after being in F1 for 5 years or so developing V10s, that Honda has more experience with a V10 than V8. But really how much technology actually filters down from F1 to consumer vehicles? I suspect there is very little commonality (certainly in the valve train) between a road car revving to no more than 9000rpm and a race car revving to near 20000rpm! Despite this Honda should have plenty of experience with V8s from CART and IRL in any case!

Perhaps Honda doesn’t want to bow down to consumer pressure for a V8 … and what better way than to release a V10 instead!

Anyway that’s my little rant … I’ll forward to seeing the beast when released (even if I’ll never be able to afford one! ).

where ya reckon VTEC came from?

[mikes94]

where ya reckon VTEC came from?

Certainly not from F1!! If anyone tells you this it's a load of rubbish.

VTEC was designed for for road cars as it allows low rpm torque/efficiency and high rpm power - before this cams were designed as a compromise between the two.

Race engines however need only operate at high rpm meaning no compromise needed to be made. So road engines and race engines require a completely different philosophy.

In fact VTEC was being developed in the early to mid 80's completely separate from their F1 efforts (which also began about the same time). Some knowledge was used from Hondas racing + motorcycle heritage to allow high rpm operation but VTEC did not directly evolve from F1.

Check this out ... its a good read:
http://world.honda.com/history/chall...989vtecengine/

[Kawasaki]

the v10 matched with an nsx style chassis would be a killer on the track and most likely a leader in its class

[Shraka]

I'd be worried about the weight though. One of the drawcards of the NSX is that it's lightweight. A V10 would make the back heavier, meaning they'd have to weigh the front down (or deal with a high rear weight bias), making the whole thing heavier.

Then again, it's Honda. They'll probably make it out of some newage lightweight plastic or something and make it lighter than the 6 cyl engine the NSX used to have. :P

[aaronng]

I'd be worried about the weight though. One of the drawcards of the NSX is that it's lightweight. A V10 would make the back heavier, meaning they'd have to weigh the front down (or deal with a high rear weight bias), making the whole thing heavier.

Then again, it's Honda. They'll probably make it out of some newage lightweight plastic or something and make it lighter than the 6 cyl engine the NSX used to have. :P

It's not really an issue because it is not an RR platform, but MR, so the weight is just in front of the rear wheels. Won't have a big problem with front weight bias (they can locate the battery in front, together with your tool kit and the extra reinforment for crumple zone in the front too) since the majority of the engine weight is in the middle rear and that the new engines are much lighter. Look at the BMW's 5L V10, it weighs only 240kg (Source), while the NSX (3.2L I assume), weighs 487lbs (221.36kg) (Source) With new technologies, it is possible to build a light but large capacity engine. If they put in F1 technology into the new NSX, the engine could be even lighter! The V10s in F1 weigh only 100kg.

[Shraka]

You'll still have the issue, as the engine isn't in the perfect center. It's gonna throw the weight back a bit... But yeah, the new all alloy blocks are light as. The 1UZ-FE (Lexus V8) is lighter than the 2JZ-GTE from the JZA80 Supra, even if you put some aftermarket turbos on the 1UZ.

And they can't make their new V10 100kg. It'd wear out 2 quick. you gotta balance weight and durability... oh and price!

[aaronng]

Assuming that the new V10 is similar in construction (weight-wise) to the M5's V10 and same weight, that is only an extra 19kg to balance. Since the extra 19kg is close to the middle, you won't need to balance with a full 19kg up front. To balance the weight, use the equation:
(Engine weight) x (Longitudinal distrance, engine from center of gravity) = (Ballast weight) x (Longitudinal distrance, ballast from center of gravity)

Since distance of ballast is larger than distance of engine, you'll need less ballast.