For more than a decade, the Acura NSX and I have had a love/hate relationship. For the first few years, we didn't like each other much. I thought the NSX was slow and understeered like a pig. It thought I was hamfisted. Back then driving an NSX around a track was like bowling, fun but not exactly thrilling.
Then in 1995, Acura cooked up the NSX-T with its removable roof panel, limited-slip differential and larger wheels and tires. Things were getting better. That model and I met in a torrential downpour at Laguna Seca Raceway, where I scared the crap out of CART driver Parker Johnstone. Back then Parker was on Honda's payroll and was there to show us the line. He earned every penny.
Love.
I also remember scaring the crap out of myself when I hydroplaned across two lanes at 120 mph, stupidly racing another journalist on Pacific Coast Highway.
Hate.
In 1997, Acura tweaked the car again, this time with a larger, more powerful 290-hp 3.2-liter engine, and a six-speed manual transmission. To write about this new and improved NSX, I flew to Tochigi, Japan and was given a tour of the insanely clean Takanezawa assembly plant where the NSX is assembled. During the tour, I really gained respect for the car.
Each NSX is hand built. Instead of an automated conveyor line, each car is mounted on a dolly and pushed by hand from one workstation to the next, but only after each worker is satisfied his procedure has met the required tolerances and goals. I remember men in white lab coats and surgical gloves painstakingly filing down an aluminum quarter panel of an unassembled car until the trunk fit perfectly.
I also watched one man assemble an entire NSX engine by hand from start to finish, which is how every NSX engine is built. You haven't lived until you've held a titanium connecting rod.
I've been to the Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy, and it's far more automated.
Love.
A month later, I was driving NSXs around Thunderhill raceway in Northern California. It was raining, and the track surface had just been sealed. The course was so slick I should have been driving a Zamboni. I climbed in an NSX, and stupidly got racy with Peter Cunningham who was ripping around in an Integra Type R. If you don't know, Pete owns the RealTime race team and drives an NSX in the Speedvision World Challenge.
I figured with 100 more hp, I could pass Pete without much trouble. Wrong. His driving skill, and the Integra's front-wheel drive were much better suited to the conditions. Plus, I was afraid to disable the NSX's traction control system, which was cutting out the engine exiting every turn.
After 10 laps, however, I went for it. I pushed the button on the dash, disabled the traction control, passed Pete on the front straight and entered Turn 1, where I proceeded to back the car off into the mud.
Hate.
A year later, I tested an NSX at the Pomona, Calif. dragstrip for a "quickest cars in America" article. Of the 13 cars I tested that day, the NSX finished sixth, tearing from 0-60 mph in only 4.97 seconds and finishing the quarter mile in 13.17 seconds at 107.65 mph. By the way, that's with me ripping gears at 8000 rpm.
Love.
Which brings us to last week. Acura sent us an NSX. For 2002, it has tweaked the car again, this time with fixed headlamps, new front and rear fascias and a much-improved suspension. Wheels are larger, up from 16x7 to 17x7 in the front and from 17x8 to 17x9 in the rear. Tires are larger too. Up from 215/45R-16 to 215/40R-17 in the front and 245/40R-17 to 255/40R-17 in the rear. Acura also increased the front spring rate from 179 lb/in to 196 lb/in and increased the size of the rear stabilizer bar from 17.5mm 19.1mm. The result of these changes is a much better and friendlier handling car.
How do I know? Because I've been driving the car to work for a week, and haven't backed it off the road. It also rides better and doesn't follow grooves in the road anymore. I can still live without the electric power steering unit, which gives the car a vague video game feel at times, but there are worse cars to commute in.
Last night, this fact was apparent when I checked out the blonde driving the Civic I was passing. She not only sped up and kept pace, she looked at me, motioned to the NSX, mouthed how much she liked it and threw me a wink.
Love.