NSX and Mclaren cars collaboration?

[TheSebringOne]

Just watching F1 qualifying, with EJ asking MW about a possible collaboration. :)
I wonder if theres any truth as EJ seems to get a lot on inside information.

[Problem Child]

Just watching F1 qualifying, with EJ asking MW about a possible collaboration. :)
I wonder if theres any truth as EJ seems to get a lot on inside information.

Just heard this on BBC F1 show. Further confirmation, if we needed it, that the (new) NSX is simply a marketing/ branding exercise.

[TheSebringOne]

I hope its not a pure marketing/branding exercise. Honda will want to rebuild its tarnished F1 image after pulling the
plug in 2007-08? I hope that their previous glorious collaboration when Senna was winning everything returns & this
will enhance the next NSX!?

[Problem Child]

I hope its not a pure marketing/branding exercise. Honda will want to rebuild its tarnished F1 image after pulling the
plug in 2007-08? I hope that their previous glorious collaboration when Senna was winning everything returns & this
will enhance the next NSX!?

I agree that Honda should be in F1, with their glorious F1 tradition but my concern is that the new NSX will simply become a brand with all sorts of extensions built on the NSX name alone. Remember part of the iconic value of the current NSX is its rarity. McLaren and Honda in F1 I have absolutely no issue with but a McLaren Honda NSX road car would simply be a cynical marketing ploy to boost unit sales and would IMHO devalue the NSX name. Anyway wouldn't the Honda NSX and the McLaren MP12 be competitors in the marketplace? Why would you want to help your competitors?

[TheSebringOne]

I didn't think of it in that way, that we don't want Mclaren's roadcars competing against the next NSX, even though
they will probably in different segments of the supercar market? May be that fact Honda will be building the F1 cars
with Mclaren, then some of the F1 technology & know how could be passed on from the GP cars to the road cars,
since Honda have some catching up to do since leaving F1 previously? Just food for thought!

[Senninha]

The initial success of the new NSX will without doubt be all about how it drives. If the tech we've seen portrayed in the video depicting how the small turbo plus regenerative power will deliver notable driver benefits, then sales are assured.


what Honda then needs to do is follow Audis lead of launching new variants every couple of years but in lower volumes (Audi still sell 100 new R's every year). I'd have thought Honda would be happy with a regular 50-60 cars a year.


Launch a great drivers car in 2015, follow this with Targa then GT3 racer, they could launch the Mclaren NSX to coincide with the F1 constructors and then bring the market the benefits of the partnership with a superlight NSX-R


a Halo car is ALL about marketing so I don't get why anyone would be surprised.


regards, Paul

[havoc]

I'm with Paul on this one.

- Honda are a business. They won't build a car unless they can make money from it (they will consider indirect benefits like 'halo effect', but I doubt they'll willingly lose money on every car like they apparently did with ours)
- They've stated they want to keep it exclusive / keep volumes down. Strange approach, unless they're going to (a) premium price it; and/or (b) do what Paul says and release a new variant each year, keep it fresh.
- Finally, what we want (almost all 2nd hand owners of the old car) is largely irrelevant to them. HUK have kindly given us the gazebo at SSC for a few years now, but in return they're getting publicity for the old car which helps keep interest in / brand-awareness of the new one alive...so that small investment in us is arguably paying them back handsomely.


What interests me is what form this partnership will take?
- Mclaren don't need Honda powertrain tech anymore
- Honda have developed the hybrid tech on their own, so no need for anything KERS-like
- ...which leaves aero / exotic materials...could the Mclaren-NSX be a lightweight, carbon-fibre bodied, super-aero'd limited edition???