It's bad enough shoving a Japanese car into the PCH ring with a Ferrari, but a Honda? However, when you want an NSX yet you don't want to spend more than 20 grand… well, you have to figure that the Soichiro Stamp Of Approval was probably removed from the car (with 50-grit sandpaper) a few years back. And so it is with this 1992 Acura NSX (go here if the ad disappears), which has a "FIRM PRICE" of $18,000. That's below the Kelly Blue Book price, as the seller is quick to point out, and don't worry about mechanical condition because "there were some mechanical problems but they have been fixed." Well, actually, the "clutch needs to be replaced soon and the air conditioning is not running too good," and you can put the interpretation of your choice on that, depending upon whether you're a glass-half-full or glass-bone-dry sort of person. The seller has given all the information he's ever going to provide, so "PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT ME UNLESS ARE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT BUYING THE CAR!" You got it? We're a little disappointed that the traditional "NO TIRE KICKERS MONEY TALKS BULLSHIT WALKS" part was missing, but at least he knew about the obligatory CAPS LOCK key.

If you've got 18 grand to spend on picking up your Hi Rolla Vegas Shuttle, shouldn't you go right for the Ferrari? A red Ferrari, in fact, like this '86 328GTS, which is currently bid up to a mere $15,100. The pit bosses will be putting on their bulletproof vests when you toss the keys to this car to the valet and step onto the casino floor, and that's no lie. Of course, you have to get the car to the valet in the first place for that, and that means you'll need to spend years some time making with the wrenches first. This car has only 38K miles on the clock, mostly because it has spent "5-7" (which is eBay-ese for "12-15") years sitting… waiting for you to rescue it! The glass is clean and the "under carriage is spotless!!!!!!!" The paint, however, looks like what you'd find on an '85 Chevy Sprint abandoned in a Greyhound station parking lot, and the interior appears to have been used for a few years as a hobo jungle, including campfire. Does it run? Well, it ran when parked, and that should be good enough for anyone? How hard could it be?

Based on the second generation, 2002 NSX-R, the GT was created specifically to comply with homologation regulations for Japanese Super GT racing. Those regulations stated any car that wanted to compete in the series had to be based on a production car with at least five examples. So Honda made five NSX-R GTs. Honda never stated what, if any, changes they made to GT underneath its wild new bodywork.

We do know what enhancements Spoon made to one of those five cars. Starting with the NSX-R GT’s functional carbon fiber aero aids, flat undertray, non-functional snorkel (there for homologation purposes only), complete absence of sound deadening, single pane rear glass (the only thing separating you from the engine) and carbon/Kevlar Recaros, the Japanese tuner added its own upgraded suspension and brakes as well as a giant turbocharger and remapped ECU to boost the 24-valve 3.2-liter V6’s from 290 to 420 HP.

This isn’t just the car I’ve always lusted after. It’s the single rarest example of that model and not a plain version of that either, but one that’s had the bejesus tuned out of it.

Infineon is an intimidating place to drive any car, in place of run off, concrete walls are installed right next to most of the track, restricting not only your options should something go wrong, but, in a car as low as the NSX, your vision too. What parts of the track are unencumbered by concrete feature huge elevation changes. It’s my first time here and I’m having trouble remember which corners go right and which ones left. The track is especially intimidating given the complete absence of driver aids in this priceless one-of-a-kind car. Sure, there’s ABS, but there isn’t traction control stability control, magnetic suspension or drive-by-wire anything.

Dating from 1990, the NSX hails from a completely different era of car design, one that put emphasis on the fundamental rightness of a low curb weight, lower center-of-gravity, an engine mounted amidships and the kind of subtle control that’s only available in the absence of electronic assistance. The GT’s bodykit also adds down force, lots of it.

Turn six at Infineon is an impossibly fast, downhill, off camber, near 180-degree hairpin. Its exit is bordered by a three-foot high, six-inch thick piece of poured concrete. Taking it fast takes commitment and more than a little faith. Gripping the tiny Momo wheel with white knuckles, it takes all my strength to turn the NSX onto a tighter line. The downforce that kicks in at close to three-figure speeds combined with the huge amount of caster means the steering gets heavier as you go faster, lots heavier. But that’s just a side effect to the reason for those two changes; with them, the NSX-R GT will make it around any corner, at seemingly any speed, with an absolute absence of drama. As long as you keep your right foot planted, just like the 911 before they made it a luxury car, the mantra for any NSX-R GT driver needs to be “Never Lift.”

Oh, and there will be NSX-R GT drivers too. Even though this specific model will remain very special, starting next year Spoon will sell you a brand new one that looks and goes just like this for only $150,000. And yes, it will be road-legal and available in left hand drive. Neither will they be mere replicas, but built using a supply of left over NSX-R chassis Honda has squirreled away somewhere in Japan.

That money won’t buy you a luxury car. While the original equipment carbon/Kevlar Recaros are supportive and comfortable, the air-conditioning cold and the tape player functional, the interior is cramped and difficult to access in a way expensive cars simply aren’t any more. It’s loud in here too; only a single pain of glass separates you from the grumbling tuned engine and its big, popping exhaust. Don’t think of it as Spartan, think of it as purposeful. Decades old design has its benefits; the view out is unencumbered by hood, fenders or power bulges, while the A-pillars are thin, enhancing your vision. The view out of the NSX is unrivalled and uncompromised, allowing you to concentrate on doing nothing but going fast.

And it does go fast too. Weighing just 2,795 Lbs (the 480 HP Nissan GT-R weighs over a thousand pounds more), that 420 HP can propel it to 60 in less than four seconds and on to a top speed somewhere in excess of 186 MPH.

They say never meet your heroes because they won’t live up to your expectations. But, this NSX-R GT doesn’t just feel as good as I expected, but better than I could ever have hoped. Unlike other classic super cars, the passing of time has been kind to the NSX. It suffers from neither high weight nor over complication of modern super cars, but adapts their up-to-date running gear, brakes and tires to give itself modern performance. Classic involvement with modern speed? That’s a fantasy we’re glad came true.

To read more, including a comparison against the 2009 BMW M3, pick up a copy of 0-60 Magazine issue 6, it hits stands nationwide today.

Photography credit: Robert Kerian

Thanks to: Edmun at Spoon Sports

Those performance claims probably don't account for the upcoming Nissan GT-R Spec V, which may be a bit more hardcore that the NSX, but will likely be closer in price point and exclusivity than a standard GT-R. Then you've got to figure King Kong, the Corvette ZR1, into the mix too. Of course, we're not really sure exactly which aspect of performance Honda is bragging about, but if they start making claims about Nürburgring lap times, we're sure Porsche will complain argue that they're lying. Though if Honda is talking about acceleration figures, they probably don't need to worry about it, since GT-R owners apparently can't use launch control without their car losing all hope of manufacturer-paid product support. [Automotive News (sub. req.) via MotorAuthority]

After the flotsam is stripped, the upgrades begin including a full underbody aero tray, monstrous sway bars, a rear diffuser and more speed by way of a remapped ECU and a shorter final drive. With a curb weight of just 2800 lbs, this rejiggered NSX will be a terror on the street. We'd be mighty amused if Spoon's version of the old, V6-powered NSX could go toe-to-toe with the newly-designed, V10-powered 2010 NSX. High power, meet light weight. [JPCNews via AutoFiends]

Maybe it looks like that because the renderings appear to come straight from an artist using the Detroit Auto Show concept as a cheat sheet. But, Edmunds' buddies do have some method to the madness. They claim Honda has employed their recent experiences with F1 to create a design generating maximum downforce and straight-line stability. That's why they claim the 2010 Acura NSX was able to drop a lap time of 7 minutes, 37 seconds on its first attempt around the Nürburgring — and will more than likely give the GT-R a run for the money shot on the sub-7:30 time.

How're they going to do that? Well, Edmunds Inside Line also claims the new NSX will weigh in at around 3,256 pounds. That's over 500 pounds lighter than the GT-R. Plus, the rear section of the coupe apparently acts like one big rear wing. Also, there's that 5.5-liter V10 expected to run at over 600 HP and 433 lb-ft of torque. And of course we'd also heard it's expected to get cylinder deactivation — you know, to help with fuel economy and stuff.

Jalopnik Snap Judgment: There's no reason to believe the new NSX won't be faster than the GT-R and the 2009 Corvette ZR1 considering the blistering fast numbers it's already posting. However, we're really truly hoping they do something to those horizontal slits on the front fascia. If not, we're hoping Acura will give us a check box for the leopard-print camouflage.

[via Edmunds Inside Line]

The speculation on power is unconfirmed at this point, but sources are placing the figures at around 590 HP and 430 lb-ft of torque. Considering the original got up to about 290 HP and 240 lb-ft of twist, this represents one hell of an upgrade. Speaking of upgrades, the other rumor we're hearing points to the possibility of some form of special 2009 Acura RL fitted with the same NSX V10. Obviously such a car would bend our fragile little minds to the breaking point and cause droplets of sweat-like dew to form on every other performance sedan's hood. Although this'll certainly help potential RL buyers interested in performance, unless it comes to market with a less-toothy grille, it won't do much for those looking for something better to look at. [7Tune.com]

Silly foreigners, calling an Acura a Honda. [auto motor und sport via Youtube via WCF]

If the 2010 Acura NSX's Nürburgring lap didn't hit the right spot, take a look at this new shot showing off the interior for the first time. We're a little disappointed that the stylish Zubaz-esque exterior camo isn't reflected on the inside of the cockpit, but then again, who cares, those gauges look so purdy we want to bring them home to Momma. And check out the paddle shifters.

[CarTribe]

2010 Honda NSX replacement at the Nürburgring Nordschleife from MrBTG on Vimeo. [BridgeToGantry]

We caught our first glimpse of Honda's Acura NSX replacement earlier in the week, and now, adding to our 2009 Porsche 911 'Ring footage from earlier, the guys at Bridge To Gantry have snapped these new shots. They think there's a high-revving V10 under the hood, but whatever it is it's gonna be fast. How do we know this? Because Honda CEO Takeo Fukai has demanded that the development team make the NSX faster than both the Nissan GT-R and the Lexus LF-A. That would mean a Nurburgring lap time better than the GT-R's 7:29, though the LF-A may be even faster than that. Of course, the NSX having the 5.5-liter V10's 550 HP connected to Honda's Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive has to help.
[BridgeToGantry, Inside Line via WorldCarFans]

The original NSX was considered the everyday supercar — something you could live with, service, and easily get parts for. Hell, half the engine was straight out of a Honda Accord. With a fancy new engine, and most likely all kinds of crazy tech gizmos, will the new NSX just be an also-ran in a wide field of $100k+ sporting coupes? Guess we'll find out. But we don't want to be Negative Nancys this early in the morning — so yay new NSX! Check out the stacked quad tailpipes, fancy aluminum suspension and shiny LED tail lamps. But let's see what the KGP spy shooters have to say about it:

It appears that Acura has finally settled on a direction for the next-
generation NSX, as evidenced by this prototype that has popped up on
the public roads surrounding the Nürburgring.

Rumors of design dissent have plagued the new NSX program since Acura's
Advanced Sports Car Concept debuted to a lukewarm reception at
Detroit's North American International Auto Show in January 2007. The
resulting uncertainty reportedly delayed the introduction of the
production NSX at last fall's Tokyo Motor Show, while Acura decided on
a true design direction for the supercar. Now that things have
apparently sorted themselves out, we can break down the design
decisions that Acura has made.

It appears that the general layout of Acura's Advanced Sports Car
Concept has survived, but changes have been made to increase the level
of aggresion for the NSX. The prototype's nose shows marked changes
over the concept, with two large, wide-set intakes flanking an even
larger central grille. The result is a less pretty, but more
aggressive face. The concept's straight slit-like headlights have
been ditched in favor of more expressive lights that have an angular,
notchy quality to their shape.

The general shape of the NSX's profile looks very similar to the
concept, although a taller, more production-feasible greenhouse
appears to be in play on the test vehicle. The side sculpting has
also been reworked with the prototype's convex rocker panels jutting
outward, instead of the concept's lower rockers, which tucked
gracefully under the car. Once again, the end result is a more
muscled look for the production model.

The production NSX retains the concept's dual stacked exhaust set-up,
but rest of the rear bumper is completely different, with reconfigured
air ducts now stretching all the way across the back. The aesthetic
result is a more squat, athletic stance for the production NSX. The
prototype's flowing, fastback rear deck also shows significant changes
over the concept's more svelte look. The rear hatch now kicks up
between the tail-lights, which gives the prototype a more broad-
shouldered look to match the likes of the Nissan GT-R. New tail-
lights complete the package, although it's hard to tell if they will
stretch all the way across the tail, or if they'll be confined to the
outer flanks.

What does this have to do with the QOTD? Usually we try and highlight great insight and humor but, if the zing is a one-liner, it's hard not to give away the joke. Today's joke comes from Novaload, who commented on the post about the outrageous Acura NSX crash. As a way of background, the car was allegedly in a race with a Civic that featured a "Tuned By Reese" sticker on it:

Now his car has been tuned by Reese's Pieces.

The driver is, miraculously, alive, though has suffered from a fractured neck and we're pretty certain he's going to be out a lot of money in lawyer's fees. You can see the airbags deployed, though the steering wheel seems to be a good twenty feet from the car when that happened. (h/t LTDScott and Vintage Racer) [Source: MSNBC, NBC San Diego]

We feel the headline really says everything necessary about this artist's rendering. [Best Car via WorldCarFans]

See that car next to it? That's a Honda/Acura NSX, the most recent Japanese supercar to grace the US from sea to shining sea. And while the NSX was of the extra light and nimble European mid-engined supercar variety, the new GT-R is decidedly more American (lots of power, engine in the front, gigantic proportions). [i-club via MotiveMag]

Apparently, designers were unhappy with the lukewarm response to the Acura Advanced Sports Car Concept. When it does arrive, it'll likely sport a V-10 and possibly a version of Honda's SuperHandling AWD system. Or not. There's still much gossip to be had. [Wards Auto via WCF]