Clio V6 or Honda NSX? from an owner of both

[GPH]

the nsx is the only car I would swap for my clio, with your background it would be interesting to get your view

NSX or CLIO V6 ????????

well Mick it is funny you should ask as one of the reasons I left Honda UK to go to Renault UK was because they paid me 50% more so instead of just drooling over the NSX I bought one in 1999 and kept it for 3 years! It was a 92 original spec manual transmission and manual steering car in red. I was in love with the technical specification of the car, being the 1st series production aluminium car (which Audi always convieniently forget about when talking A and the way it drove without having to fight it like 348's of the time was a revelation. Gordon Murray bought one from us to drive whilst developing the McLaren F1. ( and the Sultan of Brunei bought 8 identical red ones from the jersey dealer but that's another story!)
It was utterly superb to drive but is remarkably similar to the Clio in many ways. The ride was very good and the engine sounded amazing but more so at higher revs when the VTEC cam changed over. Yet unless you were thrashing it at low speeds or over 70mph it was all very calm. and that's where the Clio beats it hands down. the 2nd or 3rd gear burble from 2000rpm in the clio is unbeatable. it means you have fun in it at any speed not just at the limit.
This is the problem with so many sports cars these days and what the Mclaren MP12 has been rightly criticised for.
The NSX was amazingly reliable as you would expect. in 3 years i only needed an electric window switch (thanks Ian Hosk ) but to maintain one now would cost serious money because of the lack of parts and aluminium panels. I left it on the drive one night and some scumbag tried to break into it using a screwdriver around the door lock. thankfully they gave up after a while but the new door skin alone cost over £2000 and that was 12 years ago when it was still in production....
So for me , even if I was a multi millionaire....... I would have the Clio every time. It is much more exciting to drive and is just as much an event walking up to it and looking at it ..... Unless it was an NSX type R of course but they never brought those to Europe!
I hired a Ferrari F355 last year as that was an itch i thought I had to scratch as the last beautiful Ferrari and guess what. It sounded like a VW Beatle under 5000 rpm ( which Jeremy T will confirm as i took him out in it. ) Not a patch on the Clio so that made my mind up it has to be another Vee.

 

[Ali]

Nice review.

The NSX never really did anything for me...I know the Ayrton Senna fan boys love them though; possibly more for him than the car itself.

 

[ian hosk]

Both me and Graeme drove an old NSX used by Senna when ever in the UK back in the day - H515 ERK, where is it now a-days? last time i drove it was to a VBH Top gear shoot in Monaco. A long drive that was 13hrs non stop, fab car to do it in though!

Ian

 

[Lankan]

Interesting to hear your thoughts and comparison between the NSX and the Vee.

I am a great fan of the NSX Type R. Know a couple of Porsche enthusiasts who bought one (grey imports I think), and they were over the moon about its feedback and dynamics as a driver's car.

 

[E30 M3]

Never had a NSX but would like to try a NSX type R tho.. So i cant say to much but know the type R's are meant to be a great car!!
But for now, having had 2 VEE's ill stick with that

But what do people fell about BMW M3 E30, i sold my E30 M3 to get a def future classic why i went for another VEE.. Wish i had the money to keep the M£ and to get the VEE but am still waiting on the euro's to come though lol

 

[mick.harris]

a couple of years ago I made a serious enquiry about a red 1993 NSX with 27000 miles, it was one of the sultan of brunei's cars, I think it was up for about £17000 ,
I just had a gut feeling and thought it was maybe not for me after a chat with the owner,
the garage in Ireland said they had taken it in lieu of a debt, and it also had brunei number plates fitted (93-D-44632) that would change to J58487 for the U.K. , it was also an auto ,
apparently the sultan's brother gave them away as gifts !!!

check out pistonheads or autotrader the prices have gone crazy for any NSX,

so after reading graemes thread I'll stick with the VEE and save myself a shedload of cash,