So, this is the ultimate Japanese emperor amongst sports cars, since 2008.
I still remember when this hit the markets, it literally crushed everything.
It started off with 485 horsepower, but in the following years it got finetuned even more.
Little tweaks here and there...
Everytime I get in, I think it's like a driving game console.
Let's get back to business; the GT-R has been around for quite some time now.
It's been in the dealerships since 2008.
Even though it's almost ten years old, it's still such a brute and impressive machine.
However, you start to notice it's aging a little bit.
The drivetrain is still very good, no doubt. A 3.8 V6 biturbo with four-wheel drive.
High tech on wheels...
But, now there's a Honda NSX.
More power, more high tech, and that leaves us with one question...
Will it claim the emperors crown?
The first you'll notice is its size. It's so small!
Especially if you compare it with the Nissan GT-R, it's very compact.
A carbon fibre roof...
And this is the party piece right here, a V6 biturbo.
It produces 508 horsepower, but that's not all.
There's a supporting electric motor as well, producing 48 horsepower.
And, in the front we also find two electric motors. Each wheel has one.
Each electric motor produces an additional 37 horsepower.
Because it's a hybrid, you can't just put all of those numbers together. But in total, it produces 581 horsepower.
That's eleven more than the GT-R.
Twelve years ago, I drove the first NSX for the last time...
I'm really looking forward to this.
The first time I saw this in real life, I thought: 'Wow, it's small...'
That thought remained with me when I got into the car. You get that cozy, cramped coupé-feeling.
The black roof just above you, the windshield which is very close to you as well...
You perfectly fit into the interior.
It's the same story with the old NSX. You also perfectly fitted in that car, like it was wrapped around you.
Its character was great as well. Mid-engined, ideal weight distribution...
Even better than the GT-R. It weighs about the same,
but because it's mid-engined, it feels a lot lighter than the GT-R.
It's also more direct. If you steer in, you steer in and go.
The GT-R overshoots it a tiny bit sometimes, but then you just floor it.
Every single bit of technique aboard. It's the same story in this car,
but it's a little more direct, and it's got a lower point of gravity.
The weight is also distributed better. You really notice that.
Right, the Honda NSX. It's been in development for quite some time now,
but it really is sports car from today.
You can really see the technology used in the hypercars, the 918 Spyder, the fastest McLarens, the fastest Ferrari's,
which all have hybrid support, coming down to the €200.000 range.
Because that's what this Honda NSX costs; €200.000.
You might think; 'a V6 biturbo, is that still Honda?' In the old days, you had those VTEC's,
then you had to reach 8,000 RPM's to get the thunder going.
This car however, already has turbo support in the lower RPM's,
but the electrical motors also kick in.
If you drive off, you drive off in normal sport mode, starting in EV-mode.
The combustion engine kicks in later.
That's what I'm driving on right now.
If you put it in Sport Plus-mode, however, the noise becomes more agressive and the hybrid-feeling starts to disappear.
And all of a sudden, it's incredibly quick. 7,500 RPM's with very quick and short gears.
The double clutch 9-speed gearbox is even quicker than the gearbox in the GT-R,
which has six speeds. That's how quick technology moves.
Those moments you shift gear almost are bike like. Very racy.
You're really going at it! Bam...bam...bam!
A few moments later however, the cameraman says it doesn't sound very brute from the outside...
So there you are, almost losing it inside with the engine just behind you and a lot of noise...
It's really, incredibly hightech.
It absolutely is an addictive car.
Right, the gearbox is so good, you don't even need to use the flappy pedals.
If you do want to use them though, it's: 'click!'
It sounds a little bit plasticky. That's not what you want to hear, you want a metal-sounding clank.
They do turn with the wheel, but I'd leave them be.
If you put it in Sport Plus-mode, or even in Track-mode, in which even the ESP gets disengaged,
it's such a sharp car. That's very addictive...
It really is amazing.
The most surprising thing however, are the spins...
This goes from 0 to 100 in 3 seconds, and that's something the GT-R just does quicker.
So what's the correct car to compare this with?
I mean I've mentioned the GT-R more than often now, I even started my story with the GT-R,
but to be honest... I'm thinking of the Audi R8. With that V10 just behind you.
An atmospherical V10 for that matter, those incredible bangs behind you, that one sounds better from the outside as well...
I'd like to see them side-by-side...
Right, the GT-R. I was talking about the GT-R being the emperor of Japanese sports cars...
To be completely honest though, I think this has now taken its crown.
How about this; we'll call the GT-R Godzilla from now on, I mean a lot of people already call it Godzilla.
And let's be honest; Godzilla and the emperor of Japan get along just fine...