2012 Concept Cars

[Ghost]

Acura ruins the Mid-engined lightweight, nimble NSX with its AWD Hybrid version:

http://jalopnik.com/5874475/acura-nsx-concept-detroit-auto-show-live-photos-info

http://www.acura.com/images/FutureVehicles/NSX/FY12_FV_NSX_HERO_01.jpg

Chevy answers the FT-86 with a boring RWD 130R:

http://www.topgear.com/uk/assets/cms/64bed830-20cd-462d-afda-37d37be787e0/670x377Image.JPG?p=120109_04:27

http://www.topgear.com/uk/assets/cms/21b617ba-b1d7-44ea-bf64-a08f38682a72/670x377Image.JPG?p=120109_04:28

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnPmH5DRGJE

And the 140S takes on the Civic:

http://www.topgear.com/uk/assets/cms/6e490626-9f95-426e-a292-425eb8e09edf/670x377Image.jpg?p=120109_04:28

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wcuz1BzbNnY

While Caddy thinks it has a 3-Series:

http://www.topgear.com/uk/assets/cms/7e1b3012-8040-4a48-8900-9e8acfe3a845/Large%20Image.jpg?p=120110_12:18

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/cadillac-cts-revealed-detroit-paul-horrell-2012-1-9

[Scatterbrain]

Dude that car is beautiful!

[mdub]

Hot Wheels getting closer to reality.

[Ghost]

Dude that car is beautiful!

Oh, I completely agree, it looks stunning.

I just miss the MR, lightweight platform.

Not everything needs to be AWD or a Hybrid...

[mdub]

everything 4 wheels has to be awd for me.

[asp_125]

Hopefully Honda has injected some character and edge into the new NSX, unlike the old version which was a little too smooth and lacking in a real supercar feel; it drove more like an expensive Civic.

[CaptGoodvibes]

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a51/SnappingTwig1/bundy_do_not_want.jpg

[Ghost]

Hopefully Honda has injected some character and edge into the new NSX, unlike the old version which was a little too smooth and lacking in a real supercar feel; it drove more like an expensive Civic.

It's Honda, I don't think they know how to inject "character" or "edge" into anything...and I think the AWD/Hybrid nature of this will lead it into the category of "very competent" without ever being "thrilling" or "passionate" like something from Germany or Italy...

[madvlad]

That NSX looks disgusting. About a crossover look on the Cadillac and the Volt and whats with the A.R wheels?... Im about to puke. Why cant they make cars with original lines and unique features? Every car maker copies off each other and its becoming obsolete... And the FT-86 with an astonishing 200hp but cause its RWD now its badass and justifies the almost $30k price tag? Please spare me Toyota, what a fail!

[CaptGoodvibes]

It's Honda, I don't think they know how to inject "character" or "edge" into anything...and I think the AWD/Hybrid nature of this will lead it into the category of "very competent" without ever being "thrilling" or "passionate" like something from Germany or Italy...

They make a hellofa mower. :D

[Ghost]

They make a hellofa mower. :D

But is it a passionate and thrilling mower?

[CaptGoodvibes]

But is it a passionate and thrilling mower?

Well, no.

But there is a 100% chance, when I buy another mower, I will head straight to Honda without considering anything else.

[madvlad]

It has i- VTAK of course its passionate lol

[Zanatos]

It's Honda, I don't think they know how to inject "character" or "edge" into anything...and I think the AWD/Hybrid nature of this will lead it into the category of "very competent" without ever being "thrilling" or "passionate" like something from Germany or Italy...


With the ridiculously low speed limits and masses of unskilled drivers on American highways, driving here is never a thrilling or passionate experience. So, it really doesn't matter if you drive a Ferrari, a Mercedes, or a Honda unless you primarily value high-performance cars because of how they look.

Call me practical, but I would be happy with a 2012 Acura TL-S with a 300 hp V-6 with VTEC and super-handling AWD. It has all the power and performance I need on the street. As soon as I can talk my wife into it, I'll be trading in my '03 TL-S.

[mdub]

i just want a loaded Tundra extra cab.

[Ghost]

Track days and lonely canyons offer as much fun for spirited driving as they do riding. And a superfast supercar should still be exciting even when carefully exploring your favorite road or track.

An old FD RX7 can be an amazing dance partner, but while my STI is certainly far more capable in many more ways, it doesn't have that RWD fun or required finesse that made the RX7 my favorite "driver's" car.

I wish the new NSX was designed to thrill, not merely fill a niche.

[Slo]

An old FD RX7 can be an amazing dance partner, but while my STI is certainly far more capable in many more ways, it doesn't have that RWD fun or required finesse that made the RX7 my favorite "driver's" car.

I wish the new NSX was designed to thrill, not merely fill a niche.

Very well said.... Main reason why I got rid of the EVO X, after having 3 AWD's, wanted to get back into a car where the drive was put back into my hands.

Anyone who has taken the STI or EVO to the road course and pushed it aggressively knows what I am talking about. Lots of electronics with the AWD system makes it an easy car to drive hard, much more so than an AWD.

I hope this Acura comes only as a RWD and puts a high level of excitement into the drive.

[Ghost]

Very well said.... Main reason why I got rid of the EVO X, after having 3 AWD's, wanted to get back into a car where the drive was put back into my hands.

Anyone who has taken the STI or EVO to the road course and pushed it aggressively knows what I am talking about. Lots of electronics with the AWD system makes it an easy car to drive hard, much more so than an AWD.

I hope this Acura comes only as a RWD and puts a high level of excitement into the drive.

Sadly, it's a Hybrid AWD only-- mid-engined, with mechanical power going to the rear wheels, but with two electric motors driving each front wheel. They claim it'll have torque-vectoring and a bunch of other wiz-bang-gizmo shit, but to me that's the car driving itself, with you just sort of passively sitting there.

I've had lots of AWDs, but none of them can come close to the joy of really mastering a simple, non-electronic-equipped RWD (or MR, but I never had one to really know).

But, with the "way of the world" as it is, real "driver's cars" are a thing of the past--or a thing for the uber-rich. I'm sure a Ferrari 458 is a joy to drive, but I'll never know.

Since the mundane masses can't be bothered to learn how to drive, and don't really have a desire to master heel-toeing and sliding a rwd through the perfect apex, then we'll keep getting "dumbed-down" cars, all of them straddled with TCS, VDS, and whatever other alphabet soup legislators think we need to keep from driving into flocks of school children at recess...


Anyway, here's another from Detroit, Lexus' entry, and another hybrid:

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/lexus-lf-lc-concept-detroit-2012-9-1

http://www.topgear.com/uk/assets/cms/7f53bf50-3fba-4c68-b1d4-1031da1615c1/Large%20Image.jpg?p=120110_03:51

Edit: Updated the first post with pics of cars other than the NSX

[asp_125]

If I wanted a driver's car where you had to man-handle to go fast, I'd bring back my old 911 Carrera. What a bitch to control to keep the back end from passing the front. Back then 200hp was considered a fast car; now even little econoboxes have that much. My Miata was fun though, infinitely tossable in the corners or at the track.

[Ghost]

If I wanted a driver's car where you had to man-handle to go fast, I'd bring back my old 911 Carrera. What a bitch to control to keep the back end from passing the front. Back then 200hp was considered a fast car; now even little econoboxes have that much.

I never drove and old Carrera, but I've heard stories. The 911 Turbo I got a chance to drive was 2008 or 2009 model, and it drove pretty much like a fast STI/EVO. Didn't really step out of line, didn't really put a foot wrong. Same for the Gallardo, both impressive, I suppose, but they did so much of the work for you that my grandmother could probably drive it just as quickly as I did--and she's dead.

So I'm not really talking about an ill-handling car, I'm talking about a sublime car, one that's in near-perfect balance, one that wants to drift and slide if you ask it to, but that will corner on rails when you don't. One that's fast and fun, and yet leaves the driving to me instead of clamping down on my fun by cutting power, grabbing brakes, reducing throttle, and beeping at me the entire time.

[asp_125]

It gets a bad rap as a secretary's car, but the Pontiac Solstice GXP corners on rails. The chassis is nearly identical to a Corvette only in 3/4ths scale. It handles really well at HPR, and can hang with the Z06 in the PPIR infield. It's just not as sexy looking or as powerful as the Z06.

[Ghost]

It gets a bad rap as a secretary's car, but the Pontiac Solstice GXP corners on rails. The chassis is nearly identical to a Corvette only in 3/4ths scale. It handles really well at HPR, and can hang with the Z06 in the PPIR infield. It's just not as sexy looking or as powerful as the Z06.

Pettiford had me drive one of his once, he wanted to see how his N/A car did against his turbo. I got to drive the N/A and tried to chase him, but the seat is fixed and set to his 6' 4" height and my 5' 11" ass was having a hard time reaching the pedals, so it was a short stint before I called it quits.

For what it was, the car was pretty cool--this was caged and raced out, but I liked it. I would have liked to have tried the turbo, but there wasn't time and I assumed the seat issue would be the same problem in both cars.

You're right though, it is a pity the Solstice and its Saturn Sky twin went away. Though, I suppose a Miata fits that same niche...

I wish the FT-86 cars were more impressive in power and less saddled with understeer and a nannying Toyota-based TCS/VDS system, or I'd be excited about its potential.

Of course, I'll gladly take anyone's spare Z06 or ZR1 if they're just sick of it...

[asp_125]

Pettiford had me drive one of his once,...

LOL that's whose cars I drove too! The NA one felt like a big Miata, the turbo one you could drift the back end. I learned to bring a seat insert whenever I had to drive his cars. :D

[Ghost]

LOL that's whose cars I drove too! The NA one felt like a big Miata, the turbo one you could drift the back end. I learned to bring a seat insert whenever I had to drive his cars. :D

Lol, awesome. Yeah, that was my take-away, felt like a Miata, but like I said, I didn't get to drive the turbo (which he spun off into the grass, twice) but I'd bet it's more fun.

This was all spur-of-the-moment, Mike just wanted to do some runs over the lunch break, so we went out as we were--and I had no seat insert. If we'd actually planned it, then maybe I could've gotten a few more laps in, and swapped cars. But, for what it was, it was amusing--though my driving was mostly me cinching up on the wheel to hit the pedals, if I relaxed, I fell too far back into the seat to do much other than flail at the pedals--not exactly ideal ;)