Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Supercar Exotica: NSX Shoot

Like my buddy once said “How to say no to a supercar shoot?” Well, you don’t. I wouldn’t miss it for the world =)
On my recent trip back home i finally had the chance to get up close & personal with a pure breed sports car; props to Steven, the proud owner of the white exotic who accomodated us for the shoot, & my photo buddies, Louis & Allen for extending the invitation.
From Rides

The object of desire is none other than the legendary NSX, the top breed sports car from Honda’s stable; the godfather of VTEC machines worthy of the ‘R’ badge, as the NSX lineup was one of the very first models to incorporate the infamous technology which, made the variable valve timing and lift electronic control a household name.
From Rides

Model: NSX NA1 C30A4
Location: Kasuma Resort, Kuching
Camera Gear: 450D + EF-S 18-55mm standard kit lens
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The NSX styling is one that defies age. This immaculate specimen is actually a 1st generation NSX; & the fact that it’s well over a decade old is hard to believe. The low slung & sleek aero dynamic styling makes this car a definite head turner wherever it goes, & it’s one of the early few cars from the land of the rising sun that has been mentioned in the same breath with more established continental exotics, i.e the prancing horse. Aside from having a true sports car MR drivetrain layout, the NSX also features an all aluminium chassis, so it’s literally a car that will not rot.
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This specimen has also been generously endowed with carbon fibre touch everywhere possible, from aeroparts like the bonnet, spoiler, front lamp housing cover, side skirts, front lower lip, side air ducts, rear diffuser to engine bay & interior garnish and even the tower strut bar! Even in stock trim, this is already possibly a 13-second car, so enough said about it’s performance. To put things in perspective, 12 – 13 seconds quarter-mile are the realm of exotic supercars; the likes of Ferraris & etc; and to make my puny 1.6 Civic breach the 13 seconds mark, i’ll have to put in tons of racing parts i.e stage3 cams, setup the gear ratios & suspension setting right, and put in on an extreme diet cut down the weight about 1,000kg.
From Rides

Nevertheless, as with the ever-demanding mentality of a car enthusiast, stock sucks, and there’s always room for upgrade; apparently this white beauty has been on the receiving end of a massive brake upgrade from Grippen *check out the size of that front rotor! Menacing! Coz with greater acceleration power, comes greater need for stopping power. Other visible upgrades are the usual intake & exhaust bolt-ons, and not forgetting the suspension system; not too sure about the intrinsic performance upgrade though.
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Having sampled the insatiable power of a V6 powered DOHC VTEC, i’d say the the way it pulls feels very much like the E36 M3 belonging to a friend i’ve ridden in before. The nature of the power delivery is just so smooth & this beast just keeps pulling as you floor it til the redline. *despite having an automatic transmission The acceleration is just simply awesome & smooth, making the 1,600kg car feels much lighter & nimble than it actually is. The NSX is also known for it’s handling & the very high-speed cornering capability; afterall the drift king himself owns one.
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Yes, that speedo is in ‘MPH’. I was wondering why we were barely hitting 3 figures on the way back from the shoot. 100mph = 160.93kmh
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Another thing that sets it apart is the ultra low seating position; it really feel’s like sitting on the ground! You could open the door, literally put your hands out & touch the floor in seated position! The roofline is just about slighty higher that the waist of an average asian adult; makes it an ultimate cruise mobile; especially when cruising by walkways of clubbing joints where you’re primed to get a sweet spot viewing leggy chicks from that ultra low seat level =p
From Rides

Okay, enough of my blabbering for now....
From Rides
* plans for more interesting upgrades are currently in the pipeline, according to the owner

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