Honda Australia delivers first NSX since 2005

Honda has delivered its first NSX in Australia for more than a decade, with young Melbourne supercar enthusiast Allen Cheng taking delivery of the country's first new-generation NSX.

Cheng drove the white $420,000 NSX, with vehicle identification number (VIN) 001, away from Melbourne metropolitan dealer Yarra Honda last week, six months after series production commenced at Honda’s Performance Manufacturing Centre in Marysville, Ohio.

In doing so, the 25-year-old Honda enthusiast -- who has owned more than 10 Honda models and currently drives a Civic Type R, Integra Type R, S2000 and Odyssey VTi-L – becomes the founding member of what Honda insists will remain an ultra-exclusive club of Mk2 NSX owners in Australia.

A special presentation ceremony and customised handover process marked the first Australian delivery of the new NSX, including a signed and framed letter of congratulations and a 1:18 scale model with matching brilliant white paintwork.

“The new Honda NSX is so much more exclusive than many European supercars on the market,” said Cheng. “As soon as its return was announced, I made sure I was on the waiting list straight away.”

Honda Australia, which retains NSX VIN 002 for publicity purposes, isn't saying exactly how many examples of the hybrid super-coupe will be made available here from a limited annual US production run, but says it "will remain an extremely rare sight on Australian roads".

A third new NSX recently completed a national road-show in which it was showcased at the five Honda dealerships – one in each of the mainland states – that will sell the brand's halo performance model.

Honda Australia direct Stephen Collins said his company holds a number of orders for the new NSX, which is expected to attract more interest following a customer drive day next week, but remains sold out for two years in the US and close to 12 months in Europe.

"We've got a few firm orders already and expect to take more after the customer event," he said.

"Clearly it will be a pretty exclusive club. We're dependent on production slots in the US, and demand from Europe and the US is high."

As we reported in August, all Australian-delivered NSXs will come with three years of free servicing and be offered in a single spec fitted as standard with a range of features that are optional in other markets.

They include a full interior/exterior aero carbon-fibre package (including roof) and a carbon-ceramic braking package that strips 23.5kg from the car’s unsprung mass.

The only Australian options will be four interior trim choices and eight exterior paint colours, including three solid colours, three metallics ($1500) and two 'Andaro pearl' paint finishes ($10,000).

Unlike the first NSX, which was last available here in January 2005 for $256,100 plus ORCs, the new NSX's $420,000 pricetag (excluding on-road costs) makes Honda's new two-seat supercar the most expensive series production car from a Japanese brand, excluding the limited-edition $700,000 Lexus LFA coupe.

It also makes the latest NSX a direct rival for Audi’s R8 V10 Plus ($389,900) and the Porsche 911 Turbo S ($456,500).

The hand-built turbocharged V6 hybrid all-wheel-drive coupe, which is expected to eventually be produced in hotter Type R and even all-electric form, is powered by a dry-sumped twin-turbo 373kW/550Nm 3.5-litre petrol V6 rated and three electric motors – one for each front wheel and one between the mid/rear-mounted engine and gearbox.

Fitted with Honda’s own nine-speed dual-clutch transmission and a sophisticated torque vectoring all-wheel drive system, it delivers total outputs of 427kW and 646Nm, claimed real-world 0-100km/h acceleration in less than three seconds and a 308km/h top speed.

Standard equipment includes full-LED headlights, tail-lights and daytime running lamps, staggered 19/20-inch forged alloy wheels with Continental ContiSport Contact5 tyres, full leather or leather/Alcantara interior trim, heated sports seats and touch-screen infotainment with Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity.

Also standard is Honda's Integrated Dynamics System featuring four drive modes -- Quiet (semi EV), Sport, Sport+ and Track – that change the characteristics of the AWD system and ‘tune’ the steering, brakes (via their regenerative characteristics), engine and electric drive, throttle, gearbox, suspension (via adaptive dampers) and, of course, stability and traction control.

In its most economical setting, Honda’s new hybrid supercar can be driven for up to 3km at speeds up to 80kmh in pure EV mode. Honda says combined fuel economy is 10.0L/100km, but the new mid-engine two-seater comes with a relatively small 59-litre fuel tank and just 110 litres of total storage capacity – under the rear bootlid.

All the expected safety features are fitted, except advanced driver aids like autonomous emergency braking and lane-keeping functions – even as options.

First released in 1991, Honda's original NSX coupe was avaiulable here in 188kW 3.0-litre V6 four-speed automatic and 206kW 3.2-litre V6 six-speed manual form.