The Honda Type R Through The Ages - Top Speed
We might take VTEC and derivative systems for granted today, but VTEC was a huge deal when it debuted in the 3. 0-liter NSX. So was the fact that the NSX used an all-aluminum unibody chassis. It was the first car in the world to do so, and this chassis was a big part of what made the NSX truly "experimental. " Many had their doubts at the time that the NSX might just fold up like a soda can at the first provocation — but Honda proved the aluminum chassis safe, strong, and a perfect performance edge. They needed it, too, because the NSX had a new performance target: the 1989 Ferrari 348 while the NSX was in development. The Honda dropped like a bombshell on the public, which suddenly began asking why a mid-engine sports car had to be expensive, fuel hungry, uncomfortable, unreliable or (most importantly) Italian. In 1992, Honda stepped up its game further to stay one step ahead in the war it had started. By stripping the NSX down and replacing everything they could with lightweight materials, Honda dropped almost 300 pounds from the car. The approach was the same used by most successful racers: Take out a few pounds, or a few grams at a time everywhere possible. Stuff like sound deadening, an audio system and electric windows were the first to go, but everything down to the mirrors were given a once-over to see where pounds could come off. Source: www.topspeed.com
