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Nearly two decades ago the Honda/Acura NSX shook up the performance car scene.

This year, the Nissan GT-R is said to be doing the same.

But could the two cars be any more different?

Looking at this picture I stumbled across on the web – is the NSX is too much like a Formula 1 car or is the GT-R is too much like an SUV?

Up to now, I’d thought there were five basic types of stare. The Truly Gobsmacked (Veyron, Zonda, Koenigsegg), the Knowing Nod (Audi R8, Nissan GT-R, Merc CLK Black), the Cute As Hell Grin (new Fiat 500, old Fiat 500), the Call That A Car Smirk (Vauxhall Tigra, Toyota Prius, Fiat Croma) and There’s Something Nasty on The Sole of My Shoe (BMW X6, SsangYong Rodius, Merc R-Class). But the Clubman has created a sixth category: the Huh? It’s neither approving nor dismissive, just the facial manifestation of a question mark. As in “I wish I could put my finger on it, but why hasn’t this worked?”... [Compare this with the] very tidy previous-generation Cooper S hatch, a car that actually seems to get prettier with age, though I’ve no doubt this has something to do with the comparatively bloated appearance of its larger successor. Inside, too, the earlier car’s leaner, edgier, less clunkingly exaggerated architecture seems far sexier and more inviting. – evo

The problem is that the Ralliart is a heavy machine, what with all that transmission, and the SST transmission has an annoyingly tardy getaway. All would be forgiven were the Ralliart a rousing drive, but for all its claimed power the engine never really lets rip. You find yourself revving it to death to goad it along, easily done given the strange shortness of the intermediate gear ratios, and it’s much harder work than a torquey turbomotor should be. It sounds nondescript, too. But it will all come good in the corners, yes? No. This Lancer really misses its tougher brother’s AYC and the resultant favourable torque distribution to each rear wheel. There’ll be no lovely powerslides here; go too quickly into a tight bend and it understeers like the nose-heavy car it is. – evo

Although the [Ridgeline’s] entire engine is carryover, the all-aluminum 3.5L V-6 does have a new Magnesium dual-stage intake manifold that bumps the horsepower and torque up by three and two, respectively. Additionally, Honda keeps the current five-speed automatic, but does offer slightly different gear ratios, in some cases changed only 0.2 percent, to help to improve overall responsiveness. Of note, throttle response off idle is vastly improved, making it feel like the truck has more power off the line because of how strongly it jumps from a stop. A new computer software program works with the new gearing strategy to make it feel like there’s more power than the small gains in hp and torque would suggest. – Motor Trend

I am still sore and deaf but must say it was one of the more thrilling drives of my life if only because like on a Segway you’re pretty much at the limit whenever you’re in motion.

The sounds it makes evoke what it must be like to find an old 911 turbo in a barn that you try to nurse home – I never heard so many grunts, moans, pops and hisses from a single motor.

The squat under acceleration was addictive, reminding me of something that was lost when trailing arm rear suspensions went extinct and making the car feel far more powerful than it was. In fact I never wanted for more power, and was shocked to find it felt better on the highway than around town.

If it had a different tranny (impossible to get a smooth shift out of and eons between ratios) and brakes (truly binary) it would be fun but as it is I’m fairly convinced the people who own them kick themselves each time they send in the payment check.

From my post dated May 13th, 2008:

It’s just that when something’s called a WRX it should mean something other than ‘flat-4 turbocharged’. Perhaps we’d all like the car better if the name were Impreza. (Come to think of it, the car makes the most sense as an Outback Sport – you can forgive a squishy suspension in something that is labeled Outback).

From a fantastic write-up (I’d suggest you all read) on the new Impreza by evo’s Peter Tomalin, dated July 2008:

Problem is, the WRX badge brings with it a lot of expectations that this Impreza can’t quite fulfil. Which isn’t the same as saying it’s a bad car. It’s just not quite the car you might have been hoping it was. If they’d called it a ‘Sport’ or a ‘GX’ or something, we’d have given it a much easier time.

Every time I see an R class I wonder three things:

1) Does it portend the future?

2) Who signed off on its droopy styling?

3) When will they get around to fixing the mess?

Well according to evo, the answer to #3 is “soon.”

You’ve heard by now of the many changes (e.g. direct injection, dual clutch sequential manual gearbox, a revised suspension and rear track…) made to the 911 (no doubt to counter the astonishing R8). What you probably hadn’t heard is this…

DFI isn’t the only new system incorporated into the classic flat-six layout. In fact, not one component is carried over from the previous boxer, and, amazingly, the new sixes are built with 40-percent-fewer parts, which reduces overall weight by 12 lb and rotational mass by 7 percent. Other advantages of the new design are a 50mm shorter height and mounting points lower in the chassis for a ground-hugging center of gravity. – Motor Trend

I’m slackjawed…

When buying an amplifier for your home theatre, people in the know take into account the weight of the thing; more being better.

With cars, more weight is a sign of lazy engineering, and only the most advanced companies manage to retain strength while keeping weight down.

I applaud GM for making their cars have integrity at last, but like the last generation Hyundais the attempts are dragged down by the avoirdupois.

As products from GM’s friendly brand see tremendous progress, weight reduction appears to be the final frontier. Interiors are improving, Opel is making Saturn beautiful, and ride and handling are matching or surpassing the competition. All Saturn has to do to make the Vue a worldbeater is pare a measly 500 pounds. Okay, maybe that’s a bit much. But cut some fat, and the Vue—already a very good miniature ute—will take another key step toward excellence. – Car and Driver

That said I prefer the current GM approach to the current everyone else approach – i.e. make it so light and tinny that it feels disposable (even if it isn’t).

I’m referring of course to the Motor Trend long-term update that has a lot of people talking…

Now granted, automotive journalists are an agressive bunch, but I can’t see how a company known for products that don’t require much in the way of care and feeding can spec brakes and tires that wilt so easily… Not that soft tires and brakes are a bad thing – they usually bring with them better handling, stopping and feel from the driver’s seat. It’s just that in the LS’ case it has no excuse – no one’s every penned a flattering word on the car’s handling or braking; it’s not the car’s M.O…