The on-off saga of the launch of Honda’s all new supercar took another twist last week when CEO Takeo #$%#i announced that Honda was putting back the launch of its Acura brand in Japan – and that the NSX replacement, which will be badged an Acura this time round, won’t be launched at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show.
Honda will not say when the new NSX will appear, but Acura’s launch in Japan will now not happen until 2010 at the earliest. It is likely that Honda would want to launch the NSX at its home show in Tokyo, and as there’s no Tokyo show that year, the real launch date could be as late as October 2011.
#$%#i cited concerns over the suitability of the Japanese market for the Acura brand as the reason for the postponement. According to a Honda spokesperson, it has nothing to do with the car not being ready for the show; indeed, Autocar has already published pictures and video of the car, disguised as an S2000, testing at the Nurburgring (see links below).
Japanese show-goers will have to make do with the global debuts of the Lexus LFA and Nissan GTR supercars then. Oh well. (Autocar)
