98ITR747

Since I now own both an NSX and an Integra Type R I feel I am able to write an un-biased comparison between the two. You may disagree with me but be gentle. I love both of these cars equally and am enthusiastic about both of them.

The two cars are extremely alike; yet in other ways they are worlds apart.

The Integra Type R is widely considered to be the best handling front wheel drive car EVER. The NSX is very light but it weighs 500 lbs more and believe me, you can feel every one of those 500 lbs. It's still a handling dream but it's nowhere near as nimble at tight cornering as the Integra Type R. The NA1 NSX produces 270 horsepower and has an 8000 rpm redline. The Integra Type R produces 195 horsepower at an 8400 rpm redline. The rev limiter on the Integra Type R however is 9000 rpm so there is ample revs available during cornering without requiring a shift. The NSX would greatly benefit from another thousand revs. 500 lbs approximately and 400 power making / usable revolutions (plus the extra 600 rpms if you're in a pinch) is a lot to give up for 75 horsepower .

The gear box in the NSX and in fact the gear ratios as well are just so perfect. I really wish the gear box in the Integra Type R felt even 1/4 as good. The NSX pulls like a monster off the line but seems to lose a bit of steam once you get into third. The Integra R is notorious for being a slug in a drag race but continues to build up acceleration if you can get out of the horrendous dig at the starting line and keep the rpm's above 5600 through every shift.

The Integra Type R uses momentum to eat up pavement in the corners. The NSX is a couple of seconds faster in the quarter mile but on the right track (a very tight, twisty track) I have absolutely no doubt that the Integra Type R would have the advantage. The Integra Type R is definitely more go-kart like in it's handling and high strung - super hyper flavor of rev happy psychoticness. There is no in-between it has a split personality. It feels like a grocery getter under 5600 rpm and it turns into Dr. Hyde above that and all the way to 9k rpms.

Of the two the Integra Type R is more of a race car. The NSX is more of an exotic and is more refined.

The NSXis a lot less forgiving when it comes to gear selection. If you mash the pedal in too high of a gear it lugs a bit but it doesn't suffer the achilles heal of carrying a passenger the way the ITR does. Putting a 200 lb passenger in the ITR completely deletes it's performance benefits. This is one reason why passengers may exit the car feeling a bit unimpressed. To truly experience an ITR you have to drive it by yourself.

The clutch on the NSX is VERY hard. It's really a leg breaker. I think it's even harder than the Exedy racing clutch I had in my turbo Integra RS. I understand why though. Man can that car ever pull out of the hole.

The NSX, Ferrari 360, and Corvette C6 all share design by Pininfarina. People unfamiliar with this fact often say things such as "GM ripped off Ferrari's headlight design." etc. If looks could kill the NSX would be serial. It's absolute eye candy.

The engine note on the NSX is so good that it just dares you to step on it.
It would only be better minus the sound deadening material that prevents you from having an audible Type R experience.

I can only imagine what an NSX Type R might be like. If the difference is as vast as comparing an everyday Integra to an Integra R the NSX Type R must be an absolute blast. The NSX is a fantastic car but it also really highlights how much of a cheap thrill the Integra R can be!

Both cars seem to get a lot of attention but the NSX got A LOT of compliments today when I was out driving around. The Integra Type R is too often confused as just another car by most people because it doesn't have the exotic sweeps. I personally however LOVE the looks of both of these cars. The NSX is an exotic and it's really beautiful to admire. Both of these cars were engineered to be timeless masterpieces. Let's face it. Compliments are a big part of the fun factor when it comes to owning a collectors car!

I can't really say which I prefer. I LOVE both for totally different reasons. NSX owners if you've never driven an Integra R I think you need to try it. You may fall in love too.

98r860

Thanks for the nice write-up. Not too many people that have both of these cars and can describe the experience like you just did. This article just made my day! thanks!

get RIGHT

Having spent alot of time in both, I think your assesment is right on. FWIW, I never really understood the NSX completely until I got a ride along at a track and could actually feel its aero working. They are a pair of amazing machines.

RGoose18

iTrader: (1)

Thanks man!

Awesome write up. NSX will more than likely be my next ride and this just cements it

98ITR747

Thanks!
I'm glad you guys liked the review! I put more thought into writing it than what you'd imagine it required.

FlewByU352

Livin the dream man, livin the dream!

01-0720

excellent article, and i also agree, i use to own and itr, and have driven an nsx

but i must say some newer oem 16/17 wheels or even better na2 17/17 wheels with nice tires would help the car be more nimble and a little more like the itr, those 15/16 wheels with the all seasons arent doin to much for ya

CraterGrillo

Thanks for the great writeup and comparo. The nsx has always been my wet-dream of a car, and since it came out in 1991 (1990?) I've owned two other amazing machines, the Type-r (1998) and the 2001 S2000. I always thought of the s2000 as the baby-nsx and the type-r as, well, just the best all-around car for summer, winter, go-to-work, get out for a drive, running the twisties, and driving my favorite road.

I still wonder what it would be like to own an NSX.....

Steve

Todd00

The early NSX runs a high 12-second 1/4 mile? I thought it was more around 14 seconds, just about a half second (to a second) or so faster than the ITR.

98ITR747

Nice catch.

I picked the NSX up Saturday morning from an Acura dealer here in Canada. Give me a couple of days at least hahah. I want to switch out to 94+ rims but it's almost shameful to waste the brand new tires that the dealer put on there.

EK4 hatchback

The clutch should not be that hard, it is just little harder than stock ITR clutch. Maybe the clutch in your NSX is still the original clutch..........One tip for you don't turn on the AC and rev it to 8K, it would kill the AC pump due to its age!! I learnt my lesson the hard way.

TT Tercel

Agreed. The clutch feel on my 99 is light. Congrats on the NSX. Looking to add a 98 ITR to my garage as well

geometro

For the most part I would agree with the OP.

The NSX also feels a little heavier since that generation doesn't have power steering.

I've never found running out of rev's to ever be an issue in the NSX, but then again, maybe I'm not driving it hard enough.

The NSX might feel like it looses a bit of steam once you get into 3rd, but remember 3rd gear in a NSX redlines at 114 mph. In an ITR redline in 3rd is 87 mph. It's all relative: without a doubt, you are going faster in a NSX--it just doesn't feel like it.

NSX clutches never felt excessively heavy to me: at least for the amount of power and torque that is being fed through it.

For wheels and tires: if you're after performance and ride quality, stick with the 15/16" set up. The NSX feels lighter and rides better with 15/16" wheels than the 16/17" although admittedly the 16/17" wheels do look better. The only reason to change is if you were putting in a big brake kit that required 17" rims or you were going to the 97+ brakes and needed the 16/17" set up.

Just a n00b

That pic: Rightclick -> save

FULLYBUILT2.0

OMG!!!!

4drferio

id wish id own a itr!!!

itr1244

i wonder how the stock nsx with 270 hp compared to 260 hp itr ( 220+ whp ) .. it would be interesting :D

(. )( .)

very cool thread. the nsx is just amazing to look at..and to think its just a Honda makes it much more better. you should go boost on nsx..I'm sure it can handle 400hp..that's all you'll need.

Tyrant_007

iTrader: (1)

Nice comparison
I want an NSX experience

wunfstgsr

Very interesting! i always thaught the NSX was very superior compared to the ITR, reading your thread they dont seem to diffrent besides hp. I always wondered how well lthe ITR handled compared to its big brother the NSX, theres the stigma of the NSX being Acuras super car! but i always thaught the ITR was, looks wise the NSX takes the cake but to hard core honda heads a real ITR can easily be spoted and admired just as much as average people admiring the exotic look of the NSX. Im sure the NSX-R is a diffrent platform from the base model NSX and theres also another model NSX and i think its called the sub zero NSX but its much much lighter, there was a episode on top gear i think or it could of been on a Japanese chanel i was watching where they had 3-4 NSX models racing, one was the lightest made and i think it was called the sub zero or something idk. How is maintenace on the motor compared to the ITR, we all know the ease of working in the ITR bay! hows it on the NSX? at least like oil changes ect. Would you say if your ITR was 270 hp you would like driving it better than the NSX thats 270hp, i just tuned my ITR with a procharger s.c @7psi and its pushing 275hp curious to how it would perform against the nsx on the track since the hp is about the same minus redline. I think you should supercharge it lol, i had a honda tuning mag with a guy that had a matching ITR and NSX the NSX had a comptech supercharger, that must be fun there! Whats your plans for the NSX? Theres a group of NSX owners i heard called realist or something that hate people who mod the NSX lol!

98ITR747

Hahhahhahaha ^ ADD much?

Day 4.

Every day I learn something new about the physics of this car. It's surprising and there are lots of subtle mysteries and behaviors to discover.
Where the Type R is absolutely raw the NSX feels refined right up until the point where you give yourself a reminder that you're driving a more powerful car. In town it feels like you're driving a growling but absolutely manageable vehicle. As one poster mentioned the lack of power steering can trick you into thinking that the handling is lacking but the faster you go (highway speeds or greater) and the higher up the RPM band you go the better the NSX handles. AS LONG AS YOU GET EVERYTHING RIGHT. It's not hard to get some things wrong.

It's actually quite intimidating. I've had a lot of seat time in the Integra R on the track and off and if there is one thing it is amazing at, it can trick you into thinking you're a masterful driver. In fact, in the Type R you probably are a masterful driver. I know I am. The car is very easy to tame even though it is hyper and high strung and sensationally quick, unbelievably forgiving, precise, and predictable. I've pushed the Type R past it's limits on the track and it's scolded me by stepping out in the tail while I either corrected or sometimes over corrected and you know, you give yourself a warning and think "Okay, I'll do it better next time" but I wouldn't dare push the NSX like that. I think that when you're in the seat of a Type R you're the driver. When you're in the seat of the NSX it's partly driving you. It's simply not as predictable or maybe I just don't know it well enough yet. The numbers on paper are one thing but you have to spend time with the NSX (more than one day, or one week - perhaps years) to really understand it's nature. I'm barely scratching the surface here and quite honestly I won't really know more until I have the opportunity to drive it on a road course.

When you go back and you read my review I was very specific about what kind of conditions would be required where an Integra Type R may be able to potentially outdo an NSX. I specified " on a tight twisty track" I have no doubt at all that the NSX would win on long turns and on straightaways. Where the Integra R will tempt you to go faster the NSX may scare you into the realization that you are pushing the boundaries of what you' can cope with. If you get an urge to drive hard you'll be questioning whether nor not you want to keep that behavior up by the time you reach the end of 2nd gear. Trust me. It's intense when you floor it and this is coming from someone who plays with turbos. You can much more easily outdrive your ability if you're not extremely careful. I've driven MANY fast cars in my lifetime. Everything from Mustangs to AMG Mercedes and of course I had a turbocharged Integra RS that on paper is a bit faster than the NSX. The turbo Integra was pretty quick but I never once felt this level of awareness to the physics of what is taking place and that awakening is actually making me nervous. I don't know. Perhaps this is the magic to the NSX ; it gives amazing feedback but I just haven't learned to interpret that feedback yet.

The NSX is extremely unique. The car is loaded with eccentricities and the only way to learn them is by driving. For instance I've found the car really dislikes you for pausing too long from 4th to 5th at highway speeds. It also dislikes moving up the power band then sudden deceleration. I'm not exactly sure why but these may be because of mid engine balance peculiarities. If you push the NSX it will push you back to let you know you shouldn't be doing this or that. Rev matching with the NSX is a breeze but if you get it wrong while down shifting it could spell trouble. The main thing you always have to concern yourself with I find is that the rear wheels are fully planted. Letting off the throttle in a corner produces significant oversteer. I haven't pushed this AT ALL and it hasn't stepped out or anything but you can sense what could happen if you dialed it in with the wrong combination.

Quite frankly I haven't turned TCS off yet. I'm a little scared to do that yet. Inch by inch and at a ridiculously slow rate I might add, I've been learning this car and I'm becoming more aware of my own abilities and limitations as a driver as a result. I don't' mean to come off as though I'm scared or that it has to be a scary experience for potential owners. The first thought I had when I drove this car was how practical it could be as a daily city driver.

I think I might want to switch out to the NSX-R suspension since it's more in line with my driving logic. I haven't fully decided yet but we'll see. For those that don't know what that means basically the NSX-R suspension is the reverse of how it's set up by default. The spring rates in the front are stiffer than in the rear. This dials in understeer as opposed to oversteer how it's set up now and it would handle more like a go kart as a result.

The very last thing I'm thinking about right now is adding power. It's not even in the equation at this point.

getRight could I get some feedback from you on this? I really trust your opinion since I've been reading your threads on here for a few years now.

Just a n00b

ITR's can put down 220whp easily, so I think with power/weight ratio the ITR would win in a straight line even if you bog the launch. However, I'd like to see that battle on a racetrack because I think the ITR would have trouble getting out of corners properly with that much power.

I wouldn't even go that far on an NSX. If I could own one, I'd turbo it for 300whp but also strip the interior but keep it street legal as well.

itr1244

i would swap in a ls7 engine if i could . lol
actually found someone who did it
http://www.engineswapdepot.com/?p=848

geometro

The ITR is a fun car to drive fast.

The NSX is a more rewarding car to drive fast.

The learning curve on how to balance the weight of the car between the front and rear wheels is steeper on the NSX than a ITR. The NSX and ITR just drive differently.

But like any other car out there, if you're on the limit: feed in the inputs, and hopefully you'll get to explore the limits of the NSX at the track.

To continue bench racing an ITR vs a NSX with equally skilled drivers, a ITR on R-compound tires will keep up if not go faster on a shorter twistier course. The NSX is a bit of a dog on an autocross course. However, on a longer road course with high speed corners, the NSX will be faster.

I don't understand the need to go faster in a stock NSX, or rather, I don't have the skill to command more that much more power in a stock NSX or a stock ITR that comes with a turbo or supercharger for that matter. If you've got the rev's up over 6000 rpm in either one, I think you've got plenty to keep you busy. Row through the gears at redline in a ITR and you're easily doing over 90 mph before you know it. Do the same in a NSX, you're easily well over 100 mph. It's more likely you run out of public roads before you run out of steam. The only Hondas that give a more raw sense of acceleration, to me at least, are a 600 or liter bike.

Make sure your tires are good, keep them up to pressure, perform the recommended service at each interval, keep your foot in it and enjoy the ride.

98ITR747

geometro you and I think alike. You're absolutely dead on when you say that the learning curve on the NSX is steeper. It absolutely is a more challenging car to balance. I am a novice with it but I'm smart enough to know that the key to it's mastery is being smooth. It does not enjoy abrupt posture changes the way the ITR does and if any two things could clearly define the difference between the two cars it is that the NSX is faster, meaner and less forgiving and the Type R is an rpm screamer with an incredible suspension set up. The Integra R does seem more track prepared. If you're looking for a challenging car to drive on a road course that will force you to improve in order to keep up with it - pick the NSX. If you're looking for a thrilling track car that behaves predictably that you can drive at the limit with confidence pick the Integra R.