Okay so a sequel for the NSXLM vs the Renault 350Z Trophey.
Previously I chose the Hondacura over the Nissenault as it was just better in every aspect. That was only 2 months ago... way back when Irish driver Nick O'Rosberg was dominating in the Formula One ... How things can change in 8 weeks. (This is typed after the Azerbajdzanskaja Grand Prix of Europe ... in Asia... just 300 miles away from downtown Tehran.)
Right This Megane needs to do much better in the rematch -
For thousands in attendance, and the millions watching around the world, this is the MAIN EVENT.
Fighting out of the Crimson Starmist corner - The Challenger with a head to head record of one fight, No wins and one loss. A French fighter with a core of Japanese mid engined V6 power.
The Megane Trophey Cup Car.
Fighting out of the Brilliant Yellow corner - An American fighter with a core of a Japanese mid engined V6 power. The Title Holder, with a head to head record of one fight and one win. The Reigning Undisputed
The Acura NSX LM.
***Round 1*** Power ***
Megane - 359bhp
NSXLM - 373bhp
Megane - 9 - NSXLM - 10
***Round 2*** Weight***
The Race car dressed up as a road car is lighter than the road car turned into a race car,
Megane - 955kg
NSXLM - 1045kg
Megane - 10(19) - NSXLM - 9 (19)
***Round 3*** Price ***
Too late I've already bought these two, so a shared round
Megane - 10(29) - NSXLM - 10 (29)
***Round 4*** Cool Name ***
Megane - Girls name for a Girls car...
Ennessecksellemm - Utter gibberish or some secret cultist ritual to appeaser the slumbering God Cthulhu?? A Quick drive to Ry'leh
The Megane evokes images of the old tarmac Rally car but the NSX was a practical supercar. I haveto edge the name to the Hondacura
Megane - 9(38) - NSXLM - 10 (39)
***Round 5*** Heart Racing Racecar Good Looks. ***
How do I feel about these two now? Happy with my paint chip colours, the TVR Spec Crimson Starmist hides the decals and logos on the Megane. The shape is one that grew on me. First look didn't win my heart,way too boxy and chunky looking. But it is trying to evoke a look of the econobox. But with a couple of spoonfuls of full fat track attack... it still looks like a munter.
The Brilliant Yellow on the NSX complements the Dunlop tyres. The big CASTROL logo on the back quarter has a bit of
Plymouth Superbird. The Basic shape of the NSX is one I prefer, low wide sleek. The Megane isn't that and the racing accessories make it look wonky looking.
Megane - 9(47) - NSXLM - 10 (49)
***Round 6*** Top Speed At Route X - ***
The NSX has a very simple 5 speed gearbox, naturally aspirated. It reaches its red line in fifth gear quite easily but it doesn't have the pep to bounce off the rev limiter if you are in clean air and on the flat.
The Megane has an extra gear and it didn't get too close to either the red line or the ultimate rev limiter. Simple test and on paper and with a heavy foot, the Megane has the upper hand over the older NSX.
The Megane was 168mph at the base of the incline then dropped 8mph down to 160 by the time it crested the hill at the 5 kilometre mark - I also put in the time it took to drive the first 5 clicks of the track. The NSXLM wasn't as fast, but it didn't
run out of puff going up the incline.
(* English phrase from the era of Steam engines - when a locomotive would run out of power when the heat of the boiler didn't provide enough steam pressure.)
Megane - 168 - 160 - 71.6 seconds (5km)
NSXLM -- 163 - 159 - 72.6 seconds (5km)
Megane - 10(57) - NSXLM - 9 (58)
***Round 7*** Engine note ***
The NSX has a crunchy buzz. The Megane has a deeper note.
To be fair I don't mind either of them. Shared round.
Megane - 10(67) - NSXLM - 10 (68)
***Round 8*** Track Test At Route X - Total time***
Megane - 6m54.0 Total time
NSXLM -- 7m03.1 Total time
Well the car that was 5mph (That is 8kmph to my former friends in Europe.) was some how 9 whole seconds faster over the entire lap.
(Just a cheap way to give the Megane some points? We can see through you Ryk!)
Megane - 10(77) - NSXLM - 9 (77)
***Round 9*** Track Test ***
Good fun the Megane felt much easier to drive. The NSX had alot of aspects that required the driver to (Very quickly!) dip into his bag of talent - The car was prone to locking the fronts into a brake zone, and also power oversteer on the exit mid corner? I tended to have to fight sudden over rotation in a corner... It felt like the front was folding on me more than the actual effect which was I was asking too much form the rear of the car - May sound like bad stuff but I live for a car that is a bit of a bad girl. Every fast/hard corner you negotiate feels like a win... because this NSX is a car that will try to playfully spin you off into an Armco barrier.
The Megane felt more rigid and was more forgiving under heavy braking into a corner, but if you did get a wobble into the cars suspension it would skip about over the place - As I try to drive inside the white lines this isn't a terrible thing, but if you have a habit of driving outside of the track limits then perhaps this car isn't for you. The Megane also felt like it ran out of puff on the uphill sections of the track.
Which to pick?
Gah I am stumped the NSX was faster on track I can only see it mushing the Meganes face so deep in the sand some will spurt out of its exhaust pipes. The NSX would be my pick off the bat, and I did give the French Nissan a good try to sway me, but it didn't have anything that made me prefer it over the American Honda other than maybe a 6 speed gearbox. They both have interesting fun habits on track and I could drive either of them all day. But I would get more out of the NSXLM.
Ryk still picks the Acura NSXLM