All posts by Francis Mitterrand

Auctions

1996 Honda NSX-R for sale

In 1989, Honda introduced a mid-engine sports car, the Honda NSX-R, with a balance between raw performance and daily driveability. However, two years later for customers who wanted a no-compromise racing experience, the Japanese manufacturer introduced a more powerful limited version of this model, the Honda NSX-R. Only 483 examples were produced and one of them, the 1996 Honda NSX-R is for sale.

In early March, the car was auctioned but failed to reach the asking price of $450,000. Some will say that the owner is asking too much, perhaps he is if we consider that examples like this are estimated at $80,000 – $120,000.

The car is finished in Championship white and is one of the best preserved examples of this model. The weight of 1229 kg (2,710 pounds) was achieved by removing the audio and air conditioning systems, traction control, spare tire, and even some of the electrical system.

This NSX-R is equipped with custom Recaro racing seats, aluminum brackets to further stiffen the chassis, Enkei lightweight forged aluminum wheels, a competition-oriented suspension system with a stiffer front wishbone, suspension bushings, coil springs and dampers.

When it comes to the powertrain, under the hood is a 3.2-liter naturally aspirated V6 engine with a balanced crankshaft assembly and a revised final drive ratio. Power is rated at 294 hp (216 kW) and 224 lb-ft (304 Nm) of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a 6-speed manual gearbox.

The car is in excellent condition and still has the factory plastic covering the door sills. The six-digit odometer shows only 18,320 km (~11,496 miles). Comes with Japanese service records from new, owner’s manual and other books, keys, and has undergone recent servicing in preparation for sale.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

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1996 Honda NSX-R for sale
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Hypersquare comes with the new Peugeot 208 and 2008

Last year, Peugeot introduced the Inception concept car equipped with a futuristic steering wheel called Hypersquare. Peugeot conducted several studies and found that customers are ready for such a change, so it was decided that this technology will be used in the new generations of the 208 and 2008 models.

“By wire” technology eliminates the traditional steering column. There is no mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the wheels, instead an electrical connection is used to send signals between the steering wheel actuator and the steering gear actuator.

In an interview with Autocar, Peugeot CEO Linda Jackson said: “Not only do we think this kind of steering is technologically superior, but it’s also linked to steering-by-wire technology. This is important because it enriches something that is absolutely fundamental to Peugeot, which is driving pleasure.”

Besides the Hypersquare, drivers will also have a 21-inch curved display mounted on top of the dashboard, which will replace the instrument panel and central display. The new technology provides better integration with modern safety systems, but also removes unwanted vibrations and provides better steering control with much less effort. Also, the new technology allows designing a more spacious cabin. Customers who participated in the studies were shocked by the amount of free space created by the introduction of the new technology.

Source: Peugeot

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Hypersquare comes with the new Peugeot 208 and 2008
News

The last generation of Nissan GT-R

In 2007, Nissan introduced a 2+2 sports car, the Nissan GT-R (model code: R35), and after 17 years it seems that the new edition could be the last generation of this model. Nissan has prepared several changes for the Japanese-market GT-R, including a blue interior and Nismo details for the T-Spec and Track Edition models.

The pride of the Japanese automotive industry in the latest edition did not undergo any design changes to the exterior. The interior that we can see in the previous generation is also retained, but now Japanese customers can optionally choose Heaven blue upholstery.

The new Nissan GT-R is already available to order in Japan, with first deliveries expected in June. Prices are slightly higher than last year and range from $97,703 for the base GT-R Pure Edition model to $207,088 for the most expensive GT-R Nismo Special Edition. Some rumors say that Nissan will produce only 1,500 units, but there is still no official confirmation.

When it comes to the powertrain, the new generation GT-R is powered by a 3.8-liter V6 twin-turbo engine with 573 hp (427 kW) in the standard GT-R model, or 608 hp (453 kW) in the Nismo. The Premium Edition T-Spec and Track Edition now feature high-precision weight-balanced piston rings, connecting rods and crankshafts, previously exclusive to the Nismo Special Edition.

At the Japan Mobility Show, Nissan introduced the all-electric concept Nissan Hyper Force, which should replace the GT-R model. It is predicted that the car should reach the market by 2030.

Source: Nissan

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The last generation of Nissan GT-R