NSX vs. GT3
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 57
From: SoFlo
Rep Power: 26
Considering the fastest Time Attack NSX can't come close to the pace of IMSA GT3 Cup cars, I'd say you're very wrong. 1:31 vs. 1:28 at Laguna Seca. Even Speed GT on non-slicks became quicker than that.
Modding an older car vs. a stock new car, it's usually best to go with a new car. Especially a proven, globally raced car like the 911. Not to mention the factory and aftermarket support behind it.
The NSX will also need a brake upgrade. It would be Frankenstein's monster trying to get it to run as quick as a GT3. And the tuning headaches...
A well driven stock 996 GT3 on DOT rubber will turn sub 1:40s at Laguna. The NSX won't even be close.
It was a great car, the Porsche is just way beyond it.
Modding an older car vs. a stock new car, it's usually best to go with a new car. Especially a proven, globally raced car like the 911. Not to mention the factory and aftermarket support behind it.
The NSX will also need a brake upgrade. It would be Frankenstein's monster trying to get it to run as quick as a GT3. And the tuning headaches...
A well driven stock 996 GT3 on DOT rubber will turn sub 1:40s at Laguna. The NSX won't even be close.
It was a great car, the Porsche is just way beyond it.
There were many problems that weekend from the widebody kit and extremely low offset wheels causing significant scrub-radius problems, roll center problems (front RC was 2" below the ground and the rear was 0.5" above), no development to determine the spring rates, no rear swaybar (with too soft rear rates), 240 front 330width rear BFG R1 tires exaggerating the understeer -> snap oversteer problems, 4*+ rear camber and <2* front camber (due to offset control arm bushing problems), and the fact the car had to be part throttle between turn 5 and 6 due to sound infractions, all in all the 1:31 wasn't all that terrible. Needless to say the car was more than a handful to drive.
With over a year of development time, the car is significantly faster with the goal of beating ALMS GT2 and Grand Am DP times:
480hp ALMS GT2 F430 GT _ 1:23.611
500hp Grand-Am DP Crawford-Porsche _ 1:23.712
With our current sponsorship from Yokohama, I hope to be able to make it out to Laguna Seca again to best these times with the same size 280/650 330/710 slicks the ALMS cars run on and have complete confidence with the Porsche Supercup Yokohama slicks (size and compound), the 1:28 will be easy to beat.
Back on topic - Both the GT3 and NSX are fantastic cars. Yes the NSX is down on power, with only 270-290hp, it isn't a match in a straight line compared to the GT3, but the NSX has fantastic driving dynamics and is a great driver's car. The GT3 is a driver's car by Porsche's definition and it's hard to beat. On a track, stock for stock, I would put my money on the GT3. At the end of the day, if you like teh NSX then great, if you like the GT3, great. Both are great cars that have rich racing herritage and I wouldn't hesitate to say that both are true 'drivers' cars.
-Billy
Registered User
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 45
From: Planet Earth
Rep Power: 19
All I know is that i went into a very "spirited" drive with a *friend on a gt3-rs .... and honestly, i was behind him -as our pace was for having him on front- ALL times, driving hard or slow, didn't try to pass him in respect -that's how I am- but I was -wow- i thought his porsche was going to smoke me (like another guy i know on his Z06 hahah) and GT3-RS the owner after we were done, we stop to take some pics, asked me, what do you have in there? ,,, i said, an exhaust ... my nsx is the 3.2 and i put 260 @ the wheels ... I removed ALL JUNK that gives extra weight .. I am not saying that the NSX is FASTER than a Gt3 but it is very VERY close ... and I am basically stock ..
btw, the driver on the Gt3 is very good, and he also has a Superleggera ,,,
Oscar
PS: Still I would love to have both cars ..
btw, the driver on the Gt3 is very good, and he also has a Superleggera ,,,
Oscar
PS: Still I would love to have both cars ..
Last edited by oscar_driver; May 6, 2009 at 08:05 AM.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,115
From: Roseville, CA
Rep Power: 135
Since I was the driver who did the 1:31 at Laguna Seca in the NSX, you should know that it was the first weekend the car has ever turned a wheel.
There were many problems that weekend from the widebody kit and extremely low offset wheels causing significant scrub-radius problems, roll center problems (front RC was 2" below the ground and the rear was 0.5" above), no development to determine the spring rates, no rear swaybar (with too soft rear rates), 240 front 330width rear BFG R1 tires exaggerating the understeer -> snap oversteer problems, 4*+ rear camber and <2* front camber (due to offset control arm bushing problems), and the fact the car had to be part throttle between turn 5 and 6 due to sound infractions, all in all the 1:31 wasn't all that terrible. Needless to say the car was more than a handful to drive.
With over a year of development time, the car is significantly faster with the goal of beating ALMS GT2 and Grand Am DP times:
480hp ALMS GT2 F430 GT _ 1:23.611
500hp Grand-Am DP Crawford-Porsche _ 1:23.712
With our current sponsorship from Yokohama, I hope to be able to make it out to Laguna Seca again to best these times with the same size 280/650 330/710 slicks the ALMS cars run on and have complete confidence with the Porsche Supercup Yokohama slicks (size and compound), the 1:28 will be easy to beat.
-Billy
There were many problems that weekend from the widebody kit and extremely low offset wheels causing significant scrub-radius problems, roll center problems (front RC was 2" below the ground and the rear was 0.5" above), no development to determine the spring rates, no rear swaybar (with too soft rear rates), 240 front 330width rear BFG R1 tires exaggerating the understeer -> snap oversteer problems, 4*+ rear camber and <2* front camber (due to offset control arm bushing problems), and the fact the car had to be part throttle between turn 5 and 6 due to sound infractions, all in all the 1:31 wasn't all that terrible. Needless to say the car was more than a handful to drive.
With over a year of development time, the car is significantly faster with the goal of beating ALMS GT2 and Grand Am DP times:
480hp ALMS GT2 F430 GT _ 1:23.611
500hp Grand-Am DP Crawford-Porsche _ 1:23.712
With our current sponsorship from Yokohama, I hope to be able to make it out to Laguna Seca again to best these times with the same size 280/650 330/710 slicks the ALMS cars run on and have complete confidence with the Porsche Supercup Yokohama slicks (size and compound), the 1:28 will be easy to beat.
-Billy
I have it confused with the "other" Mazda series?
Tough decision, given a power upgrade, Id go with the NSX. Those things can wreak havoc on the track given the proper upgrades. The GT3 is an awesome machine though. Im guessing you're talking about a 996 GT3, a 997 would be a different story. That thing is just bad ***.
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,282
From: CT
Rep Power: 113
Tuned NSX ( Either naturally aspirated to the extreme or forced induction) will mostly like have the upper hand on the track vs the GT3, in regards to the GT3RS, well that is different story, I reckon it would be extremely close and it will all come down to the driver.
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 200
From: Diamond Bar, CA
Rep Power: 26
I love both cars as two of my buddies have one each... and one of them extensively documented his racing with his NSX back in the late 90's... enjoy...
scroll through the stories on the left hand side...
http://www.nsxfiles.com/stories.htm
scroll through the stories on the left hand side...
http://www.nsxfiles.com/stories.htm
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,115
From: Roseville, CA
Rep Power: 135
With over a year of development time, the car is significantly faster with the goal of beating ALMS GT2 and Grand Am DP times:
480hp ALMS GT2 F430 GT _ 1:23.611
500hp Grand-Am DP Crawford-Porsche _ 1:23.712
With our current sponsorship from Yokohama, I hope to be able to make it out to Laguna Seca again to best these times with the same size 280/650 330/710 slicks the ALMS cars run on and have complete confidence with the Porsche Supercup Yokohama slicks (size and compound), the 1:28 will be easy to beat.
-Billy
480hp ALMS GT2 F430 GT _ 1:23.611
500hp Grand-Am DP Crawford-Porsche _ 1:23.712
With our current sponsorship from Yokohama, I hope to be able to make it out to Laguna Seca again to best these times with the same size 280/650 330/710 slicks the ALMS cars run on and have complete confidence with the Porsche Supercup Yokohama slicks (size and compound), the 1:28 will be easy to beat.
-Billy
IMSA GT3 Cup cars are 1:28s at best at Laguna for comparison sake.
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 32
From: NRW/Germany
Rep Power: 20
ARTA NSX vs MotoGP RC211V @ Sepang
2007 ARTA NSX sets a new GT-Car lap record (1:49:842) @ Suzuka
2003 ARTA NSX runs a 51.875 @ Tsukuba. 2 seconds faster than the HKS CT230R Lancer Evolution
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFU9aUB0scA[url]
Last edited by ◡ KUZU◕7◕; Jun 23, 2009 at 04:42 AM.
Thread Starter
|
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 897
Rep Power: 79
Here's what I find most impressive!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQwVGScFJj8
A car consistently getting beat on at the track running close to single digit quarter mile times.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQwVGScFJj8
A car consistently getting beat on at the track running close to single digit quarter mile times.
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 31
From: Metairie, LA
Rep Power: 18
A friend of mine is a very skilled 996 GT3 driver, and I put a lot of weight on his opinions in regards to my NSX. He's driven the car a few times, considerably faster than I'd be able to, but after I installed KW Variant 3 suspension, he was blown away by the improvement and said it only amplified the balance of the car, better than that of his GT3. That meant a lot to me.
His opinion is that the GT3 is faster, but harder to drive fast... requiring more skill. If you have the skill, get the GT3.... if not, you might have more fun in the NSX.
GT3 wins on power, but not all improvements to the NSX are in the engine bay...
His opinion is that the GT3 is faster, but harder to drive fast... requiring more skill. If you have the skill, get the GT3.... if not, you might have more fun in the NSX.
GT3 wins on power, but not all improvements to the NSX are in the engine bay...
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,115
From: Roseville, CA
Rep Power: 135
A former NSX owner and frequent track day participant informed me there are ONLY 5 non-targa NSXs in the US besides the Zanardi editions.
Also, he could tell the difference in the structure when the roof is off.
Your way off, C6-Rs in the GT-1 class qualified 1:19 last year.
The GT2 C6 qualified 1:23 this year.
The turbocharged NSX in Speed GT qualifed 7th with a 1:30.211 this year. I was told it was making about 500hp.
Was that the car that dive-bombed into turn 2 going 3 wide in the middle? Who was that? A really stupid move.
Also, he could tell the difference in the structure when the roof is off.
The GT2 C6 qualified 1:23 this year.
The turbocharged NSX in Speed GT qualifed 7th with a 1:30.211 this year. I was told it was making about 500hp.
Was that the car that dive-bombed into turn 2 going 3 wide in the middle? Who was that? A really stupid move.
Last edited by Deuuuce; Oct 21, 2009 at 06:06 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 72
From: CA
Rep Power: 22
NA2 NSX coupe numbers
Originally Posted by Deuuuce
A former NSX owner and frequent track day participant informed me there are ONLY 5 non-targa NSXs in the US besides the Zanardi editions.
.I double checked on NSXPrime, it looks like the total number of NA2 (3.2L engine/6 speed) NSX coupe's that were produced for the US market were around 19 (from some updated information in the NSXWiki page) http://www.nsxprime.com/wiki/Production_Numbers
4 for 1997
5 for 1998
4 for 1999
6 for 2000
2 for 2001
NA2 coupe's are very rare and hard to track down.
Sorry for the mixup.