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Outstanding
cornering speeds achieved
under all conditions from high
to low speeds
For ultimate speed on the
circuit, a specially designed tire with an asymmetrical tread
pattern was selected. At the same time, roll rigidity,
performance envelope and response were all increased in the
pursuit of further improved cornering speeds. The newly gained
aerodynamic stability leads to improved high-speed stability,
allowing the understeer setting previously adopted for low to
medium cornering speeds to be reduced. Front turn-in response
has also been increased toward a more controllable setting for
the driver. To supplement the added speed, braking capacity
has also been increased, particularly in the area of fade
resistance on circuit runs. The anti-lock brake system has
also been fine-tuned for even greater stability when braking
hard at high speeds.
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Combining
high-speed stability with low-speed cornering
performance
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By contributing to
increased high-speed stability, the aerodynamically induced
downforce achieved in the New NSX-R has allowed the selection
of a harder suspension setting to further increase cornering
performance and overall dynamic performance.
Overall, the
suspension is tuned to promote higher cornering limits and
improved handling response. The first issue we addressed was
roll rigidity, equipping the NSX-R with heavier-duty springs,
new spring material for reduced weight, increased damping
rates, larger stabilizer bars, reinforced damper mount and
rear control arm bushings for a sharper, more responsive
drive. The stabilizer bar bushing is now self-lubricating for
increased rigidity, enhancing the stabilizer bar's
effect.
Compared to the rear, the front suspension is tuned
to increase road holding. Reduced understeer contributes to
improved cornering behavior around tight bends, while
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aerodynamically-improved
stability delivers superior performance at higher speeds, for
further enhanced performance under all circuit conditions. LSD
(limited-slip differential) pre-loading has been tuned to take
into account the increased cornering performance provided by
aerodynamic downforce, for improved traction. Body rigidity
has also been fine-tuned, with the adoption once again of
front and rear tower bars. Although the front tower bar is the
same as that of the original NSX-R, the rear one has been
thickened from t1.0mm to t2.3mm over the original setting, for
increased rear roll rigidity.
The dampers have also seen
their damping rate increased, although particular attention
has been paid this time to damping characteristics for minor
inputs at very low speeds, with the objective of further
smoothing out minor vibrations. The pistons used in the
dampers are now polished to minimize production tolerances and
reduce differences from damper to damper.
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Comparison of major
suspension characteristics
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Extensive
circuit testing to determine the optimum
equilibrium
between downforce and front-to-rear balance
In order to endow the new
NSX-R with outstanding high-speed performance, we turned our
attention to aerodynamics and their effect on high-speed
cornering power, braking, turn-in, and other aspects affecting
vehicle controllability. This led us to a new technical
approach called "aerodynamically-induced stability". In
addition to increasing high-speed cornering power, we have
also striven to improve vehicle control quality - the ease
with which the driver can control the car, and thus exploit
its full potential. This enabled the chassis to be tuned for
reduced understeer at low to medium speeds. The resultant
improved handling at both low and high speeds endows the New
NSX-R with outstanding speed on all types of
circuits.
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Extensive
circuit testing to determine the optimum
equilibrium
between downforce and front-to-rear balance
The third advantage of
downforce is that it helps reduce body roll as well as body
pitch. This in turn helps reduce sudden variations in vertical
forces applied to the tires at the limit, increasing vehicle
stability in the wake of driver input. Vehicle behavior is
also more linear near the limit of adhesion, contributing to
increased driver control. In other words, creating downforce
to press the vehicle onto the road as speed increases not only
contributes to increased absolute cornering speed and thus
absolute dynamic performance, but also significantly improves
vehicle control quality as measured by response to driver
inputs and vehicle stability at the limit. These are the
fundamentals behind downforce and aerodynamic stability as a
means to improved high-speed vehicle handling.
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Custom designed tires and
forged aluminum wheels
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Slit-surfaced brake
rotors
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