Latest news with #HondaNSX
Time of India
17-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
India needs its own automotive design identity, says Avik Chattopadhyay
As India scales up its ambitions in manufacturing and mobility, a senior industry voice has called for an urgent rethinking of the country's approach to automotive design. Speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Indian School for Design of Automobiles (INDEA) in Pune, Avik Chattopadhyay , Chairperson of the XLRI Centre of Automobile Design & Management , said India needs to turn towards its cultural roots to establish its own identity in the global automotive landscape . 'The future of the institute rests on a single objective--to prepare world-class design talent that is productive from day one, whether in an automaker, a studio, or a research organisation,' Chattopadhyay said. The long-term goal, he added, is to create a design DNA that instinctively evokes Indian identity--even without a brand badge. Building a design DNA: From imitation to identity Drawing comparisons with Italy and Japan, Chattopadhyay pointed out how national design identities are often deeply rooted in cultural expression. 'There is something quintessentially Italian about a Benelli or a Maserati, just as there is something uniquely Japanese about a Honda NSX. But ask yourself--can we say the same for an Indian design? Not yet,' he said. He believes that Indian mobility design can draw inspiration from the country's rich heritage in craft, architecture, and visual culture. 'I've often wondered, why can't we use textiles like jacquard, zardozi, kantha, or ikat in car interiors?' he asked. 'These are deeply Indian, yet subtle. That's the kind of embedded identity we must aim for.' Chattopadhyay was candid in highlighting systemic gaps in design appreciation in India. 'We are blind to design as a people--look at how we construct our streets and public spaces. We don't think of design as integral,' he said. Even in domestic interiors, he observed, India often borrows from Western visual vocabularies that don't suit local sensibilities. 'Our postures, our body frames, are not meant for European furniture.' For India to take design seriously, he said, the country needs not just talent, but an entire design-aware ecosystem. 'There is no Make-in-India without Design-in-India,' he said. 'Design is what creates value. Manufacturing brings revenue, yes--but the delta, the differentiator that takes you from a $5 trillion to a $20 trillion economy, is design.' Studio-led learning with industry at the core The new design school, INDEA, will launch its first 25-student batch in 2026 as part of a 24-month master's programme. Structured as a hybrid of design and management, the curriculum will integrate studio learning with business thinking. 'A designer must understand not just form and function, but also consumer behaviour, product strategy, and market positioning. That's how you add value,' Chattopadhyay explained. The institute will operate in close collaboration with the mobility industry . Students will be taught primarily by working professionals, designers and decision-makers from global automotive brands and studios. 'They bring with them real-world experience--they've made mistakes, adapted, succeeded. That's something you can't find in textbooks,' he said. Rather than traditional classrooms, the school will function as a live studio--complete with sketching spaces, CAD workstations, clay modelling, and prototyping labs. 'Your final test, as a student, will be to build a working prototype. That's when we'll know if you're really worth it,' he noted. While the initial focus will be domestic, Chattopadhyay said the global appeal of the school, especially with a visiting faculty of seasoned international designers — will likely attract foreign applicants over time. While acknowledging that developing a national design identity is a long-term endeavour, Chattopadhyay is optimistic about India's potential. 'Others may have taken 50 years, we can do it in 25 or 30. The Chinese are doing incredible things. The Brazilians built the Embraer jet. India must believe it can do the same in automobiles,' he said.
Top Gear
27-05-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Good lord! The Honda NSX is now officially a $1m car
Good lord! The Honda NSX is now officially a $1m car Championship White 2003 NSX-R sells for over one million dollars. World officially labels itself 'mad' Skip 8 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Turn on Javascript to see all the available pictures. 1 / 8 Here's the plan. We get ourselves a Honda NSX-R and hold the world ransom for… [dramatic pause and pinky finger to corner of mouth] one million dollars. Yep, Dr. Evil would certainly approve, because the NA2 Honda NSX is now officially a one-million-dollar car. Advertisement - Page continues below That's because this 2003 NSX-R just sold at Broad Arrow's Villa d'Este auction for €934,375. For our American readers, that's $1,064,257. For Brits it's a much more reasonable sounding £784,517. Still a heck of a lot of money for a 3.2-litre V6 though. We hope the owner has some cash left over for a pair of leather loafers. This particular NSX-R – one of fewer than 140 NA2s ever built – has just under 10,000 miles on its clock and is finished in the perfect combo of Championship White paint with a red Alcantara interior. Matching white BBS wheels too. Broad Arrow said the classic Japanese supercar attracted bidders from the UK, Australia, Argentina, South Africa and the US, with a head-to-head duel to win the thing meaning it eventually set a world record for an original NSX at auction. Advertisement - Page continues below So, has the world officially gone mad, or is the price justified for one of Honda's greatest ever creations? Top Gear Newsletter Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. Success Your Email*
Asahi Shimbun
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- Asahi Shimbun
Man donates Honda NSX supercar for Mie police patrol use
SUZUKA, Mie Prefecture--Lawbreakers seeking to outrun the long arm of the law here should think twice before putting the pedal to the metal. A donor has gifted a speedy Honda NSX, a top-grade two-door sports car with an engine displacement of about 3,500cc, to be reborn as a speedy police patrol car. The NSX, donated to Mie prefectural police by a resident of Shiga Prefecture, has been repainted to meet the specifications of a patrol vehicle. Its license plate is 110, the dial number for police in Japan. The car was seen roaring at full speed to mark the special donation ceremony held at Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, on April 21. The donor was Toshiya Kobayashi, a real estate agent who lives in Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture. Kobayashi's hobby is motor racing. He said he has visited Suzuka Circuit many times to watch races there. Kobayashi, 43, has also competed in motor racing himself. Toyota Crowns account for the bulk of the Mie prefectural police's patrol car fleet. Suzuka, however, is the seat of a Honda Motor Co. factory. Kobayashi said he wanted to show his gratitude to Mie Prefecture, which he loves so much, to mark 10 years of his entrepreneurship. He bought the NSX secondhand and offered it to the Suzuka Police Station as a donation in June last year. 'An offender on the run could never get away from this car,' Kobayashi said. The donated NSX was manufactured in 2019. Officials of the prefectural police's accounting division said that NSXs of that model sell for around 25 million yen ($175,000) even in the used market. The Tochigi prefectural police department also keeps an NSX in its fleet, which, however, is an earlier model, the officials added. Incidentally, the police department of neighboring Aichi Prefecture, the seat of Toyota Motor Corp., utilizes a Toyota Crown Sport, with an engine displacement of about 2,500cc, which has been adapted into a patrol car. 'Ours is the only one NSX of the latest model that is kept by any police department in Japan,' said Yoji Tsurusawa, head of the Mie Prefectural Police Headquarters. 'We hope to make sure we will be saying proudly that we have this NSX in Mie Prefecture.' The Honda sports car will be used at awareness-raising events and on other occasions. It will also be used, among other things, in patrols and for traffic policing in different parts of the prefecture.
Hindustan Times
04-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Nissan and Honda may co-develop GT-R and NSX, despite merger talks falling apart. Check details
Although not set in stone, a GT-R and NSX partnership is possible, and, in fact, necessary in the current automotive environment Though their formal merger is on hold, reports have surfaced that Nissan and Honda are looking at the potential to collaborate on their next-generation performance icons using the Nissan GT-R and the Honda NSX. While nothing is signed yet, both automakers are considering sharing platform technology but maintaining their own distinct engineering philosophies. A report by stated that Nissan North America's SVP and Chief Planning Officer, Ponz Pandikuthira, encouraged said discussions in a conversation at the 2025 New York Motor Show about the possibility of co-developing the GT-R and NSX. He stressed they would try to maintain the uniqueness of the vehicles and not simply produce rebadged versions. Also Read : Nissan GT-R to make a comeback soon as part of global revival: Confirms new CEO 'Could we build the next GT-R and NSX on a shared platform, while keeping each car true to its legacy? I think we can," Pandikuthira stated. He made it clear that these cars must never be cloned. The NSX is known for its all-aluminium precise lightness while the GT-R is known for extreme power and aggressive performance. They illustrate two distinctly different performance philosophies. Future Powertrains: Hybrid and Electric on the Horizon Even though the current NSX has been discontinued, rumors surrounding an all-electric replacement persist. Pandikuthira clarified that an electric "NSX-type" model wouldn't rule out the possibility of a separate, new-generation NSX albeit a unique one. Meanwhile, the upcoming R36 GT-R will be hybrid and aims to take on its European rivals like Porsche 911—just like the R35 did back in 2007. Pandikuthira mentioned that Aston Martin's relationship with Mercedes-AMG is one instance of how to share technologies while remaining separate brands. He mentioned that although not set in stone, a GT-R and NSX partnership is possible, and, in fact, necessary in the current automotive environment. Also Read : Nissan teases compact SUV and MPV for India: First look at the upcoming models In spite of the collapse of the proposed merger between Honda and Nissan earlier in the year, Nissan's new CEO Ivan Espinosa has maintained dialogue with Honda leadership. Espinosa has "never stopped talking with Honda," per Pandikuthira, and the desire for strategic partnerships has been left open. While not a confirmation, Nissan's comments indicate interest in a partnership as both OEMs navigate the future of performance vehicles in an electrified world rapidly evolving. Check out Upcoming Cars in India 2024, Best SUVs in India. First Published Date: 04 May 2025, 09:53 AM IST
Yomiuri Shimbun
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Honda NSX Police Car Debuts in Mie Prefecture; To be Used for Highway Patrol
The Yomiuri Shimbun The donated Honda NSX police car on Monday at Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture. A Honda NSX police car, known as a luxury sports car, was donated to the Mie Prefectural Police on Monday. It will be assigned to the highway patrol unit and used for publicity and education, as well as for traffic enforcement on highways. The donor is a 43-year-old man from Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture, who works in the real estate industry. At the donation ceremony held Monday at Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture, the man explained his motivation, saying, 'When I saw various sports car-type police cars, I thought that having such a police car would bring joy to more people.' He enjoys watching races at Suzuka Circuit and driving on the circuit, and owns multiple sports cars. The donated vehicle is the second-generation Honda NSX. According to the Mie Prefectural Police, this is the first time this model has been used as a police car nationwide. The total cost, including modification expenses, is approximately ¥25 million.
