HOnDa NSX vs BMW i8 vs McLaRen 570S: SupeRcar ComParison

Honda NSX has been reborn as a hybrid hard-hitting, but can it match the technical brilliance of the BMW i8 or dynamic prowess of McLaren 570S?

Animal. That is what is missing from this test. There are three badges on display here, and no horse or bull among them. A decade ago, it would have been all but unthinkable to have what is, let's be clear, one of the most exciting supercar test this year without the presence of Porsche, Ferrari or Lamborghini. I'll grant you that the price of admission to this test lower than many supercar group test, but know one thing before counting begins: it was not worse, and no less interesting, in the absence of the traditional establishment.

Honda NSX, and then, back. And everyone, it seemed, knew it. I normally would not mention things like this, because it seems to spoil yourself and there is no scientific way, but the (cough) -teen years of doing this show, I never knew three cars to collect such a positive reaction. When driving a Ferrari or Porsche 911 hot for a few days, I expect to be called the button half a dozen times or more. But in spite of, or perhaps because of, the fact that there are no cars here from manufacturers that become traditional target of hatred and jealousy, for two days in Wales flowers - and positive - is the stratosphere. Look: I have never been followed for five miles by four youths in Vauxhall Corsa all for the film Honda.

Perhaps because two of these badges have no barriers. If you are able banger, the old Civic or 3 Series Compact is within your reach. Although McLaren will not, and although it would be familiar to you, dear reader, and for me, McLaren still feels very 'new' to the public.

In addition, the UK and this is orange, which is always helpful. This is the 570S, which is one of an increasing range of entry-level supercar McLaren. Cost £ 143 250, it was just a tad more expensive than £ 137 950 NSX, and the similarities do not end there. twin-turbocharged 570S is, mid-mounted 3.8-liter V8 engine gets 563bhp. NSX's total output was 573bhp not too different, even though he went about it in different ways. A twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 account mid-mounted to 500bhp of the total, while the 48bhp electric motor assists in the rear and two motors 37bhp help in the future. Not all make the peak power is made at the same time, the 573bhp, 622bhp is not.

If all the complexity that sounds heavy, it was. NSX, despite having only two seats and composite bodywork over an aluminum chassis, weighs 1725kg claimed. McLaren carbonfibre-tubbed, with most of the aluminum bodywork, we road test tip the scales at 1445kg earlier this year.

And that without this NSX batteries have the same level of reserves as of the BMW i8, which is the most cars do not like the other two here. In fact, call it a supercar is misleading - either overselling and underselling it in equal measure. The £ 104 540 BMW is a plug-in hybrid GT / sports car. Electric power alone, it has a range of about 20 miles. Honda rarely go 20 seconds on electric power alone; existing motors for enhanced performance. But even with a 7.1kWh battery to carry around, BMW weighs just 1575kg when we caught up on our scale, although it has two rear seats, the other two did not.

weight partly because both the body i8 and tubs of carbonfibre composites, and partly because instead of having a grunty V6 or V8 in the middle, it has a three-cylinder engine of 1.5-liter Mini. Which develops 228bhp and drive the rear wheels, and coupled with a 129bhp electric motor driving the front wheels. As a result, developing 'only' 357bhp and appeared malnourished at this company. However, remember that everyone has a smartphone or dashcam and YouTube account today, there is almost no time on the road when 357bhp is not much that can get in.

In addition, there is much more to her than just i8 performance set-up. As we concluded in our road tests in 2014, there is no more exciting cars sold today. At least, there is not so; NSX here might change that. i8 is a fine GT car, the ride quality is stable and sitting dead-straight in the cabin and futuristic yet convincing ensconcing familiar from other BMW, with great ergonomics and infotainment system that is easy to use.

It all works to create an outstanding i8 sports car everyday. the steering is light and remote with a sports car standards, but fine greasy and off responsive and accurate. Turbocharged engine sound plus heavy driven through the speakers, so the sound gruntier of three pots, and respond in like manner - as soon as you ask for acceleration, the electric motor at the front provides provisional turbo engine in the roll back. Yet despite all this electronic smoke and mirrors, that still feels i8 involving organic and natural. As a way to make electric propulsion was not only totally integrated but really enjoyable, BMW ranks alongside Tesla as the industry benchmark.

McLaren did pretty well, too, mind, but the cost P1 nearly one million pounds. Situated on 570S, looks a bit like P1, thereby bypassing the often mistake it for a passenger car is much more expensive than that. No, you explain, it has a gasoline engine 8000rpm to get along with, but this is no great hardship.

And it was not. McLaren put into Sport 570S and not Super Series cars, but there is no un-supercar about it. Even the unemployed are loud and angry, and despite the low speed ride has more than an acceptable level of compliance, and visibility and driving position is right, you are always aware of the purpose of this latent 570S. Even around town, steering, still assisted hydraulic rather than electric, with beautiful feathers, finely filtered information. (Optional) fixedback bucket seats this example comes with the handle upright and your grip firm, and the steering wheel can be brought near the car rally.

Given that weighs much less than the Honda, it is not surprising that in this company 570S was the most agile and most responsive to steering input, though, at 2.5 turns lock to lock, he wants more than half a turn of more than Honda to go from one roof to another. On country roads, the ride bumps and cambers with firmness but no violence, and with the phenomenal level of body control. The 570S do without the luxury of the associated hydraulic suspension 650S is more expensive but still breathe easily. I wanted to see how fast the wheel works to restrain the body of this flat. When peaks, dips, bumps and tree roots finally angry way as far as it intrusive traction McLaren, in the mode chassis / powertrain (there are various and they remain too complicated to use) this 570S traction and stability control model of discretion. Crucially, meanwhile, feels like a supercar. It goes like, stopped like, sound like one and, by gum, it corners like one. It is refreshing, honest, profound, analog experience.

Is it fair to expect Honda to be the same? It is a car designed mostly in the United States and part of its remit is to attract those wealthy retirees Palm Springs as transport from home to the golf club. So having a conventional door than dihedral as two other cars, and lower sills (but a low roof, too), and the largest, most accommodating seats from three. You can see very well: it has a low tackle, and even though the mirror makes it very wide (2217mm), 1940mm-wide body is only slightly larger than the 570S is 1915mm, so it never feels heavy on the road.

The driving position is sound, although it was less excited than McLaren and more spacious than the BMW. interior materials are fine, but the abundance of glossy plastic makes you realize there are more Japanese / US from Europe here. A big button that will be better suited to help shift expectations touchscreen infotainment between drive modes. NSX began in Sport mode, but the Sport + and songs that twist in one direction, quiet on the other hand, changing between two damper settings, two steering weight and even more settings powertrain / gearshift. Dual-clutch automatic gearbox has a ratio of nine to seven McLaren and BMW six, but the ninth is very long and the first will not vote until you are stationary, so really you get along with seven punch.

Failed to use them all energetically and NSX just feel pleasingly fast. Ask a 3.5-liter engine to produce 500bhp means there is some turbo lag, but the electric motor cover it well, to the extent linear and smooth acceleration. Aside from a small fragility around the city (and a dozen phone pointing at you all the time), NSX supercar daily make convincing. steering, 1.9 turns between locks, far more hyperactive than Ferrari racks same speed, and the weighted medium with good self-centering. Brake by-wire (for a charge in the battery regeneration) but have the same reassuring, natural feel.

However, this is a test supercar, remember. So do not hesitate to ask more of the NSX. If you do, it delivers. Honda development team has very little experience of developing a sports car but, even so, they have done an incredible job here. Both the suspension mode too hard for the road, but the setting softer the better in the back streets of the UK. body control is superb, and because there will torque both front and rear, outstanding traction.

At low revs, the Honda feels less urgent than McLaren - curb weight blame for that one, I suspect - but if you get to the 7500rpm redline V6, it was eye-poppingly manically fast and responsive. There's a moderate feel to the steering - more than BMW provides, less than McLaren - and handling that never strays beyond charming and grippy, slightly rearbiased but never sinister like Aston Martin or Mercedes-AMG possible. This keen and helpful, and the only response of the throttle suddenly fast on occasion (the possibility of electric motor gives you what it thinks you want) make him feel anything less than natural and organic.

Where, in the end, whether it's sitting in this company, then? Both 570S and NSX felt more serious proposition than the BMW driver, but it was no criticism of the i8 in itself. i8 is still uniquely attractive, unique car attractive, and cheaper to buy and run from two others. Competing as a driver's car at all in this company, given that he has 20 miles of electric range to carry around with it, is a victory.

But Honda and McLaren is a sports car of the highest order. That, in the end, McLaren is more interesting, exciting, urgent and agile, which feels more 'supercar' than the NSX, giving the victory in what is, after all, a test group of sports cars. But the gap is small and there are many times when the NSX was at least as interesting. Times when you will have a strop on the way back, the long voyage across the freeway and exit at the end you will be encouraged to know one of the most interesting, exciting and capable sports car of modern times. You'll come out, look back and have not the slightest regret about the choice you make. No question, the NSX back.

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