2016 New York Motor Show: Honda NSX GT3 revealed

HONDA has hinted at a sharper, faster version of its upcoming NSX supercar with a race-ready GT3 version, unveiled at the 2016 New York Motor Show.

The NSX GT3 could spawn a road-going version that takes advantage of the race car’s more aggressive aerodynamics and lighter weight.

However, while the race car ditches the electric motors and batteries that make up half of the Honda NSX’s hybrid system – it was done to allow the NSX GT3 to meet GT3 race regulations – the road version is likely to keep those systems.

“Won’t make news on that today, but I’d certainly love to see that happen,” said a clearly hopeful American Honda boss John Mendel. “The performance aspects of the NSX are incredible … it [a road car GT3] certainly would be a fun project.”

The man in charge of performance development at Honda, Art St Cyr, said the 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 mated to three electric motors – producing a combined output of 427kW and 646Nm – was built to go racing, but that Honda was forced to drop the hybrid component to meet GT3 regulations.

“The production car specification was built with racing in mind,” said St Cyr. “It’s strong enough, it’s fast enough, it handles well enough if we could find someone that would let us race it.”

He refused to confirm plans for an NSX GT3, but clearly Honda executives have discussed it in detail.

When asked whether a road-going NSX GT3 would follow the race car’s route of dropping the hybrid system, he suggested it would not be necessary.

“We’re very confident our base technology, the hybrid system is very appropriate for performance driving, I don’t think necessarily we’d have to do that [get rid of the electric motors].”

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