Honda Racing Forced to Kill NSX SuperGT

Another sad news from Honda, as the 2010 regulations in Japan’s SuperGT competition forces the NSX into retirement after nearly two decades of hard duty. The new rules state that competitors must switch exclusively to the use of front-engined cars with rear-drive chassis.

Honda NSX is a true legend. The model was developed with the input of one of the most important personalities in motor sport: Ayrton Senna. It was launched in 1990 and continued production until 2005.

Even after Honda stopped selling the NSX, the car was still campaigned in Japan’s SuperGT racing series. The SuperGT-spec NSX-GT had a heavily modified chassis and a Mugen tuned Competition-spec engine with a 500 hp output. The car has been driven to three drivers’ titles and three teams’ championships in the Japanese touring car series.

So there you go, another punch for the Honda sports car enthusiasts, as earlier this year Honda announced the production halt of the S2000 model. The S2000 was released to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Japanese company. Production was extended to respond to the demand.

The car was a real hit, with over 65,000 units sold in the United States, and another 45,000 units in other markets. In the end, the S2000 was destined for the chopping block, just like the NSX.

There is no word yet if the near future will bring an offspring for the NSX, or the S2000 for that matter. Judging by the way Japanese car manufacturers drop out of motorsports, the future does not look so bright.