Honda’s NSX delayed

Honda CEO Takeo Fukui has confirmed that the next-generation NSX supercar won’t be shown at the Tokyo Auto Show in October. The development of the car continues with various NSX test mules recently caught running laps at the Nurburgring, but Honda won’t say when the new model will launch.

A few days ago we reported that the launch of the Acura brand in Japan would be delayed until 2010 but this may have also caused the delay for the NSX. Since the Tokyo Auto Show is in run once every two years, and the 2009 show will be too early, it’s possible the NSX may be postponed till 2011 according to Autocar. One possible look for the NSX was shown as the Acura Advanced Sports Car concept (pictured). The concept was unveiled at the Detroit auto show this year and Honda claimed it would get a front-mounted V10 engine with rear-biased AWD.

Honda’s sports car development has been a joke in recent years. The S2000 is old and doesn’t compare favorably to its competitors, the Civic Type-R is being outgunned by its competitors, and now the NSX is on hold. Even the F1 team has been ridiculed this season after being overtaken by the much smaller Super Aguri B-team.