Honda has a big challenge ahead of it. You see they are currently working on a replacement for the legendary first generation NSX supercar. While a NSX might seem a bit tame in today’s day and age where even a hot-hatch can have 270hp, it is still a serious sports car. Final chassis tuning and settings were finalized by F1 legend Ayrton Senna and it was, and still is, one of the easiest cars to drive at the limit.

Now Honda has been preparing the NSX’s successor. This one will swap the mid-engine V6 configuration for a front-mid mounted v10. Rumored to be making in excess of 550hp, the naturally aspirated 5.5-liter unit will be of the highest technological spec. This will be Honda’s halo car, that V10 will be it’s halo engine. Rumor has it that the car will also feature a version of Honda’s Super-Handling-All-Wheel-Drive (what’s next super-duper-all-wheel-drive?!?) that has already seen action in Acura’s RL sedan.

It should be putting that all-wheel-drive to good use, as it begins initial testing at Germany’s famous Nurburgring racetrack. It’s already about 8 seconds of the Nissan GT-R’s pace and that is only on the first day! Takeo Fukui, Honda’s CEO, has tasked his R&D team with building an NSX that’s faster around the Nürburgring than both the 2009 Nissan GT-R and the upcoming Lexus LF-A. Honda means business with the new NSX!  We’ll keep you updated as more news comes in.

Above: Like a zebra, only a lot, lot faster…. 

***ALL PHOTOS PROPERTY OF KGP PHOTOGRAPHY***