It's funny how looking at a car can stir up a variety of feelings, thoughts, and imagination in the mind of a gear head. It's almost as if the very body lines of a car can tell a story, and that story changes depending on who is admiring the vehicle.
When I look at Vittorio Bueme's NSX, I see a machine that looks like it was built for specialized violence. There is nothing about this car that says "relaxing Sunday drive." Instead it says: "Point me at the target and get out of my f'ing way!"
Why am I catching such a specific vibe from Vittorio's NSX? Honestly, just look at it! The wide stance from its complete (front bumper, front fenders, side skirts, rear fenders, and rear bumper) Sorcery V1 body kit is already aggressive enough. Yet, Vittorio took things even further by blanketing the entire car in a "black chrome" vinyl wrap which gives the car the appearance of being forged from a single block of pure solid "bad***-ium".
The Honda NSX-R carbon fiber hood and rear wing, paired with a set of black staggered VIP Modular VX410 wheels (18 x 9.5 inches in the front and 19 x 12 in the rear) add to the stealth theme. By the way, those wheels are wrapped with Hankook Ventus V12 tires, which are known for being consistently dependable in various high-performance scenarios.
Further enhancing its "weaponized" look is the fact that the NSX sits low on a set of JRZ RS 2 coilovers with a titanium four-point rear chassis brace for reinforcement.
It's clear by now this NSX certainly looks the part, but it would be foolish to assume it doesn't have the firepower to back itself up. Under the rear bonnet of this NSX is one serious power plant. It starts off with a complete blueprint and build from DMS Performance. The Honda C-series engine was fitted with 9:1 compression CP pistons paired with Carillo rods and LA sleeves. Head studs and main studs from ARP hold the block together. By the way, if the compression ratio seems low, that's due to the fact that this engine was built for boost.
Forced induction comes by way of a LoveFab LF600 turbo kit with a Precision 67/66 turbo at its center. Though, fun fact: the turbo kit was already on the car when Vittorio bought it. However, it was in a complete state of disarray. Luckily the engineers at DMS Performance set everything right, giving the LoveFab kit the respect it deserved. If "LoveFab" sounds familiar to you, that might be due to the fact that they are the same shop behind the absolutely bonkers NSX-based Pikes Peak hillclimb car that blew up the internet back in 2012. Those same masterminds engineered the boost reactor that now sits under the hood of Vittorio's NSX. If you got a special tingle just thinking about that, don't be alarmed, it just means you're alive.
All of that engine grunt is fed by a Walbro 450 fuel pump and ID 1,000cc injectors while a TiAL Q blow-off-valve along with a 44mm wastegate (also by TiAL) keeps boost pressure in check.
The NSX breathes through a Foundry 3 custom titanium charge pipe and through a custom air-to-water intercooler. All the used up gasses are ejected via LoveFab stainless headers, through a DMS Performance custom titanium 3-inch downpipe, and finally out through a center exit exhaust.
All of the mission critical calculations are handled by a suite of AEM electronics including a V2 EMS stand alone ECU, boost controller, flex fuel sensor (yes it can run on E85), wideband UEGO air-fuel-ratio controller, and fuel/ignition controller. All of those pieces work together allowing Vittorio's NSX to make 617 wheel-horsepower and 425 ft-lbs of torque at 17 psi of boost on 93 octane pump gas.
Here's another fun fact: did you know the NSX's interior design was inspired by the cockpit of an F-16 fighter jet? F-16 jet cockpits have 360 degree visibility so that fighter pilots could always visually spot their targets from any angle. The NSX designers wanted that drivers to have that same high level of visibility while hunting apexes and other cars on the race track.
Vittorio kept that utilitarian feeling alive by inserting a set of SDuff carbon/kevlar bucket seats and completely covering most of the interior with SDuff custom carbon fiber pieces. There's even a one-off navigation pod made from carbon!
If you couldn't tell already, I'm altogether fascinated with this particular build and its battle-ready vibe. I think if there was such a thing as the "ultimate first-gen" NSX, this example would come damn close.