Business Notes SPORTS CARS

In the showroom, Honda cars are known for quality and comfort, if not raciness. But on the track, Honda's Formula One cars have consistently blown the doors off their rivals. Now Honda is taking its racing technology to the streets with a new mid-engine sports car called the Acura NSX. The $60,000 two-seater, which arrives at West Coast dealerships this week, is the most expensive Japanese car yet. The auto has been so eagerly anticipated that more than 1,500 of the first year's U.S. shipment of 3,000 cars are already spoken for.

The car is designed as a challenger to Porsche and Ferrari, but may actually top them in comfort and high-tech efficiency. The all-aluminum NSX, which weighs just 3,000 lbs., has a top speed of 168 m.p.h. and can accelerate from 0 to 60 m.p.h. in a brisk 5.6 sec. Reviews in the automotive press have been ecstatic. "Compared with the NSX," said Automobile magazine, "a Chevrolet Corvette felt like it was from the Iron Age. A Ferrari 328 felt ponderous, massively challenging to drive, and not terribly quick."