Our brand new NSX demonstrator includes a very impressive upgrade courtesy of QuickSilver Exhaust Systems. We recently decided to join forces with QuickSilver to create the world’s first custom NSX exhaust system.
QuickSilver was founded in 1973 and has provided driver enthusiasts with the opportunity to personalise the sound of their car. The company has a very impressive history of work with collaborations with manufacturers and celebrity owners. Manufacturers usually require Quicksilver’s services when they want to emphasise a halo model, some of their most famous projects include V12 Zagato, N430 and DB9 Volante for Aston Martin, Lexus RC-F, Lotus Exige 430, Infiniti FX50 ‘Vettel Edition’ and Jaguar XFR ‘Le Mans Edition’. Quicksilvers work on ‘one-off’ manufacturer specials are equally impressive with cars including Lamborghini Pregunta, Porsche GT1, Maserati 5000GT and Maserati A6G.
The celebrity portfolio for Quicksilver includes work for Pink Floyds Nick Mason’s collection of vehicles including a Ferrari 250 GTO – which has an estimated worth of over $50 million. Other notable celebrity projects include a Morris Minor special for the Queen’s Mother in the 1990s, plus multiple systems for the Sultan of Brunei, King of Morocco and the Qatari royal family.
We originally contacted Quicksilver after looking to make our demonstrator a little bit different to current models on the road. The model was then taken to their Surrey design centre to begin the project.
QuickSilver started with a research stage, they considered the car’s strengths and what sort of sound an NSX owner would be looking for. The next step was to analyse and measure the original exhaust sound in various environments and usage. The original system includes: 2 x Turbo-Chargers, 4 x Catalysts and 2 x Silencers – all of which extract sound energy. The NSX original system is different to a standard exhaust due to the different drive modes that are selectable on the vehicle. The system ranges from silent under electric power to a louder sound with the valves open, Quicksilver noticed there was an opportunity for improvement by looking to reduce the amount of sound restrictions once the valves are open.
Producing a prototype consisted of designing each individual component to achieve the preferred result. After a few iterations the components are tested and reviewed. The final stage is to consider how to productionalise the product and create a master pattern & jigs.
Two separate products were created – QuickSilver System & QuickSilver Catalysts. Both can be installed together or each can work with the Original Exhaust components. Quicksilver recommend installation of both, but for the customer who requires an enhanced sound but worries about too much volume, QuickSilver suggest installing the Catalysts first. These work with the car’s original valve system and provide a greater range of volume.
The two products provide a weight reduction of around 17 kilos. The fabulous new sound emphasises the elements of the original exhaust, especially an amplified Turbo-Whistle. The vehicles turbo spool-up is noticeably faster as well.
QuickSilver worked tirelessly on the positioning, shape and diameter of the pipes to create a rich harmony. That's not just marketing speak, there really is a harmony sung by the different diameter pipes.
F1 cars are famous for their full bodied, discordant sound - and QuickSilver's NSX rises above the competition with an F1-style, augmented tone, present throughout the entire rev range. Just as a filmmaker would harness dissonant strings to excite the audience, our pipes combine to sing a minor second interval, resulting in a sinister howl.
The resonant pipes are tuned to phase out at cruising speeds in Sport mode, but become active in Sport +, resulting in a 3db increase / decrease at cruising speeds.
The results:
Honda have created some of the best sounding, technically advanced motorsport engines on the planet. The NSX is no exception, but its ability to perform is hampered by the bureaucrat’s preferred choice of exhaust strangulation – secondary catalysts.
The NSX’s factory units comprise two elements in a single component, each side.;
1) A 600 cell primary catalyst
2) A restrictive secondary catalyst. QuickSilver's race catalysts comprise an easy-breathing 200 CPSI primaries with secondary cat deletes. The secondary cats are located post-sensor and are replaced with no impact on emissions, and no CEL’s.
The result is a crisp, 6-cylinder symphony which darts up the rev range with impressive pace – a vast improvement from stock, featuring:
Quicksilver has noticed some significant US Aftermarket specialist have adopted the NSX as ‘Demo Vehicles’, one example being the new system is being supplied to Vivid Racing in Arizona.
Both QuickSilver products are currently on sale at Chiswick Honda, priced at £2,740.00+VAT for the Catalysts and £1,980.00+VAT for the Exhaust system. Please speak to NSX specialists, Matthew Scott and Ritesh Momaya for more information.