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Preview: 2017 Acura NSX

New for 2017

The NSX is all new. This is the first time Acura has offered the model since 2005.

It Returns 

Over two decades ago, the Acura NSX helped redefine the supercar. No one thought a car from Honda’s luxury division could go toe to toe with best from Ferrari and Porsche, but the NSX put the best European metal to shame with great performance, combined with ergonomics and reliability previously unheard of in the supercar realm.

Now, with the all-new 2017 NSX, Acura is once again seeking to redefine the supercar. Not only is the new NSX designed to be just as approachable and easy to live with as the original, but it also features a sophisticated hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive system. With the 2017 NSX, Acura aims to prove that efficiency and performance aren’t mutually exclusive.

Powertrain and Performance

One area where the 2017 Acura NSX departs radically from its namesake is the powertrain. Whereas the original NSX used a standalone V6 engine and rear-wheel drive, the reborn 2017 model uses Acura’s latest Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system.

Motivation comes from a combination of gasoline and electric power, including a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 that produces 500 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque on its own. It works with three electric motors and a nine-speed dual-clutch transmission, and the entire powertrain produces a combined 573 hp. Acura says that will launch the NSX to a top speed of 191 mph.

The way the V6 and electric motors work together is very intricate, and allows the NSX to muster more than just raw power. One motor is sandwiched between the engine and transmission, and helps to power the rear wheels. It also uses instantly-available electric power to enhance engine braking and smooth out the transmission’s shifts. The electric motor’s torque helps make acceleration more immediate, and the motor can also act as a generator to charge the onboard lithium-ion battery pack.

There are also two more motors that power the front wheels, giving the NSX its all-wheel drive capability. They can also vector torque between the left and right front wheels to improve handling. Torque vectoring—a technology already used on other Acura models—varies the speed between wheels, helping the car turn in more easily. Acura says using electric motors for this purpose provides an even greater degree of control.

The advanced powertrain is packaged in an equally high-tech body. It makes extensive use of lightweight materials, including aluminum and Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) for the body panels, and aluminum and high-strength steel for the chassis. There’s also a carbon-fiber floor, which not only saves additional weight, but also boosts structural rigidity.

Acura’s Integrated Dynamics System also allows the driver to fine-tune the car’s behavior with four selectable dynamic modes: Quiet, Sport, Sport+, and Track. Quiet mode allows for all-electric driving at low speeds, Sport and Sport+ engage the hybrid system for on-road performance, and Track is optimized for circuit driving.

Features and Trims

The 2017 Acura NSX is a mid-engined two-seat supercar. Pricing and more specific information on equipment levels will be released closer to the NSX’s U.S. launch early next year. The NSX may be all about performance, but it will still come fairly well equipped. Like the original NSX of over two decades ago, Acura wants the new model to be as ergonomic as one of its luxury sedans.

Standard equipment will include automatic air conditioning, pushbutton start, Active Noise Control, a tilt and telescoping steering column, LED interior ambient lighting, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with secondary controls, leather seats (with optional power adjustment) a Display Audio system with 7.0-inch touchscreen, two USB ports, navigation, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Siri Eyes Free voice recognition.

Design

The NSX first appeared as a concept at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, and the production model remains remarkably close to the original design. The NSX makes the most of its mid-engined layout with a sleek design, but also retains recognizable Acura styling cues like the beak-like grille and LED headlights.

The shape of the body was designed to maximize downforce, but also balance the amount of downforce acting on the front and rear axles. Engineers actually found that placing approximately three times the amount of downforce on the rear of the car compared to the front was the optimal arrangement, and they managed to achieve their goals without any active aero aids or tacked-on spoilers.

Most supercars are headache to drive and own, but Acura hopes the NSX will be just as comfortable to be in as any of its other products. It designed the cabin around a “Human Support Cockpit” concept that was developed using a wide range of test drivers, from average consumers to professional racers.

Materials like leather and Alcantara were selected and placed to give the NSX a luxury feel worthy of the brand (and its likely high price tag), while instrumentation was designed to be as easy to read as possible, minimizing distraction so the driver can focus on, well, driving. Rounding things off, the seats feature heavy bolstering, but were designed to be comfortable even on long drives.

Safety

Details on the NSX’s safety equipment will be released closer to the car’s launch.

Bottom Line

The 2017 Acura NSX is a radical reinvention of the supercar.

Be sure to contact us online or visit us at Hall Acura Virginia Beach to for more information. 

Image: Acura