When the original Acura NSX made its debut 25 years ago, it forever changed the supercar universe by combining scintillating sports car styling and athletic performance—common traits long associated with the exotic car segment—with a new dimension of quality, exceptional ergonomics, comfort, and dynamic poise. The NSX introduced and defined Acura’s approach to “Precision Crafted Performance” with its cutting-edge design and innovative technology that provided accessible supercar performance for real drivers in the real world.
By making use of advanced new technologies such as a lightweight yet rigid all-aluminum monocoque body/chassis and a mid-mounted transverse V6, the original NSX challenged the conventional wisdom for a supercar. Its high-revving V6 engine featured a number of innovative production car technologies including forged pistons, titanium connecting rods and VTEC valve train.
Next Generation Concept
The overarching concept for the design and development of this next-generation NSX was the idea of a “human-centered supercar,” one that places the driver at the center of its mission in each and every element of its design and dynamic performance.
Respecting the foundational concepts of the original NSX—accessible supercar performance, everyday drivability, and openness to new technology—this next-generation NSX pursues an altogether new and revolutionary concept of Acura supercar performance – melding timeless NSX values with advanced technologies to create a New Sports eXperience.
Advanced Fundamentals
First and foremost, the engineering team felt a tremendous responsibility to continue the fundamental innovation pursued by the original NSX team. Four foundational philosophies are fundamental to the timeless NSX values and essential to realize the new NSX concept and goals:
Total Airflow Management – a wholistic approach to thermal management and aerodynamic performance that supports and enhances dynamic response and high-speed stability without the need for active aero devices
Advanced Sports Package – optimizing the design and packaging in all the above aspects—the human package, the body, and finally the key components of the power unit to lower and center the mass of the vehicle.
Advanced Technologies
With these fundamentals in place, NSX engineers could effectively develop technical solutions needed to deliver the New Sports driving experience they sought.
To fully realize this New Sports eXperience, Acura electrifies the advanced fundamentals by leveraging its longstanding Direct Yaw Control knowhow through its Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive (SH-AWD) system, the first of its kind in the supercar realm.
The NSX concept for “zero delay” is more than acceleration, actually involving every aspect of the driver interface … the capacity to directly respond to the driver’s demands in all three phases of driving: Go, Stop, Turn (acceleration, braking and cornering). The NSX’s advanced power unit supports this achievement. Zero delay acceleration and active AWD traction power the NSX out of corners. Energy recovery supports direct and linear braking. And power strategically applied to the wheels directly creates a yaw moment to help turn the car according to the driver’s will.
Development of the next-generation NSX involved a global team of engineers and designers, with development of the Sport Hybrid power unit centered in Tochigi, Japan. Development of the body, chassis, electrical, interior and other vehicle technologies including total system integration, was concentrated in Raymond, Ohio. Initial styling design for the NSX was conducted at the company’s Wako design studio in Japan, and was evolved for production by the Acura Design Studio in Los Angeles.