Acura has announced that the all-new NSX will be produced at Honda’s new Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio.
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Commute, Toy or Destroy – Iconic Japanese Sports Cars
Which 90's Japanese Sports Car Would You Destroy?
It’s not every day that AutoGuide launches a new weekly feature. Today, however, is not just any day; it’s first installment of an interactive segment we call ‘Commute, Toy or Destroy’.
Last year, Cody Loveland and LoveFab unveiled an Acura NSX that competed in the 2012 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb proving that you can teach an old car new tricks.
Easily the showstopper of day two of the Detroit Auto Show, Acura re-released its NSX concept, for the first time ever showing the hybrid supercar’s interior.
Acura’s NSX supercar is still two years from being production-ready, but the brand brought its concept car to Detroit again this year, only this time to show its interior.
Despite previously confirming that Acura would not unveil its production model NSX at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, a photo on the Internet is raising speculation that that might not be the case.
Rumors of Acura dropping the base 2.0-liter engine from its lineup have been debunked, as the Japanese automaker spoke out on the speculation revolving its newest sedan.
Only a year ago Acura unveiled its NSX concept car as a V6 hybrid, now word of the production car debuting at the same show is trickling out.
Cody Loveland and LoveFab will be joining this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with their 1991 Acura NSX, looking to prove that you can teach an old car new tricks.
Unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, the all-new Acura NSX isn’t just the flagship for the brand, it’s a technology showcase for new hybrid and all-wheel drive technologies. It comes as some surprise then to hear then that the Honda luxury division may be planning a non-hybrid version of the supercar.
Industry giants Toyota and BMW held a press conference in Munich today to discuss plans for its partnership initially announced last December, unveiling plans for a co-developed sports car.
Sliding in new directions both mechanically and stylistically, Acura is taking steps to revitalize itself as a brand, but will keep its notoriously “beaky” front end look despite its questionable reception.
Japanese automaker Acura has a huge involvement with the upcoming Avengers movie, which already looks to be a hit based on trailers and previews. We got a hint that Acura would be the official automotive partner for the movie when we spotted the Stark Industries Acura Super Car earlier this year.
It appears that the super car is a one-off Acura NSX Roadster and the Japanese automaker stressed that it was “created specifically for the film.” We still have belief that a convertible variant of the new NSX is in the works, especially since NSX Spider patent pending images were leaked.
Besides the NSX, Acura will also have its MDX, ZDX, RDX, and TL starring in the film. Acura will also be launching an online game that will net players movie tickets, flashlights, and a trip to New York City.
While America got to enjoy the global premiere of the new Acura NSX at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, the rest of the world will know it as the Honda NSX and the concept just made its European debut at the Geneva Motor Show.
The Honda NSX Concept is essentially the same vehicle we saw at Detroit, except now it’s sporting the Honda “H” badge on its hood and trunk, rather than the American Acura “A”. Europeans were able to get a closer look at the upcoming supercar that will feature a Sport Hybrid V6 SH-AWD powertrain with all-wheel drive.
It will be interesting to see how well-received the Honda NSX Concept is in Europe, considering that it not only sports a hybrid powertrain, but that it’ll be produced in America rather than Japan.
See the rest of our 2012 Geneva Motor Show coverage here.
GALLERY: Honda NSX Concept
GALLERY: Honda NSX Concept
See below for video of the Acura-branded NSX from its reveal at the Detroit Auto Show
Last year, we shared images of Tony Stark’s Acura NSX convertible on the set of the Avengers. Initially, Acura Spokesman Gary Robinson claimed an open-top NSX is a “one-off fictional car that was created just for the film.”
Surprise! According to a Honda and Acura forum, six drawings of an open top NSX were filed with the European Patent Office on Febuary 22. The six illustrations include a wire-frame sketch showing all angles of the vehicle. When compared to the coupe variant, we notice slight styling differences at the side vents.
Check out the images below. We can’t wait to see one in the flesh at an upcoming auto show.
GALLERY: Acura NSX Concept
[Source: Motor Trend]
For decades, the design of the Honda NSX remained mostly untouched, save for a headlight/front-end refresh. But for the most part, the NSX was highly regarded as Japan’s answer to the Italian supercars from Ferrari and Lamborghini, that is until Lexus introduced the LFA and Nissan made its GT-R available worldwide.
But now that we have seen the new Acura NSX Concept (Shown above) it appears that the Japanese automaker is getting back into the supercar game even though it won’t hit the market until 2015. Nonetheless, Honda found it fitting to give us a video looking back into the NSX’s past as we head towards its new future. The retrospective video highlights previous models such as the NSX-R, the 24 Heures de Le Mans version, some footage of the new NSX in Gran Turismo 5 and of course, the concept that we saw.
Though the powertrain could change by the time it is released, it’s widely believed that the new NSX will feature at least 400-hp with a Sports Hybrid SH-AWD powertrain.
Check out the video after the break.
Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Maseratis, they all have distinct exhaust notes that turn heads from Hoboken, New Jersey to Hollywood, California. They still ain’t got nothing on the rare and raspy resonation that marks an Acura NSX.
Where an ultra-expensive Italian car says status, the NSX spits true tuner taste— especially because they aren’t in production. That’s why our ears perk up whenever news surfaces about the highly anticipated next generation of the old legend.
The latest? On Monday, Acura announced at the North American International Auto Show that they plan to do the research, development and manufacturing for the new NSX at their Marysville, Ohio facility.
“Honda associates are up to the challenge of producing the new NSX for global customers with a high degree of craftsmanship,” said Hidenobu Iwata, head of Honda’s North American manufacturing operations and president of Honda of America Mfg., Inc. in a press release. ”Honda associates in Ohio have been building high-quality Honda and Acura vehicles for nearly 30 years, so this news in many ways is a culmination of their determined efforts.”
This is big news, considering the previous NSX was made entirely in Japan and then exported.
Hiroshi Takemura, president of Honda R&D Americas agreed, saying that the company has a rich history of creating cars in the U.S. and that the decision to build the new NSX in Ohio demonstrates the maturity and ability of Acura’s American operation.
For the most part, Acura is keeping mum on tech specs, though we do know that the car will, again, feature a mid-mounted V6, lightweight chassis and Acura’s Super Handling All Wheel Drive system. We also know that the car will be available within three years time.
Honda is bringing its famous NSX sports car back to life, only this time it will be packaged as a 400 hp hybrid model and will be sporting a unique powertrain system.
The NSX will be driven by a 3.5L V6 gasoline direct injection engine which will be strictly devoted to driving the front axle of the vehicle. The rear wheels will be powered by two in-wheel electric motors that operate independently of each other. This independent electric motor setup makes the car capable of delivering different power levels to the inside and outside wheels while cornering and maneuvering to add responsiveness and tighter handling.
Honda debuted this electric SH-AWD setup in late November (see here) but never announced officially when the system would see production or in what vehicle it would make its debut. The original SH-AWD system was paired with a new dual clutch seven speed automatic transmission which may or may not find its way into the NSX.
Representatives at Honda say that the primary focus of the system is to increase fuel economy while keeping power and handling intact.
In terms of looks, we have already seen spy photos from the set of the new Avengers movie(Pictured Above), so we can only assume the finished product will be heavily influenced by that early model. The NSX will bow at the Detroit auto show badged as an Acura, but will be re-branded as a Honda when it hits the streets in the UK.
To read AutoGuide’s coverage of the electric SH-AWD powertrain system click here.
[Source: AutoExpress]
Acura has officially confirmed it will reveal what it is calling a concept version of the next-generation NSX at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show in January. A brand that’s lineup has been in serious need of some fresh new product and exciting new models will get just that with the debut of this new sports car concept, as well as the world premiere of a crossover prototype that will eventually become the next RDX and what is being called the ILX concept.
The ILX will hint strongly at Acura’s new small sedan, which until now was rumored to wear the RSX badge. While previous reports had indicated this may actually replace the TSX as a down-sized model closer in size to the Honda Civic on which it’s based, Acura will only say the ILX will be the brand’s first ever hybrid. In total, the ILX, which will go on sale in 2013, will be available with the other powertrains, the first we can safely assume is a gasoline engine, while the other remains a secret.
See AutoGuide’s complete Detroit Auto Show preview here.
Spy photos taken at the set of the upcoming Avengers movie is providing us with a glimpse of a future Acura sports car, driven by Robert Downey Junior who plays Iron Man, Tony Stark.
According to AutoExpress, this vehicle points the way for the future NSX successor. Honda‘s previous plans to develop a new front engine V10 supercar, the Honda HSV-010 GT, were thwarted by economic recession. Honda later salvaged the project and shifted its efforts to bring the HSV-010 to Japan’s Super GT racing series.
Undeterred, Honda president and CEO Takanobu Ito wants a production halo to boost Acura’s relevance in the industry. Rumors suggest that the NSX successor will be based on a lightweight aluminum chassis, receiving power from a V6 engine as well as an advanced hybrid drivetrain. The combustion engine will drive the rear wheels while electric motors drive the front.
Pricing for the NSX successor are expected to be along the lines of $80,000 to $100,000, placing it squarely against its fellow countryman, Nissan GT-R, as well as foreign rivals like the Porsche 911, Audi R8, Aston Martin V8 Vantage and Chevrolet Corvette.
No word on the release date, but you can count on Honda taking a number of years before making an official announcement.
[Source: AutoExpress]
Now that Acura has confirmed that they’ve resumed development of a next-generation NSX, it’s always a treat to revisit just how amazing Acura’s first and only exotic is – and maybe remind Honda so they don’t deliver a dud.
The famed Tsukuba Circuit in Japan is similar to Nurburgring in the sense that it’s used as a gauge by which automakers and tuners rank just how good their cars are. Sub 1-minute Tsukuba times are respected, while anything faster than 57-seconds is considered impressive.
While there are cars such as HKS’ Turbocharged Mitsubishi EVO that has lapped Tsukuba in 54.739 seconds, watching a naturally aspirated NSX do it in 56.959 is equally entertaining.
Check out the video after the break and make sure to turn up the volume!
[Source: Farm of Minds]
Rumors have been tossed around for years that Honda is debating whether or not to bring the NSX back to the research and development stage, possibly releasing a true successor to one of Japan’s most exotic cars. When the HSV-010 GT race car was announced, belief was that Honda would be resurrecting the NSX’s development following its shelving back in 2008.
Now it looks like Honda fans will get their wish granted.
Company president Takashi Ito recently confirmed that NSX development is underway and Honda may be re-entering the realm of true exotic sports car to battle it out against the likes of Nissan’s GT-R and the Lexus LFA. With so many years having gone by without a new NSX, some feel that Honda’s top-of-the-line model has lost its shine with all of Japan’s finest now taking the spotlight. Perhaps it’s just wishful thinking right now that Honda will strike bigger and better with a new NSX, but we’re optimists at heart.
[Source: JapaneseNostalgicCar via Autoblog]
While we continue to anxiously await a possible NSX successor for the street, Honda has been out at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan testing an NSX Hybrid for the upcoming 2012 Super GT season. The 2012 season will allow teams to equip and utilize a hybrid system on their race cars in the series.
Made by Zytech (the company that handled McLaren’s Formula 1 KERS system), the hybrid drive has 40kw of output power and can be used to power the car in pit lane (full electric).
The battery can be fully charged in just one lap on a course and has about 20 seconds of use when the driver opts to turn on the overtake button. The system adds another 220 lbs or so to the race car and to determine just how big of a difference it makes Honda enlisted the driving expertise of Katsutomo Kaneishi.
Kaneishi was able to lap Twin Ring Motegi in 1 minute, 49.468 seconds. It was 4.453 seconds behind the fastest lap time recorded in that session. Development of these hybrid systems for Super GT will continue for the next year and change, so we’ll anxiously await the results and how it’ll impact the Super GT race series.
Now if Honda could pair a powerful KERS system with a high-output version of one of its V6 engines and drop it in the HSV-010 GT race car chassis and make it street legal … now we’re talking!
[Source: 7Tune]
Check out more pics of the NSX Hybrid in action after the jump: