The NSX (abbreviated from New Sports eXperimental), originally developed by Honda for its luxury line back in the 1990's, made a big dent in the automotive industry with its focus on quality and ease of use, apart from strong engine performance. It was the world's first all-aluminum production car. Continually produced in largely unmodified form until 2005, recent announcements seem to point towards a new Acura NSX to be released in either 2008 or 2009.
Primed to be the first of a new generation of sports-performance vehicles from the company, the 2008 Acura will feature a souped-up engine, and excellent design. It should be the most powerful Honda ever made and, like its predecessor, may become the most expensive Japanese road vehicle in the market.
Early market price projections will be move it upmarket to the $100,000 or higher range. If the final product proves to be anything close to Honda's F1 car, that price may prove it a good purchase. It will likely be competing head-on with fellow Japanese sports coupes like the new Skyline GT-R and the Lexus LF-A, both of which are slated for release around the same time.
Concept pictures of the new NSX indicate a smooth, athletic design. Front and rear view look both aggressive and stylish, accentuating dramatic lines. From the side, it is very sporty albeit a bit bulky, and will likely receive some detailing to highlight lines and edges. Styling appears to borrow heavily from the British line of Grand Tourers.
Features
The NSX's V6 engine has been the subject of much criticism in the past, and in a seeming response, the company has announced its intention to equip the new model with a 5.5-liter V10 engine, rumored to be cranking up around 550 bhp of usable power. The engine will be front-mounted to allow roomier trunk space. It will offer a maximum top speed of around 200 mph, with a 0 to 60 mph acceleration of around 3.5 seconds.
Body construction is planned to stay in an all-aluminum build like its predecessor. It will be wider than originally anticipated due to the engine's angle which has been derived from F1 race vehicles.
It will likely feature a rear-wheel-drive version of Honda's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) technology, an ideally suit for high-performance vehicles such as the NSX. SH-AWD applies a higher percentage of torque on the rear wheels during aggressive driving situations and has worked very well for several of Honda's more powerful lines. A new suspension design has been rumored as well.
Wheelbase is 108.8 inches, with 19 and 20 inch wheels for the front and rear, respectively. It is expected to retain the NSX's legendary handling capabilities as well as Honda's Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology. With Honda's reputation for fuel efficiency and environmental safety, VCM will enable the engine to run on only five cylinders, improving fuel economy and reducing carbon emissions.
What's Next?
Everyone's eagerly anticipating official announcements of new specifications for the new NSX. It is expected to be debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show slated in the fall of 2007, along with the introduction of the Acura brand in the Japanese market.
