Acura NSX......hybrid

[SVT666]

By Nat Shirley


Acura ?s mid-engined performance flagship is back after a seven year absence, at least in concept form.

Debuting today at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the Acura NSX Concept car is a futuristically-styled sports car powered by both a mid-mounted V6 engine and a pair of electric motors that send power to the front wheels.

Combined, the powertrains form a new Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system that sends motivation to all four corners. A dual-clutch automatic transmission ensures rapid-fire shifts. Acura hasn?t specified a power output, but we?ve heard that it is in the neighborhood of 400 horsepower.

Although the car will certainly use less fuel than most similarly-powered cars, its eco-friendly credentials aren?t likely to please the typical hybrid crowd. Still, Honda ?s CEO says that the NSX represents the future of performance under the Acura banner, a move that should allow it to comply with emissions and economy standards while still delivering track-inspired driving dynamics.

?In this new era, even as we focus on the fun to drive spirit of the NSX, I think a supercar must respond positively to environmental responsibilities,? said Takanobu Ito, president and CEO of Honda Motor Co.

A production NSX is likely less than a year off, and we?ve heard that a droptop variant is almost certainly going to accompany this performance icon.

[SVT666]

It looks great.  The shape is very generic, but the angular sheet metal distinguishes it.  The powertrain, said to make around 400 hp, is a bit weak for a supercar...considering even a Mustang has more power than that these days.

[sportyaccordy]

400 HP would be great... if it were the same size/weight as the old NSX. A 911 has about that much HP... but also weighs 3200lb... and does the quarter in the low 12s, I believe. Hardly slow.

I think it looks generic... I am pretty sure it will be very heavy... I am skeptical on it delivering the pure + raw experience of the original NSX.

Cliffs: SonIamdissapoint.png

[Raza]

Looks very good, even if it looks like the lovechild of a Gallardo and Cadillac Cien.  Hybrid, though, leaves me utterly cold.  AWD doesn't help either.

[SVT666]

400 HP would be great... if it were the same size/weight as the old NSX. A 911 has about that much HP... but also weighs 3200lb... and does the quarter in the low 12s, I believe. Hardly slow.

People always seem to forget that the 911 uses ultra short gearing.  The last top speed/gear chart I saw for it had first gear topping out at 38 mph.

I think it looks generic... I am pretty sure it will be very heavy... I am skeptical on it delivering the pure + raw experience of the original NSX.

No doubt.  With two electric motors, batteries, etc., it will be heavy.

[93JC]

I am decidedly not a Honda/Acura fan, but me gusta.

[Onslaught]

I knew I'd not like it more then the original with pop ups. Take off the bling mustache on the grill and it help a little. Not a bad looking car but not as good as the original.  As for the hybrid stuff, I don't care as long as it's a good car. And in the end I really don't care at all seeing that I'll never have one.

[Northlands]

Boring looks. It's going to be a fat shit with the SH/Hybrid combo.

This was Honda's chance to make something good looking and give the enviro's a big middle finger by coming out with an 8 cylinder or a 10. What the hell has happened to these guys? Don't bother.

[Onslaught]

In the future I'm not so sure any of them can give the enviro's "a big middle finger." You guys better get over it  because it's the future one way or the other.

[Northlands]

In the future I'm not so sure any of them can give the enviro's "a big middle finger." You guys better get over it  because it's the future one way or the other.

If you're going to make a proper supercar, you can't be worried about what some bicycle riding pacifists think about you. I cannot imagine anyone at Ferrari or Lamborghini giving a rats ass about tossing in a hybrid in their fastest car. Honda can do that with the rest of the lineup. If they're gunning for a flagship sports car, make it something that kids spend their time dreaming about and sketching it on the backs of binders.

Hybrid the rest of the line up for all I care. Leave the one with the sporting aspirations out of it! 

[2o6]

Generic yet pleasant. Looks like the six Lotus concepts shown over the summer and a few other MR cars. Looks like something from Burnout Paradise.

[Northlands]

Generic yet pleasant. Looks like the six Lotus concepts shown over the summer and a few other MR cars. Looks like something from Burnout Paradise.

You nailed it.

[SVT666]

If you're going to make a proper supercar, you can't be worried about what some bicycle riding pacifists think about you. I cannot imagine anyone at Ferrari or Lamborghini giving a rats ass about tossing in a hybrid in their fastest car. Honda can do that with the rest of the lineup. If they're gunning for a flagship sports car, make it something that kids spend their time dreaming about and sketching it on the backs of binders.

Hybrid the rest of the line up for all I care. Leave the one with the sporting aspirations out of it! 

Ummmmm.........

[Onslaught]

I cannot imagine anyone at Ferrari or Lamborghini giving a rats ass about tossing in a hybrid in their fastest car. 

In the next 10 years or so those almost all Ferrari and Lambo's will have this kind of stuff in them too. As well as the German guys too. Bank on it.

[Soup DeVille]

In the next 10 years or so those almost all Ferrari and Lambo's will have this kind of stuff in them too. As well as the German guys too. Bank on it.

I don't know about "all of them," but I bet its a fair chance that they'll have at least one model in their stables

[RomanChariot]

It is not bad looking but I am guessing the hybrid system gives you 400hp for about 10 seconds unless they put in a lot of batteries.

[Raza]

It is not bad looking but I am guessing the hybrid system gives you 400hp for about 10 seconds unless they put in a lot of batteries.

And of course, as we all know, batteries take away weight.



Hmm, that doesn't seem right, does it?

[MX793]

People always seem to forget that the 911 uses ultra short gearing.  The last top speed/gear chart I saw for it had first gear topping out at 38 mph.

Carrera S with the 7 spd DSG does 44 mph in 1st.  That's not that short.  Even 38 mph isn't way shorter than other, similarly powerful cars.  Mustang GT tops out at 40 (and its 2nd gear is way shorter than the 911's).  V6 Mustangs (with the 3.31 gears) and Camaros top out at 39.  Nissan GT-R taps out at 37.

[Northlands]

Ummmmm.........

I know it's semantics, but they weren't worried about the Enzo having it in there.

I now await the Hybrid Corvette and Viper. 

[Onslaught]

I know it's semantics, but they weren't worried about the Enzo having it in there.

I now await the Hybrid Corvette and Viper. 

Hybrid Corvette will happen one day.

[sportyaccordy]

Hybrid Corvette will happen one day.

Lol @ cars.

[Soup DeVille]

Hybrid Corvette will happen one day.

Is possible. It'll be called the Corvolt.

[Onslaught]

Is possible. It'll be called the Corvolt.

Hey, that's good. You need to run that by Chevy and see if you can make some $.

[SVT666]

Carrera S with the 7 spd DSG does 44 mph in 1st.  That's not that short.  Even 38 mph isn't way shorter than other, similarly powerful cars.  Mustang GT tops out at 40 (and its 2nd gear is way shorter than the 911's).  V6 Mustangs (with the 3.31 gears) and Camaros top out at 39.  Nissan GT-R taps out at 37.

Vipers, Vettes, Lamborghinis, and Ferraris all top out around 60 mph.

[CALL_911]

I love the way it looks, but "we need to satisfy the tree huggers?" Seriously? On a car that barely sold 100 units per year by the end of its lifetime?

I like it, but the hybrid system leaves me uninterested. Not that my interest really matters, in all fairness.

[CALL_911]

RIP, my love. RIP.

[Onslaught]

Don't show that one. Show the original with pop ups. It looks better.

[MX793]

Vipers, Vettes, Lamborghinis, and Ferraris all top out around 60 mph.

Vettes and Vipers have always been geared tall.  Their big engines have so much torque they almost have to be to be manageable.  The 458 Italia tops out at 47.  The AM V12 Vantage taps out at 44.

[sportyaccordy]

I love the way it looks, but "we need to satisfy the tree huggers?" Seriously? On a car that barely sold 100 units per year by the end of its lifetime?

I like it, but the hybrid system leaves me uninterested. Not that my interest really matters, in all fairness.

I am completely turned off by the hybrid system too... but to be fair I think it is just a little booster between the motor and the transmission... though it def will have some extra batteries

Also that Porsche GT3 Cup Hybrid does really well with its hybrid powertrain

But judging by this thing (looks to be about the size of an R8 which IMO is too fucking big), it will NOT be in that car's league. I'm almost certain this thing will have a SOHC V6 from a fucking Accord

[Atomic]

i love the looks, but agree with raza on it being a hybrid and having AWD. yet, with the corporate average fuel economy (C.A.F.E.) mandates, we will certainly see far more GREEN vehicles. i hope the rumors are true about honda designing a new honda branded S2000. that, i probably could afford