The new Acura NSX prototype - will be at the Indy 200 today!

[szh]

Here is the video posted today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOKBYCpGMo8

Some more info I received in an e-mail:

Thank you for your interest in the Acura NSX Concept. From the moment it took the stage at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, car enthusiasts like you around the world have waited to see the new Acura supercar in motion. Today is the day. Preceding the Indy 200 this afternoon, an NSX prototype will lap the storied Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course at speed.

And you get an exclusive first look.

For the next three hours, NSX Preview members can watch a special, on-track NSX testing video and share it with their friends. No one has seen this footage until today.

Then at 3:00 PM EST, tune in to NBC's Indy 200 coverage for the very first high-speed, public appearance of the Acura NSX.

Z

[MinisterofDOOM]

Mechanically, It's nothing more than an RLX driving backward. I could not POSSIBLY less excited unless I were attending the reveal for the next-gen Solara.

[szh]

Mechanically, It's nothing more than an RLX driving backward. I could not POSSIBLY less excited unless I were attending the reveal for the next-gen Solara.

You are getting jaded with cars. It isn't that bad! Although I have to admit that I prefer the original design, but I think this could improve with time and exposure.

Z

[Jesda]

This is far more interesting than Acura's latest "Made for Mankind" ads. So pretentious for a brand with little to offer the luxury world.

Build the goods. Show the goods.

[Looneybomber]

Haven't found much information on this car at all. Where did you find what chassis it uses?

[jbracy7]

Is it rwd

[Razi]

Nope, the engine in the middle powers the rear wheels, and the electric motor power the front wheels.
So, not a backwards RLX.
Reminds me of the Honda Dualnote concept from over 10 years ago. Except this also has a third electric motor assisting the rear wheels as well.

[szh]

Nope, the engine in the middle powers the rear wheels, and the electric motor power the front wheels.
So, not a backwards RLX.
Reminds me of the Honda Dualnote concept from over 10 years ago. Except this also has a third electric motor assisting the rear wheels as well.

Yes. As I recall, it has three electric motors in addition to the gas engine - one electric for each front wheel and then a third electric to assist the gas engine for the rear wheels.

Estimated to be somewhere in the 450 to 600 HP total range.

Z

[Razi]

I remember thinking that was a sweet idea when the Dualnote came out.
I wonder how the performance stacks up versus other supercars.

[szh]

So pretentious for a brand with little to offer the luxury world.

I am not sure that I can agree with this that easily!

Let's not forget that it was the deployment (and sales success!) of the first Acura Legend back in the mid-to-late 1980's that caused Nissan and Toyota to sit up and put together crash projects for their luxury line-up. Resulting in Lexus and Infiniti models released in 1989 and 1990 - with a two-year development cycle for the Q45 that I know of (was unheard of at the time) since they were losing ground to Acura with buyers people who wanted an alternative to unreliable German and American luxury cars.

With the original NSX, Acura did the same "thing" to the Italian super-cars of that era - which were notoriously unreliable and could hardly be called daily-drivers. The success of the NSX in the low-end market - competing well with the Farrari 308 for example - forced them to re-evaluate their quality (of lack thereof, really) and improve. Even though the NSX did not compete in the absolute high-end, it's super-car looks, relatively good performance, good handling, and outstanding reliability caused the market to evolve.

So, I would say that Acura has been - in a sense - a kind of game-changer to both the Japanese luxury and European sports-car markets. It has had an effect well beyond its size!

Finally, don't discount Honda reliability. My wife's 1997 Acura CL was the most reliable and inexpensive to maintain car I have ever owned in almost 38 years of owning cars. Her current 2011 Acuta TSX is amazingly good in this regard too. Sure, it does not compare to (or compete with) the high-end luxury models from Infiniti and Lexus and BMW, etc.. But for what it has, for the price we bought it for, it fits entirely well. We test-drove the TSX and TL and compared them to the BMW 3 series, Infiniti G and Lexus and ended up getting the TSX.

Even though the other cars beat it out in one or the other characteristic, the overall "blend and balance" of the TSX made it a relatively clear choice for my wife. In the 18 months we have had it, it has been totally trouble-free and has the nice small, sporty feel combined with luxury features that were sufficient for my wife. I fully expect it to be as good long-term as my wife's first Acura.

Z

[szh]

I wonder how the performance stacks up versus other supercars.

They are aiming at the Ferrari 458 and Nissan GTR equivalent performance market at a lower price-point.

Estimated to be about 2.8 second range for 0-60. We will not really know till the production version is released 2 to 3 years from now - the current car is still a prototype.

Z

[jbracy7]

Nsx sounds like a bore to drive,just like the gtr,just to dawn easy to drive

[szh]

Nsx sounds like a bore to drive,just like the gtr,just to dawn easy to drive

Depends on what you want out of a car, I suppose! For me, the GTR (and most likely, the new NSX too) pass the equivalent of the "cracker test".

If the new NSX proves to be as good a daily driver as the first, with the capability to haul arse when needed, then I think it will be a success.

That is a big "if", of course.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Nope, the engine in the middle powers the rear wheels, and the electric motor power the front wheels.
So, not a backwards RLX.

It is EXACTLY a Backward RLX. The RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD has a Transverse V6 "mid-front" (if you can call overhanging the axle "mid"), and two electric motors in the rear. The NSX has THE EXACT SAME transverse V6 mid-rear (again, if you count transverse overhang as "mid"), with two electric motors up front.

It is a backward RLX. It is NOT an NSX. The NSX was light, simple, and pure. This new thing is overteched, overweight, overcomplicated, and underwhelming. Which are exactly the traits I've come to expect from modern Acura.

[szh]

So, is an Infiniti G just a backward Nissan Maxima then?

After all, it is the same engine (more or less) ... just driving the rear wheels instead of the front, right?

Z

[szh]

The NSX was light, simple, and pure. This new thing is overteched, overweight, overcomplicated, and underwhelming.

Now this is something I could agree with ... I would have preferred to see a simpler, back-to-basics NSX too.

However, I also think that this simpler two-seater market is dominated by Nissan with the Z and to a lesser degree, Maxda with the Miata.

Z

[Razi]

Nope, the engine in the middle powers the rear wheels, and the electric motor power the front wheels.
So, not a backwards RLX.

It is EXACTLY a Backward RLX. The RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD has a Transverse V6 "mid-front" (if you can call overhanging the axle "mid"), and two electric motors in the rear. The NSX has THE EXACT SAME transverse V6 mid-rear (again, if you count transverse overhang as "mid"), with two electric motors up front.

It is a backward RLX. It is NOT an NSX. The NSX was light, simple, and pure. This new thing is overteched, overweight, overcomplicated, and underwhelming. Which are exactly the traits I've come to expect from modern Acura.

Is that on the new RLX?

I agree about the overtechy nature of it. They should've named it something else.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Yeah, it's on the new RLX (as opposed to the old RL) but that particular Sport Hybrid model wont come out for a couple more months. Originally, ALL RLXs were going to be that way, and then Acura stuck with their "let's charge $55k for a FWD V6 fatmobile" model for early production instead.

So, is an Infiniti G just a backward Nissan Maxima then?

Your trolling misses the point. This isn't "same engine" it's SAME ENTIRE POWERTRAIN turned 180 degrees and plopped into a different car. It's like taking an Altima engine, putting it in the back of a new 2-door body, and calling it the GTR. It's sort of missing the point. Clearly Nissan gets something Honda doesn't, because they did NOT do that, but instead designed an all-new powerplant for the GTR.

The RLX isn't exactly and astounding achievement by its own yardstick. Using its "SH-AWD" system in a "supercar" is dumb as Hell.

[szh]

So, is an Infiniti G just a backward Nissan Maxima then?

Your trolling misses the point.

I know, I know ... I was kidding, of course!

This isn't "same engine" it's SAME ENTIRE POWERTRAIN turned 180 degrees and plopped into a different car. It's like taking an Altima engine, putting it in the back of a new 2-door body, and calling it the GTR. It's sort of missing the point. Clearly Nissan gets something Honda doesn't, because they did NOT do that, but instead designed an all-new powerplant for the GTR.

The RLX isn't exactly and astounding achievement by its own yardstick. Using its "SH-AWD" system in a "supercar" is dumb as Hell.

Okay, let play the game a bit further then. If the outcome and result is successful, why not do it then?

No reason that a particular engine and powertrain cannot be re-used in another car when it is already available, right? Saves development time and money and gets to market quicker!

Z

[MinisterofDOOM]

No reason that a particular engine and powertrain cannot be re-used in another car when it is already available, right? Saves development time and money and gets to market quicker!

Z

THIS IS AN NSX! It's not an Accord! THAT is exactly why I think the new NSX is going to suck. Honda doesn't know the difference anymore!!!!! If they're worried about saving time and money on a HALO SUPERCAR, they are in the WRONG DAMN BUSINESS.

Nobody wants a fat Accord turned backward and missing two doors. It's an answer to a question that will NEVER BE ASKED.

Did Nissan just stick a VQ35 in the GTR and call it good? NO. They engineered a whole new bespoke engine and complete powertrain FOR THAT CAR ALONE. And look what it did for the car AND the brand! Nissan already had class-leading V6s (something Acura does NOT have), one of the best AWD systems around (again, something Acura doesn't have) and they STILL chose to design from the ground up. Why?

BECAUSE SUPERCARS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SUPER. NOT GORRAM RLXs with their pants on backward!!!!!

The GTR is a one-off, and it's amazing an affordable.
The NSX is parts-bin material, and it's going to be bland and expensive.

There is somethign wrong with one of these approaches. I shouldn't have to explain which one.

If you're going to do anything worth doing, DO IT RIGHT.
If you're not going to do it right, shut up and go away.

[szh]

Okay, I get your point. I don't agree with it, but I understand what you are saying and your reasoning.

Also, remember that even in the first-gen NSX, there wasn't anything really revolutionary about the engine and powertrain per se - the engineering effort was mostly in the suspension and body and overall design. Just for example, they used light-weight Aluminum and Titanium(?) parts that brought the weight down a lot, etc.

So, IMHO, beating up Acura because they didn't design a new engine and new powertrain and new everything for this NSX is too harsh. If the new NSX can now make 450 to 600+ HP (not clear what it is though) they must have had to make some changes - it isn't just a matter of bolting things together backwards! We just don't know yet exactly what they did ... yet.

Z