Acura Employs Hybrid Wizardry To Deliver Beautiful, 550HP NSX Supercar

Acura has taken so long to bring the NSX to production that I’ve sort of lost interest. That’s not to say that the NSX won’t be an amazing vehicle, but Ford has pretty much stolen the show at this year’s Detroit Auto Show with the all-new GT supercar (Ford didn’t hype the GT prior to its unveil; it just dropped the mic this morning and walked off stage).

And we have to also realize that Acura first unveiled the concept for the second generation NSX way back in 2012. Three years a long time, but here were are with the official reveal of the production model. Like the aforementioned GT, the 2016 Acura NSX makes use of a V6 engine that is force-fed via twin turbochargers. But the NSX’s V6 is augmented with an advanced hybrid powertrain. The V6 sends power to the rear wheels, while one electric motor mounted in each front wheel gives the vehicle all-wheel drive (AWD) capabilities. A third electric motor is mounted within the 9-speed dual-clutch transmission (designed by Acura) also helps to power the rear wheels.

But even with twin turbochargers augmented by three electric motors, the NSX “only” generates about 550 hp. The Ford GT pumps out 600 hp without the need for hybrid wizardry.

Acura promises that the NSX will use the latest in lightweight materials to reduce the vehicle’s curb weight. It employs an aluminum intensive space frame and high-strength steel, while carbon fiber and aluminum are used in the suspension. Acura also claims that the NSX will feature the lowest center of gravity in its class.

Moving inside, the cockpit takes some design cues from existing Acura vehicles, but is decidedly more “sport” oriented with seating for two. A large LCD is directly in front of the driver to display pertinent vehicle information, while another LCD resides in the dash for infotainment duties.

There is also a large dial on the center dash that allows the driver to select through four vehicle modes: Quiet, Sport, Sport Plus, and Track. The Quiet mode allows the vehicle to operate completely under electric power, while Track mode unleashes the full power of the NSX’s powertrain.

The first customers deliveries of the NSX will commence later this year, and it will priced at around $155,000.