Few of a Kind: 2018 Acura NSX supercar
This is not the kind of ride you can test drive on a public street – unless of course you have the financial means to buy one outright. Speed comes with a price, and with that price above average auto insurance! This mechanical wonder is the 2018 Acura NSX – now in its 2nd generation. When the original Acura NSX made its debut over 25 years ago, it forever changed the sports car world by combining exotic car styling and performance with a new dimension of quality, exceptional ergonomics and dynamic poise. The NSX introduced and defined Acura's approach to "Precision Crafted Performance," with its cutting-edge design and innovative technology that provided exotic car performance for real drivers in the real world.
By making use of advanced new technologies, such as a lightweight yet rigid all-aluminum unibody and chassis mated to a mid-mounted, transverse V6 engine, the original NSX challenged conventional wisdom for an exotic car. Its high-revving V6 engine featured a number of innovative production-car technologies, including forged pistons, titanium connecting rods and a VTEC valvetrain.
Respecting the foundational concepts of the original NSX, the 2018 Acura NSX pursues an altogether new and revolutionary idea for Acura supercar performance, melding timeless sports car values with next-generation technologies to create a New Sports eXperience. And much like Acura's Precision Crafted Performance DNA guided the creation of the original NSX, every aspect of this new NSX is a next-generation expression of those same values. Based on the "man-machine synergy" approach that guides the development of all Acura vehicles, the company has created a driver-centered supercar, where every part of the vehicle is respectful of the smartest part of the car—the driver.
Power for the NSX is equally exotic and unique – the front wheels are powered by two electric motors (Twin Motor Unit). At the rear, a 3.5L twin-turbocharged V6 gasoline engine works with a direct drive motor that is bolted to a nine-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. The front and rear power unit components are mechanically independent from each other. The entire combination is referred to as a Sport Hybrid SH-AWD Power Unit.
This Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (Sport Hybrid SH-AWD) system is the first-of-its-kind technology in the supercar realm. Marrying this cutting-edge and electrified new expression of Acura Super Handling performance with new approaches to vehicle design—including advanced body construction, component packaging and aerodynamic optimization—results in a supercar that faithfully translates the acceleration, steering and braking inputs of the driver with incredible fidelity and instantaneous response, thus amplifying the capabilities of every driver, while greatly elevating the dynamic experience in every driving situation—qualities that define the New Sports eXperience.
Sport Hybrid SH-AWD utilizes its electric motors to assist acceleration, braking and cornering. With electrically-powered torque vectoring provided by the front-mounted Twin Motor Unit, the NSX takes Acura Super Handling All-Wheel Drive technology to a new dimension—using the dynamic, instantaneous and continuous distribution of electric motor torque to enhance handling precision and cornering performance in all driving situations.
Inside the passenger cabin, the NSX provides exceptional, driver centric ergonomics that supports and clarifies the driving experience, from the intuitive instrumentation and simple control layout to the careful application of materials and padding in the sports seats, steering wheel and center console. The center console/controls have been designed to minimize distractions from the most important function—driving—ultimately serving as a "simple sports interface."
To develop an interior with exemplary ergonomics, the Acura design team utilized a number of test drivers with wide-ranging driving experience and skill sets to gather information to improve all aspects of driver feedback and support in the NSX.
Attractive as well as structurally rigid and lightweight, the seats in the new NSX are designed to offer superlative comfort and support, with the lateral and fore/aft support needed for a supercar.
Dimensions & specifications
Wheelbase: 103.5; overall length: 176.0; width: 87.3; height: 47.8
All vehicle measurements are in inches.
Engine: 3.5L twin-turbocharged V6 – 500 hp at 6500-7000 rpm and 406 lbs-ft of torque at 2000-6000 rpm; Direct Drive Motor (permanent-magnet, water-cooled electric motor/generator) – 47 hp at 3000 rpm and 109 lbs-ft of torque at 500-2000 rpm; front twin motor unit (TMU) – 72 hp at 4000 rpm and 108 lbs-ft of torque at 0-2000 rpm.
Transmission: nine-speed dual clutch automatic
EPA Fuel Economy: 21 city/22 highway
Cargo capacity: 4.4 cubic feet
Safety features
Dual front airbags, front side-impact airbags, dual side curtain airbags with rollover sensor, driver’s knee airbag, four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock, brake assist, electronic brake distribution, traction control, vehicle stability assist, LED daytime running lights, LED brake lights, multi-angle rearview camera, remote keyless smart entry system, security system, automatic LED “Jewel Eye” headlights, push button engine start, HomeLink remote system, Bluetooth hands free phone system, AcuraLink Next Generation communications system, navigation system, and tire pressure monitoring system with tire fill assist.
Warranty
Basic: 4-year/50,000 mile
Powertrain: 6-year/70,000 mile
Corrosion: 5-year/unlimited
Roadside Assistance: 4-year/50,000 mile 24-hour
Pricing
The base Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the 2018 Acura NSX starts from $156,000. Destination charges add $1,800.
