Monday, January 9, 2012

New NSX Concept revealed!

Today is a big for NSX afficionados like me as Honda North America unvealed the next generation NSX concept.

This car completely caught me off guard.  Honda had teased us before with two previous concepts:



...a disguised prototype was filmed lapping the Nurburgring (and sounding very V10 like):
...only to pull the carpet out from under us.

The stillborn front engined HSV concept did make it as a SuperGT racer in Japan but it wasn't a true NSX.

Seems like Honda is finally serious.

The buzz was electric on NSXPrime today in this thread and this thread.

I sat by the computer at 2:35 this afternoon, sitting on my hands and holding my breath hoping they didn't muck this one up.  Honda did not disappoint.

Details as revealed by Honda President Mr. Ito were sketchy at best but it appears to be powered by a mid-engined (hooray!) V6 utilizating hybrid technology to power the front wheels via electric motors.  It will emply their SH-AWD system with paddle shift transmission.  I was hoping they'd go MR, RWD and NA power with a traditional manual tranny but with the way car companies are going these days it would look like they would not be "ADVANCING" enough for their motto.  I hated the official heavily photoshopped pics but the ones that came out of the North American International Auto Show were much nicer.  These pics came from Mitch on NSXPrime, who was at the live unveiling:



I have to say I LOVE IT!

Honda's official photos:





Honda, please build this bugger and let us show Europe (once again) what you can do.

EDIT: Here are the numbers from the Car Connection report on the DAS.

"Acura says the new system can dynamically change torque to the front 19-inch wheels; the rear wheels on the concept are 20-inchers.
Honda promises a new direct-injected V-6 will be paired with a dual-clutch transmission with its own built-in electric motor, for even more drivetrain efficiency, but declined to make any horsepower or gas-mileage estimates.
The new NSX will measure 170.5 inches long, 74.6 inches wide, 45.7 inches tall, on a 101.4-inch wheelbase. That compares with the original car's 174.2-inch overall length, 99.6-inch wheelbase, 46.1-inch height, and 71.3-inch width."
 Reference