Team Acura Parts Blog

Originally developed by Honda as its luxury roadster in the late 20th century, the New Sports eXperimental, popularly known as the NSX, made a big dent in the automotive industry with its focus on quality and driving ease, aside from strong engine performance. A testament to its trail-blazing quality is its all-aluminum construction – the first world’s first ever. Continually produced in a largely unmodified form until 2005, recent announcements suggest a new Acura NSX to be released in either one or two years time.

Groomed to be the first of a new generation of sports-performance vehicles from the Japanese automotive company, the 2008 Acura will feature a beefed-up engine and impeccable design. Acura is set to be the most powerful Honda ever made and, like its predecessor, may become the most expensive Japanese road vehicle in the market.

Acura’s projected tag price is pegged at the $100,000 or higher range. If the final product proves to be anything close to Honda’s F1 car, that price may prove to be a toast for all its worth. It will likely be competing head-on with fellow Japanese sports coupes like the new Skyline GT-R and the Lexus LF-A, both of which are slated for release around the same time.

Early concept pictures of the new NSX indicate a sleek, sporty design. Front and rear view look both aggressive and stylish, accentuating dramatic lines. From the side, it is very sporty albeit a bit bulky, and will likely receive some detailing to highlight lines and edges. Styling appears to borrow heavily from the British line of Grand Tourers.

In an apparent response to the detractors and critics of the NSX’s V6 engine, the company has announced its intention to equip the new model with a 5.5-liter V10 engine, rumored to be cranking up around 550 bhp of usable power. The engine will be front-mounted to allow roomier trunk space. It will offer a maximum top speed of around 200 mph, with a 0 to 60 mph acceleration of around 3.5 seconds.

An all-aluminum built like its predecessor is on the go for Acura’s body construction. It will be wider than originally anticipated due to the engine’s angle which has been derived from F1 race vehicles.

One of the features most likely to be included is a rear-wheel-drive version of Honda’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) technology, suited ideally for high-performance vehicles such as the NSX. SH-AWD applies a higher percentage of torque on the rear wheels during aggressive driving situations and has worked very well for several of Honda’s more powerful lines. Honda is also rumored to have made some tweaks on the suspension system for the incoming Acura.

The new Acura will be fitted with 19- and 20-inch wheels for the front and rear, respectively. NSX’s legendary handling capabilities, as well as Honda’s Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology, are shoo-ins for retention. With Honda’s reputation for fuel efficiency and environmental safety, VCM empower the engine to run on only five cylinders, improving fuel economy and reducing carbon emissions.

Enthusiasts are holding their breath for the official announcements to come regarding the NSX and its new specs. All eyes should be set at the Tokyo Motor Show happening in the fall of 2007, as the roadster is all set to be introduced in Japan.