Running The Numbers On The Acura NSX, Can It Keep Up With The Competition?

The Acura NSX was likely going to be the most anticipated debut at the quickly approaching North American International Auto Show and with the cat out of the bag on the Cadillac CTS-V and the Audi Q7, Detroit is Acura's playground. We are only a few weeks away from seeing the final product and hearing the specs for the first time but many months away from actual performance tests making now as good a time as any to run some numbers on Acura's upcoming supercar contender, virtually. Going from a front mounted V10 concept nearly a decade ago, the second generation returns with a more authentic mid engine layout but with twin-turbos for the V6 and electric motors giving all wheel drive capability. The brand new, and seemingly unrelated to any current Honda V6, twin-turbo V6 is rumored to be around 3.7 liters in displacement. Similar sized powertrains make anything from 500 to a shade over 600 horsepower in various performance applications. Given Honda's history with turbo engines and a potential desire to reach some MPG targets with the hybrid powertrain it is hard to see a heavily boosted engine so something around 525 horsepower out of the V6 is a good basis. The RLX hybrid setup is good for an additional 67 horsepower towards peak output so when all is said and done a number of 600 combined horsepower seems very logical. Seeing the inherent weight penalty on the RLX hybrid with this setup it is hard to see the NSX dipping much below 3,750 pounds. Given the all wheel drive grip and the electric motor torque the NSX should be as quick as anything not purely exotic off the line to 60. Figure a time of 3.2 seconds or even slightly better to 60 and anything over 3.5 seconds would be a pretty big disappointment.

Will the Acura NSX keep up with its more expensive and established competition or will it come up a bit short?
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Agent009 - 12/30/2014 10:51:18 AM

-4 Boost

No way in the world will this car come close to the competition in performance.

However, it will be a tech junkies favorite but just a novelty in the overall scheme of things.

MDarringer - 12/30/2014 11:45:24 AM

-5 Boost

Like the GTR before it, the NSX will appeal mainly to JDM fanboys and techies, but once they've bought them, the demand will die.

The NSX should have been aimed at the Corvette's slice of the market so that it has sustainable sales.

For its price point, no one--aside from the tiny group mentioned above--will want a Japanese "Buick" namplate on it.

chewy - 12/30/2014 12:48:24 PM

-2 Boost

Based on the rumored specs it should hit those numbers but sometimes stated horsepower and performance figures don't match up. It could end up over 4,000 pounds perhaps. I don't think Acura has had anyone test the RLX hybrid so who knows what that kind of set up can actually do in the real world. Strange and perhaps they are embarrassed by it.

JDMUSMuscle - 12/30/2014 1:32:25 PM

-3 Boost

Have to agree with Matt here. Most likely it will only appeal to boy racers and JDM fanboys like myself, and then it will be forgotten, like GT-R was.

We should know why the Japanese companies never keep producing their cars and discontinue, like Supra, NSX, etc. It is all because of bad sales number.

TheSteve - 12/30/2014 12:45:44 PM

-2 Boost

After the initial (and small) pent-up is met, sales will be disappointing. After several years of embarrassingly slow sales, Acura will discontinue production and the NSX II will be little more than a footnote in automotive history.

IhavearedS2000 - 12/30/2014 6:18:06 PM

+5 Boost

I would be surprised if it weighs more than 3500lbs (I've heard even less than that)....the autospy hate continues full force...

chewy - 12/30/2014 8:59:11 PM

+1 Boost

That would be quite the feat but consider the million dollar Porsche 918 is 3,700 pounds and I think Acura will give it a decent hybrid capability like the 918 but with cheaper construction. The P1 is 3,300 but it's very barebones and the i8 is 3,300 but it has half the engine and full carbon fiber. Hondas are generally light but that would be impressive.

IhavearedS2000 - 12/30/2014 9:22:59 PM

+3 Boost

I think the Porsche can drive on electric alone, so bigger heavier batteries? Don't think the NSX is going that route...

chewy - 12/31/2014 2:48:08 PM

+1 Boost

Probably but it's got a carbon fiber chassis to balance that out. 3,500 would be quite impressive for a mid engine twin turbo hybrid with 3 electric motors.

IhavearedS2000 - 12/31/2014 5:46:26 PM

+2 Boost

Yes, it would be impressive...and at a fraction of the cost - I'm pretty sure it will much less powerful, but still. We have two weeks to find out...