Acura's NSX Steals The Title Of Most Advanced Powertrain Title - Do We Really Need Moonshot Technology For The Road?

So it's technologically advanced, so what? Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, Aston, Lamborghini, and Ferrari won't give it a second thought.

My understanding is that each brand tries to distinguish itself by focusing on its "thing." BMW is sports sedans. Mercedes is luxury. Acura has been focusing on the "technologically advanced" angle. That's why their cars have those unusual looking multi-segment LED headlights, amongst other cues. Judge for yourself if that approach is working for Acura or not.

Personally, I believe the complete product you offer, as a whole (price included), is what works well or doesn't.

To the European manufacturers, the last NSX was a pretty Honda Fiero and they ignored it and prospered. I'll wager they go "Nice Fiero" and then completely ignore it.

@MDarringer: Do do anything other than sit at the keyboard and post your Debby-downer responses to all articles....

HoustonMidTown - While most of us have families, work and other outside interests, Autospies is all Matt has in his pathetic life. No other website will tolerate his hatred, his wife has estranged him and his friends can't stand to be around him. He has documented chromosomal and gene issues, and no where else to go - - - we just have to live with the douche bag.

MDarringer: re Europeans likely to ignore new NSX

I suspect you're right. In Europe, the land of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, and where most other exotics and luxury cars are made, I too believe the new NSX will be largely ignored. Let's let some time pass to see if we're right. After all, nobody actually knows the future.

Monied people with taste will buy European. Monied import tuner people will buy the NSX and then whine about how advanced it is when they get ignored.

Just like Clifford C. Clavin.

So there ya go! Proof that Tesla is crap and the NSX is the best car in the world!

[Steve hurriedly leaves the room, ducking and running ;-) ]

...and when that warranty runs out two words: have fun!! This thing was conceived during the unreliable Acura days and they still aren't there yet.

MDarringer is just showing his age with his "Fiero" comment. The original NSX shocked the world when it first came out. In the age of stiff/heavy clutch, balky shift gates, unreliable 2 seaters, sport car that was hard to live with on a daily basis, the NSX with its high revving, track car dynamics, ease to operate and drive, and fast, shocked Ferrari and Porsche into making their cars more dependable and easy to live with. Even Porsche and Ferrari afficianados in the day admitted that Honda did a good job and refined their car accordingly. The fact that Acura hasn't taken advantage of that legacy doesn't diminish the original car's significance. As for this modern day car, I don't see the revolutionary changes it it to warrant its high price nor is the sport car segment my cup of tea anyway so you gentlemen can battle on. I will say this though, if you are rich enough to buy one and critique it, your words will have more weight than just sitting at your desk and dream on while you lease your car.

nguyenvuminh wrote "...The original NSX shocked the world when it first came out..."

My recollection was that it pleasantly surprised the world. It was nicely styled for its time, reliable enough to be a daily driver, easy to enjoy, and pretty capable, all things considered. It was not a Ferrari eater, though, and nobody expected it to be. It was announced to cost US$40,000, and that inspired a lot of press ink (amazing value for the dollar), but by the time it showed up in showrooms, it was priced closer to $60,000 (not so amazing value).

The original NSX was well received, but it didn't shock many people. It also didn't sell very well.

Steve, with all due respect, you don't know what you're talking about.

The first NSX hugely influential. It basically made Ferrari what it is today.

When the NSX came out, Ferrari was selling the POS 348 - horrible performance, horrible handling, more than horrible reliability.

They decided to follow Honda's lead by using an aluminum space frame in their next model - the 360, fixed the handling, were forced to add a modicum of reliability and the rest is history.

Hugely influential.

runninglogan1, to be accurate, the F355 followed the 348. The 360 only came later, after the 355 expired.

I don't have an inside track at Ferrari but by most account, what I hear is that the NSX did influence the trajectory of quality at Ferrari.

We need all the technologies!

It maybe overpriced now, but in time this tech will find its way into everything and we will all appreciate it.

Just what I want in my next sports car, more tech, more weight, more stuff to add to the pure driving experience (dripping with sarcasm).

1st production car to feature an all-aluminum monocoque, including extruded-aluminum chassis elements. The suspension was also all-aluminum, and the combined weight savings from the alloy construction compared with traditional steel was about 500 pounds.
1st production car to feature four-channel ABS, 1st mainstream application of electric power steering, and 1st consumer vehicle to use titanium connecting rods for its high-revving engine that produced 270 hp — or shocking 90 ponies per liter back in 1991. It had VTEC variable valve timing system. Its mid-engine design had the gas tank was located between the driver and the engine, so that, as fuel levels fell, the car’s balance didn’t budge.
It had 3 F1 drivers, Satoru Nakajima, Bobby Rahal, and that little Brazillian fella name Ayrton Senna, involved in the design of the car.

It did shock the world, per Automobile magazine, per Motor Trend, per Car & Driver (it beat Porsche 911, Ferrari 348ts, Corvette ZR1), and per Road&Track.

Yeah, “pleasantly surprised” all right …… for Honda. It was UNpleasant surprise for Porsche and Ferrari at the time.

As I said earlier, Acura didn't follow up on their technology success in decades that followed and their current cars are nothing special but the original NSX did make history and make its competitors at the time looked historical.

Welcome to Import Tuner Boy Jingoism.

Ding ding ding, right on cue. Here comes the labeling and name calling. But that's ok MDarringer, you make us laugh and make this website fun, kind of like a clown.

Pushing cool tech is the right angle for the NSX. The car performs well enough, has no shortage of street presence (personally I prefer its looks to any car in its price range or performance segment), and is "futuristic." That's cool! In a way that makes the i8 almost a direct competitor. For those who want tech over track times or "pedigree" in their $160k+ coupe, those are both compelling options.

Eventually all this tech will trickle down to cheaper models and that's also something to be excited about. An S2000 replacement that borrows tech from the NSX would be a very welcome addition to the affordable performance space.

The NSX won't push the industry to improve the way the original did, sure. The industry has pushed this NSX in turn, and that's how we get cool tech. I'm OK with that.