Honda/Acura found the SAE 2015 World Congress and Exhibition the perfect place to reveal further technical details about the next-generation Acura NSX. They especially wanted to boast about the car’s “multi-material space frame” which has many “world’s firsts” in it.
The new Acura NSX features a multi-material space frame with ultra-high-strength steel A-pillars created using ablation casting which result in superb rigidity. That rigidity not only enhances the handling and road behavior, it also provides optimum crash protection. The design of the NSX is equally clever, featuring active aerodynamic elements and 10 built-in heat exchangers to cool the car’s three-motor powertrain.
The powertrain is the coolest part of the new Acura NSX. It consists of a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine that works in tandem with a front twin-motor unit (TMU), rear direct-drive electric motor, 9-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT), and SH-AWD. No wonder the car has 10 heat exchangers. All these mechanical and electronic units are governed by super clever computer programs to make sure they always work at the peal of their performance.
When the NSX comes out it will give the Nissan GT-R a good run for its money in terms of precise engineering. Not that it will be a direct competitor for the GT-R. Performance figures have not been revealed yet, but the NSX will most likely be a rival for cars like the McLaren 650S.
“Our goal is to create something altogether new and exciting, something that advances the concept of a next generation supercar in the spirit of the original NSX,” said Ted Klaus, chief engineer and global development leader of the new NSX. “In order to provide NSX-level value, we needed to push ourselves to experiment with, refine and then realize many new technologies.”