2019NSX

Engineering is an art. Equal parts rational and emotional, sports car engineering is at its best when the tension between these sides results in harmony. Such was the vision for NSX: power and beauty, precision and nuance, interwoven such that the car itself becomes both a machine and an experience.

Precision Crafted Performance, the Acura mantra, served as both philosophical approach and physical benchmark for NSX. Thus a wholly new supercar was brought to life: an exotic sports car born of racing DNA, equal parts adrenaline and composure.

From its ultra-rigid space frame to dynamically agile Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™, the chassis is the super skeleton that supports all NSX systems.

NSX Sports Hybrid Power Unit: Precisely engineered to produce 573-hp, 476 lb-ft of torque and a top speed of 191 MPH.

Dynamics begins with physics and imagination, building and testing new ideas while subjecting conventional wisdom to skeptical reexamination. Motion, mass and geometry are applied through a lens of innovation, fine-tuned such that inventiveness and proven principles come to coexist for an unequaled driving experience.

It's the first of its kind. NSX is the first supercar powered by a bespoke Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel Drive, 573-hp power unit that is an absolute game-changer. NSX Engine power and direct electric torque combine for a new kind of dynamic performance, not just in acceleration, but in steering and braking too. This is interwoven dynamics in the purest sense: exhilarating performance powered by precision.

It growls and you're gone. Speed, power and amazing ingenuity live inside this clever beast: a mid-mounted twin-turbocharged, 75-degree, 3.5-liter DOHC V-6 engine with dry sump lubrication. It’s the product of countless days and nights of relentless engineering, perfected on the track.

Think of it as throttle response deluxe. Sandwiched between the V-6 and the 9-speed DCT, the direct drive supercar electric motor is attached directly to the driveshaft for immediate torque and acceleration. At the track, Launch Mode can slice off .5 seconds and deliver pressed-back-in-your-seat Gs the instant you release the brake.

The brain of the power unit is also its primary battery. Positioned low and center, it sits behind the seats, directing energy to electric motors front and rear.

G-loading you can feel comes from two independent electric motors at the front wheels that deal out immediate torque on the move for athletic acceleration that makes passing absolutely effortless.

The race-ready 9-speed DCT brings it all to the table. With an electronically-operated wet dual-clutch, high-rigidity shift forks, double-cone synchronizers and electronic shift actuator, shift timing is precisely synchronized with power unit torque – and that means super-fast, smooth-as-silk shifting.

Working in concert, the engine and electric motors produce a combined peak 573-hp and 476 lb-ft of torque, which translates into a G-crushing 0 – 60 MPH in 2.7 seconds, and a heart-pounding track top speed of 191 MPH.

NSX is more than one supercar. Its dynamic range flexes to reflect its driver’s mood, responding to every input with absolute fidelity. Weekend touring or competitive tracking, commuting or negotiating a mountain pass, it adapts and supports and partners with its driver. That purity of dynamic response extends beyond motion to emotion: the love of driving, with utter confidence.

Ultimate rigidity is the Holy Grail of dynamic sports car performance. Achieving it demands complex engineering, striking an ironically delicate balance between brutal forces. In NSX, that balance is struck from the inside out with a completely clean-sheet design, a multi-material space frame that forms the foundation for instant response in steering, throttle and brakes.

NSX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD® applies true torque vectoring with every turn. The electric Twin Motor Unit (TMU) directs torque to each front wheel independently to maximize the effectiveness of each tire's traction as the turn is executed. It makes for uncannily precise cornering on road or track, even at speed—the car planted but eager, urging the driver on. The dynamics are such that acceleration can come much earlier out of every turn, which translates into faster lap times—and makes precision line tracing an exhilarating exercise in the freedom of spirited driving.

NSX delivers a refreshingly civilized approach to touring, thanks to its advanced, lightweight suspension and steering systems and rigid frame. Third-generation magnetorheological (MR) dampers respond to the road more than 1000 times per second; the cabin provides a quiet refuge with muted wind and road sound. Engine sound aligns with driving mode—from the near-silence of Quiet Mode to Track Mode’s aggressive snarl. Across the driving spectrum, the same systems that deliver high-performance athleticism at speeds approaching 200 MPH provide the same poise and traction management at every speed.

Stopping on demand is a beautiful thing. NSX super sports brakes are powerful, linear, predictable and virtually fade-free. High-performance Brembo® hydraulic brakes and hybrid regenerative braking are seamlessly integrated to confidently deliver authentic, high-fidelity response anywhere, anytime.

If the power unit is the heart of the beast, the Integrated Dynamics System is its mind. The system reflects the mood and manners of man and machine, firing the senses and heightening the driving experience. The four modes: Quiet, Sport, Sport+ and Track each has its own distinct pleasures, from flying under the radar to screaming through a circuit.

Simplicity of form and elements essential to the space form the foundation of NSX cockpit design. Minimalist in its aesthetic and spacious in its dimensions, the NSX interior was precisely engineered to create a richly supportive domain for the driver–even those whose height is in the 95th percentile.

The aggressively-shaped bolsters are smooth leather for ease of ingress/egress. Alcantara® is at the center of the sports seats to provide grip and reduce lateral movement. Key interior surfaces are ergonomically padded to support knees and elbows, providing additional supercar comfort and stability.

Slightly-indented finger holds are located at both 10:00 and 2:00 and at 9:00 and 3:00 to satisfy the preferences of most drivers. The painstakingly engineered NSX steering wheel is engineered to help the driver carve precise turns at any speed. The oblong shape allows an unobstructed view over the top and greater leg clearance at the bottom. Tailored leather wrap is finished with hidden stitching for an unencumbered grip.

Connection to the road demands sweeping visibility – a quality embraced by NSX engineers dating back to the first-generation NSX. Today, the expansive view begins with ultra-slim A-pillars crafted using an innovative, 3D bent-and-quenched fabrication process that produces ultra-high tensile strength. Adding to the openness is the low meter visor, the uniquely shaped steering wheel, a frameless rearview mirror and side mirrors on slender stalks.

Leaps from hushed to hellion in a single bound. In Quiet mode, NSX runs virtually silent; in Track mode, every note of peak performance is in full-throated cry. The sound satisfies on a gut level, both on the street and inside the acoustically-tuned cabin, where engine sound correlates with dynamic mode.

ELS Studio® Premium Audio tuned by Grammy® award winner Elliot Scheiner. It’s music that stirs the soul with vivid clarity and visceral bass response, unleashed in a private studio that travels at speeds close to 200 MPH. Here is an audio system custom-built for NSX, with nine speakers (including two super-charged door speakers and an ELS-first rear-center speaker) and all-new lightweight components, all driven by 580 watts of amplification.

PMC is the purpose-built facility in Ohio, where the Acura NSX is produced. It’s 200,000 square feet of innovation, a place where craftsmanship and technology converge in ways so forward-thinking, it’s sparked a dozen patents. The openness of the space – expansive, airy and absolutely pristine – aptly represents the values of transparency and collaboration here.

Building an entirely new kind of supercar requires entirely new ways of thinking. At the Performance Manufacturing Center, the same level of innovation that went into the NSX itself went into its production. Top specialists in each area of production were asked to imagine their dream process and work station – then make it real. Thus new tools, systems, materials and practices – two of which are patented with an additional nine pending – were brought to life, ensuring a perfect union of technology and craftsmanship.

The process of assembling each NSX is unique, a seamless collaboration of technology and human touch. From MIG-welding the bespoke multi-material space frame to final fit and finish, this is a wholly new approach to automobile production: unequalled innovation guided by masters of the craft.

Creating a finish this extraordinary takes time. To begin, 10 dip-tanks clean and rinse all surfaces; next comes an electro-deposition coating that’s then cured at 390F. Finally, eleven coats of primer and paint and clear coat are applied, one painstaking coat-and-cure at a time. Body panels are painted robotically, while the front grille is hand-sprayed piano black. Once fully cured, the painted panels are handled with soft leather gloves during assembly and visual inspections; laser inspections ensure perfection.

Precision comes from human touch and high technology. While paint cures and undergoes inspection, assembly continues on the rest of the car: power unit components, chassis parts, seats, interior finishes and controls. Throughout NSX assembly, screws are hand-started, then tightened with digitally-connected wrenches to ensure exact torque. The painted exterior panels are attached last to protect the finish.

A team of eight elite associates build NSX engines at the Acura engine plant in Anna, Ohio – where 4,000 square feet is their exclusive domain. Each NSX engine is hand-built by one master builder at their own station, where every fastener is started by hand and every torque measurement is recorded – on all 547 bolts. When complete, the engine is broken in on a dynamotor, revving the engine to various speeds and loads for the equivalent of 150 miles of driving, so every engine is ready to go full throttle on delivery.