The second coming of Honda’s NSX supercar has not replicated the success of its original.
When the first-generation NSX was launched, the Japanese car industry was in its ascendancy. NSX was symbolic of that and had the measure of some European rivals.
The second-generation NSX has been less of a purist’s car. Much heavier, and complicated, the hybridized 3.5-litre bi-turbo drivetrain has struggled to compete with similarly priced performance cars.
Now though, Honda’s engineers hope to enliven the NSX’s image, and legacy, with a limited-edition NSX Type S. Only 350 of these NSXs will be built before the NSX nameplate goes into retirement.
Now equipped with turbochargers from the NSX GT3 Evo race car, engineers have worked at extracting more power from the 3.5-litre V6 hybrid drivetrain which employs 3 electric motors to now produce 427 kW and 667 Nm of torque which is some 20 kW and 22 Nm more than the standard NSX.
The 9-speed dual transmission’s shift response has been sharpened by some 50% on the upshifts and now features Rapid Downshift Mode to initiate on-the-boil downshifts.
The NSX’s SH-AWD torque vectoring system and its Integrated Dynamics System have been retuned to deliver better handling and cornering performance.
The most significant issue impacting NSX’s appeal remains its 1 725 kg kerb weight but customers can opt for Lightweight Packages that include carbon-ceramic brakes, carbon fibre engine cover and interior carbon fibre finishes all contributing to a weight loss of 26.2 kg.
The NSX Type S will wear the Acura badge in the US where 300 units will be sold. The remaining 50 units will be sold in Japan and in other select markets.
This article was originally published on Cars.co.za.
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