Acura NSX
Tech specs
Price range: $189,900.
Engine: 3.5-litre V6 turbo and hybrid.
Transmission/drive: Nine-speed automatic/all-wheel.
Why it matters: Following in a legend’s footsteps is a nearly impossible task – just ask the new Supra. With the reborn NSX, Acura knew they had to bring supercar performance to the table, but also build a vehicle that could be driven every day. On an engineering level, the NSX was a success. In terms of excitement, something was missing.
At nearly $200,000 to start, the NSX is hardly a poor man's supercar. It's not a poor man's anything, really. It is, however, the thinking person's ultimate performance vehicle. Now that its somewhat lukewarm debut is out of the way and the cars are into the hands of people who care about driving, the NSX no longer stands in the shadow of its ground-breaking predecessor.
The performance is blistering – now capable of sprinting to 100km/h in 2.7 seconds, the 2019 NSX also benefits from a stiffened suspension and grippier tires. The blend of turbocharged power and electric torque makes for astounding track performance, with the front electric motors applying torque-vectoring for better turn-in.
Along with all this power and technology, the NSX is a hybrid. It comes with a quiet mode for sneaking out of the house early without upsetting the neighbours, or cruising through downtown without being antisocial. It's also very comfortable on long cruises, and, when fitted with the proper tires, can handle all kinds of weather.
As if to signify that the NSX is worth shouting about, Acura has released a new colour called Thermal Orange, which is about as subtle as a solar flare. Further, Acura has also brought their NSX GT3 racing car along to prove that the new NSX will also live up to the nameplate's race-winning legacy. In fact, an NSX just won Japan's premier sportscar racing series, the Super GT championship.
Even if your budget is better suited toward their entry-level sport sedan lineup, Acura’s new polish on their halo car is hard not to like. Drop by the stand and have a go behind the wheel of a virtual reality simulator to find out what a few lucky owners already knew: the NSX is special again.
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