Acura Advanced Sports Car Concept Preview

Behold, the next NSX by Keith Buglewicz

What it Is

Acura Advanced Sports Car Concept Preview – 2007 Detroit Auto Show:The Acura NSX was exactly the kind of car that we always knew Honda Motor Co. could build, bringing together the company’s wild-child Formula 1 expertise with its sensible shoes Civic-minded reliability and drivability. But despite its greatness, the NSX was allowed to wither, with hardly any attention paid to it during its 15-year run. With the Advanced Sports Car Concept, Acura is giving us a glimpse at what the NSX’s replacement will look like. While a few NSX cues are evident (the LED headlight treatment is meant to evoke the pop-ups of the original), its classic front-engine, rear-drive proportions speak to a completely different car, one with V10 power going to the rear wheels.

Why it Matters

The Acura Advanced Sports Car Concept, if it does indeed presage the NSX replacement, is a Very Big Deal. After losing its way in the 90s and only just now reviving its reputation as a precision automaker, this concept signals the next big thing from Acura. It also showcases a distinct departure for Acura (and Honda), as the Advanced Sports Car Concept is powered by a V10 engine that Acura says will be its most powerful ever. That engine will be mounted in the front and drive the rear wheels, also a departure for the company.

What’s Under the Hood

Specifics of the Advanced Sports Car Concept weren’t released by Acura at the time of the press conference; however three important features were noted. The first was the front-mounted V10 engine. It’s the most cylinders Honda has ever put in one production car engine, and considering the power the company can squeeze out of even the most diminutive four banger, we’re excited to see (and hear) this engine. Second is the rear-drive configuration, also a rarity from this manufacturer. Finally, the rear drive will be augmented with a two-wheel version of the company’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive, which if it’s as good in two-wheel form as it is in all-wheel form, should help this car kick some major butt.

What We Think

Even as it made its exit some 15 years after its introduction, the NSX was still a thrilling machine to drive. Acura could certainly use the credibility boost a world-beating exotic could bring to its lineup. Considering how much the company can do when it’s on a budget (i.e., the Civic Si and S2000, for starters), we can’t wait to see what happens when cost is suddenly no, or at least not a primary, object. Photos courtesy of Acura, Ron Perry Source : http://www.autosite.com