When the original Acura NSX made its debut 25 years ago, it forever changed the supercar universe by combining scintillating sports car styling and athletic performance—common traits long associated with the exotic car segment—with a new dimension of quality, exceptional ergonomics, comfort, and dynamic poise. The NSX introduced and defined Acura’s approach to “Precision Crafted Performance” with its cutting-edge design and innovative technology that provided accessible supercar performance for real drivers in the real world.

By making use of advanced new technologies such as a lightweight yet rigid all-aluminum monocoque body/chassis and a mid-mounted transverse V6, the original NSX challenged the conventional wisdom for a supercar. Its high-revving V6 engine featured a number of innovative production car technologies including forged pistons, titanium connecting rods and VTEC valve train.

Moreover, the NSX sought a more intimate connection between the car, the driver and the road underneath them, pursued through essential design elements – light weight, open and airy cockpit, and excellent ergonomics – creating an altogether new and paradigm-challenging definition of supercar performance.

The overarching concept for the design and development of this next-generation NSX was the idea of a “human-centered supercar,” one that places the driver at the center of its mission in each and every element of its design and dynamic performance.

Respecting the foundational concepts of the original NSX—accessible supercar performance, everyday drivability, and openness to new technology—this next-generation NSX pursues an altogether new and revolutionary concept of Acura supercar performance – melding timeless NSX values with advanced technologies to create a New Sports experience.

First and foremost, the engineering team felt a tremendous responsibility to continue the fundamental innovation pursued by the original NSX team. Four foundational philosophies are fundamental to the timeless NSX values and essential to realize the new NSX concept and goals:

Total Airflow Management – a wholistic approach to thermal management and aerodynamic performance that supports and enhances dynamic response and high-speed stability without the need for active aero devices

Human Support Cockpit – a cabin that supports the driver and amplifies the driving experience with no sacrifice to comfort or everyday usability

Multi-Material Body – light and ultra-rigid body, applying material, construction and joining methodology optimized to the mission of each body component

Advanced Sports Package – optimizing the design and packaging in all the above aspects—the human package, the body, and finally the key components of the power unit to lower and center the mass of the vehicle.

With these fundamentals in place, NSX engineers could effectively develop technical solutions needed to deliver the New Sports driving experience they sought.

To fully realize this New Sports eXperience, Acura electrifies the advanced fundamentals by leveraging its longstanding Direct Yaw Control knowhow through its Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive (SH-AWD) system, the first of its kind in the supercar realm.

The NSX concept for “zero delay” is more than acceleration, actually involving every aspect of the driver interface … the capacity to directly respond to the driver’s demands in all three phases of driving: Go, Stop, Turn (acceleration, braking and cornering). The NSX’s advanced power unit supports this achievement. Zero delay acceleration and active AWD traction power the NSX out of corners. Energy recovery supports direct and linear braking. And power strategically applied to the wheels directly creates a yaw moment to help turn the car according to the driver’s will.

Marrying new approaches to vehicle design fundamentals, including advanced body construction, component packaging and aerodynamic optimization, with an advanced and electrified new expression of Acura’s direct yaw control concept results in a supercar that faithfully translates the inputs of the driver with incredible fidelity and zero delay while minimizing the driver’s workload—qualities that define the New Sports experience.