The 2017 Acura NSX: A Synthesis of Heritage and Innovation
Blending the hallmarks of its historic lineage with revolutionary enhancements, the 2017 Acura NSX manifests a novel approach to the iconic supercar formula. This new model ushers in a radical mix of time-honored sports car elements and cutting-edge technologies to redefine what it means to be a driver's car in the modern era.
Remembering the Game Changer
Over a quarter-century ago, the original Acura NSX disrupted the sports car scene by infusing exotic car performance with impeccable quality, intuitive ergonomics, and dynamic poise. Its innovative design and groundbreaking technologies created a novel paradigm for the real-world exotic car. The original NSX broke the mold by incorporating features such as an all-aluminum monocoque body/chassis, a mid-mounted transverse V-6 engine, and an array of innovative production-car technologies. However, it was the NSX's unique approach to fostering an intimate bond between the car, driver, and road that truly distinguished it from its competitors.
Reimagining the Legacy
With the 2017 Acura NSX, the essence of its predecessor's innovative spirit is respected while pursuing a revolutionary idea for Acura's supercar performance. The core philosophy remains anchored in fostering a synergy between man and machine, with a driver-centric focus permeating every facet of the vehicle. The 2017 NSX's most notable innovation is the Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive (Sport Hybrid SH-AWD), a supercar realm first. This new technology, when combined with fresh approaches to vehicle design, delivers a driving experience characterized by an astounding fidelity to the driver's inputs, enabling enhanced handling precision and cornering performance in a wide range of driving situations.
Dimensions, Capacities, and Weights
The 2017 Acura NSX is a substantial vehicle with a wheelbase of 103.5 inches, a length of 176 inches, and a height of 47.8 inches. With a track of 65.2 inches at the front and 63.7 inches at the rear, this model offers a robust stance. The car weighs in at 3,803 lbs. without options, a weight distribution that leans slightly towards the rear with a 42/58 split. This supercar's capacious fuel tank can hold up to 15.6 gallons, facilitating longer drives before needing to refuel.
Power Unit Specifications
The beating heart of the 2017 Acura NSX is the Sport Hybrid SH-AWD power unit, which couples a newly developed twin-turbocharged mid-mounted V6 engine with a 9-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT) and Direct Drive Motor. The addition of the front-mounted Twin Motor Unit (TMU), which independently drives the left and right front wheels, offers "active AWD" and "direct yaw control," enhancing agility, stability, and performance. The 2017 NSX boasts a maximum total system power of 573 HP and a torque of 476 lb.-ft., underscoring its supercar credentials.
The Multi-Material Body: An Evolutionary Step
In keeping with the original NSX's pioneering use of aluminum, the 2017 NSX utilizes a variety of materials in its multi-material body to achieve unparalleled dynamic rigidity, outstanding visibility, and superior collision performance. Through the incorporation of unique technologies, such as the world's first automotive application of ablation casting technology and three-dimensionally bent.
The NSX Chassis: Redefining Sports Car Dynamics
The innovative chassis of the 2017 Acura NSX encapsulates the perfect blend of traditional sports car design and advanced technological infusions. Acura engineers have given the all-aluminum front and rear suspension systems a modern twist, integrating them directly into the ultra-rigid space frame. The result is enhanced dynamics of the NSX, supporting the game-changing abilities of its Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system.
The double ball joint front suspension eliminates steering disturbances due to torque vectoring. Additionally, the vehicle's rigidly-mounted dual-pinion variable-ratio electric power steering (EPS) system offers high-fidelity steering feedback. On the other hand, the rear suspension's high lateral rigidity minimizes lateral acceleration response delay, ensuring stable cornering even beyond 180 mph.
The NSX's deceleration capability is powered by a next-generation electro-mechanical super sports braking system. This innovative system combines the effectiveness of a high-performance mechanical (friction) braking system with a seamlessly integrated regenerative braking system. The result is class-leading braking performance that is virtually fade-free while recovering what would otherwise be wasted energy to keep the hybrid battery charged and ready for dynamic demands.
Lastly, the power unit mounting system of the NSX utilizes a rigid aluminum subframe and the ultra-rigid space frame, ensuring the engine and transmission movements are minimized within the body/frame, further contributing to the vehicle's handling precision.
Chassis Specifications
| Front Suspension Type | Double-wishbone, double lower control arm; aluminum |
| Rear Suspension Type | Multi-link; aluminum |
| Dampers | Active Gen III magnetorheological coilovers |
| Brakes | Vented disc with Brembo aluminum mono block calipers and iron rotors; optional carbon ceramic rotors |
| Steering Type | Variable ratio rack & pinion; Dual-pinion EPS |
| Steering Wheel Turns, Lock-to-Lock | 1.91 |
| Steering Ratio | Variable progressive; Range: 12.9:1 (on center) to 11.07:1 |
| Front Wheels | 19x8.5J forged aluminum |
| Front Tires | 245/35ZR19 93Y high performance summer tires; optional ultimate handling performance tires |
| Rear Wheels | 20x11J forged aluminum |
| Rear Tires | 305/30ZR20 103Y high performance summer tires; optional ultimate handling performance tires |
Advanced Sports Package: Design Philosophy for Ultimate Handling
Aiming to achieve optimum handling, the 2017 Acura NSX's "advanced sports package" is a unique design philosophy that focuses on the strategic placement of key vehicle systems. This includes the Sport Hybrid power unit and major hybrid components like the Intelligent Power Unit, which contains a lithium-ion battery pack. The design is centered around lowering the center of gravity, centralizing vehicle mass, and achieving desired weight distribution.
The bespoke all-aluminum twin-turbocharged V6 engine boasts a 75 degree cylinder bank angle, dry sump lubrication system, and compact valvetrain, all optimized for a low center of gravity and compact design. In the same vein, the purpose-built 9DCT utilizes a new design with the clutch and differential located side by side in a common housing, and a parallel shaft gear set arrangement, all contributing to the reduction in powertrain length.
The Intelligent Power Unit features a new, compact lithium-ion battery pack with high power and energy density and a "caseless" design to reduce mass. This unit is situated in front of the rear bulkhead, while the twin fuel tanks are placed behind the rear bulkhead and in front of the engine.
The NSX's design also aims for minimal overhangs and a small footprint, while maintaining comfortable cockpit headroom even for 95th percentile male drivers.
Aerodynamics: "Total Airflow Management"
The Acura NSX's design and development team adopted a "total airflow management" approach to balance the superlative aerodynamics expected from a next-generation supercar and the efficient thermal management needed for its hybrid power unit. Efficient cooling is achieved by managing airflow through 10 heat exchangers strategically located to leverage airflow from the front grill area, side air intakes, and through the engine compartment.
Moreover, the NSX manages the air flowing through and around the body while maintaining increased stability through appropriately distributed downforce. In fact, the new NSX is known for its stability at high speeds, providing an enhanced driving experience with unprecedented balance and confidence.
Through extensive research and development, the NSX aerodynamics team determined that a 3-to-1 downforce ratio—placing three times as much downforce at the rear of the vehicle relative to the front—would provide optimal downforce distribution for high-performance driving.
Employing extensive use of computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations and testing of a 40-percent scale model in the company's advanced wind tunnel facility in Ohio, the team was able to refine various body shapes, intake and exhaust vents, and vehicle strakes to reduce aerodynamic drag, create downforce, maximize cooling, and efficiently exhaust unwanted heat. These developments were consistently verified at the company's full-scale, moving ground plane wind tunnel in Sakura, Japan.
NSX Cockpit: Driver-Centric Ergonomics
The NSX cockpit presents an outstanding example of ergonomic design, combining intuitive controls and layouts with carefully chosen materials and padding in the sports seats, steering wheel, and center console. The result is a driver-centric environment that elevates the driving experience.
Developed through extensive testing and pressure mapping measurements, the seats in the new NSX are designed to offer supreme comfort and support, providing the necessary lateral and fore/aft support needed in a high-performance vehicle. The selected seat materials, including leather and Alcantara, combine dynamic driving support and comfort with easy ingress and egress.
The center console and controls have been designed to minimize distractions, enabling the driver to focus on the most important function—driving. This design philosophy is aptly named the "simple sports interface."
Integrated Dynamics System: Customized Driving Experience
The Integrated Dynamics System of the NSX offers four selectable dynamic modes – Quiet, Sport, Sport+, and Track – integrating all of the vehicle's dynamic systems including steering, brakes, throttle, Vehicle Stability Assist, dampers and Sport Hybrid SH-AWD control systems, as well as customizable auditory experiences via new Intake Sound Control and Active Exhaust Valve technologies. This system highlights the unique capabilities of the NSX's Sport Hybrid power unit in customizing the driving experience and dynamic performance according to the driver's needs and the driving environment.
Design, Development, and Manufacturing
The design and development of the next-generation NSX involved a global team of engineers and designers. The development concept underwent continual improvement and evolution throughout its roughly four-year development process. Notably, the engine design evolved from a transverse-mounted, normally aspirated V6 to an all-new bespoke twin-turbocharged, longitudinally-mounted V6 engine. This change had profound implications for every aspect of the NSX design, especially in the areas of package, cooling systems, and aerodynamics.
The NSX was tested and tuned on streets and race circuits around the world, including Virginia International Raceway, the famed Nürburgring in Germany, and at Honda's own Takasu test circuit in Hokkaido, Japan.
The NSX is manufactured at the new Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC) in Marysville, Ohio using domestic and globally-sourced parts. The PMC was designed to innovate new means and methods of producing low-volume specialty cars and to realize challenging new ideas for next-generation craftsmanship and quality established by the NSX manufacturing team. Among its many innovative processes is the world's first use of all-robotic MIG welding for the construction of the NSX's aluminum space frame.
The NSX's bespoke twin-turbocharged V6 engine is meticulously hand-assembled by expert technicians at the company's engine plant in Anna, Ohio, using techniques and processes benchmarked against the company's world-class race engineering programs. Each engine is bench-tested and broken in to the equivalent of 150 miles of service. The NSX's 9-speed dual clutch transmission, Direct Drive Motor, and engine are machine balanced and assembled at the Anna Engine Plant. The Twin Motor Unit (TMU) and other hybrid system components are built in Japan and sent directly to the Performance Manufacturing Center for fitment in the NSX.
-Ed
2017 Acura NSX
