Ever since its reveal in 2016, the Acura NSX has been called many things and I think it’s safe to say that most of these things haven’t been positive. Sales of the NSX haven’t been too positive either considering Justin’s 2019 NSX was number 2,043-the car has been on sale for almost 4 years and production is NOT limited. Having heard these stats before, I wasn’t really expecting much when I first sat in the NSX, but boy was I blown away; this thing is truly mental.
Design
Let’s be honest with ourselves, the Acura NSX is a really beautiful cars. In pictures, it’s a stunner and that only gets better when you see the car in person. From the way the lines cut across the body to those perfectly proportioned air intakes to the subtle yet gorgeous flying buttresses, this car really has no bad angle. The NSX easily stole the attention of spectators away from the 950 hp Gemballa Turbo S (1 of 88 need I mention) that it was following. I know it doesn’t look like its predecessor but I honestly don’t care. This car is here to show us the future and if this is what the future looks like, count me in!
Interior
The exterior is beautiful, I already knew that. But something that I constantly heard journalists barking about was the quality of the interior. Based on my experience, these jounalists were either completely blind, or they were acustomed to zuch a high level of quality that they would never be satisfied. Long story short, the interior was miles better than the car’s exterior and that’s saying something. Littered with Alcantara and leather, the cockpit of the NSX was a very pleasant place to be. The buttons felt nice, everything worked, the controls were in the right places, not to mention the seats were comfortable-miles better than the GT3RS we reviewed a few months ago. The interior was the perfect blend between a racecar and a Rolls Royce, I was VERY impressed.
Acceleration
For those that don’t know, the NSX has 4 (a 3.5 liter twin turbo V6 accompanied by 3 electric motors) motors which produce a combined output of 573 hp and 476 lb/ft of torque which isn’t much until you realize that this torque comes in at 0 rpm. That’s right, thanks to those electric motors you have all wheel drive with 0 rpm torque, and that V6 engine, no turbo lag what so ever which had me smiling all day long. You can also get 30 mpg on the highway which I don’t think anyone will complain about. The launch is brutal. You put your foot down, and the car is gone, with no fuss about it. It was so fast, I laughed when I learned that the car was 3,878 lb, this thing pulled just like a GT3RS despite being more that 800 lb heavier, not to mention it kept up with a 950 hp Turbo S from 0-30 mph which is no small feat.
This thing stopped too. With massive carbon ceramic brakes, this monster came to a stop almost as fast as it accelerated. Now that’s not to say that these are Porsche brakes, the GT3RS and Turbo S definitely stopped faster, but the NSX’s brakes were still more than enough to get the job done.
How it Drives
The biggest thing that journalists complained about was the way the NSX drove; not necessarily how well it handled but how it felt to drive. The wired steering and braking were said to take away from the driving experience. Despite this, Justin had no complaints about the driving feel, he was engaged in the experience just as much as he would have been driving any other supercar.
The NSX was also surprisingly comfortable. The powertrain was smooth as silk and it took bumps like a champ. The suspension seemed to have a split personality because when you hammered it, the car stiffened up like a true racecar, it really was the best of both worlds.
The sound wasn’t bad either. In fact, the twin turbo V6 sounded more like the muffled howl of a Porsche 911 Turbo rather than the angry vacuum of a Nissan GTR. It was quiet but nice, nothing a good aftermarket exhaust couldn’t fix.
What really shocked me though was the sheer amount of grip this car had. In a GT3RS, you have miles of grip but it’s not hard at all to get the car loose; this was NOT the case for the NSX. When I say this thing was glued to the road, I mean it. It did not lose traction once. No launch or full throttle turn was able to turn this thing loose, I would have believed you if you said it was on rails.
The Verdict
As I said before, I really didn’t expect much with the NSX. I expected it to be a lame driving experience, with mediocre sound, and lackluster handling. I’m glad to say that what I got was the complete opposite. The Acura NSX is engaging, fun to drive, beautiful to look at, and fast as hell. There really isn’t anything on the market that gives you the reliability, practicality, and the performance of the NSX. It really is a shame there aren’t very many on the road because the more we hate on hybrids like the NSX, the more car makers lean towards soulless electric cars. The NSX is our friend, it is our beacon of hope in a land of darkness. It’s something to be cherished and enjoyed, something Ayrton Senna would’ve been proud of.
We would like to thank Cody and Justin for giving us an unforgettable experience that Saturday morning. When the ACR cancelled on us that morning, Cody came to the rescue by inviting Justin and his NSX. It was a pleasure to be able to review these cars with such kind owners.
As always, THANK YOU FOR READING and come back next Sunday for a brand new article. Don’t forget to follow us on WordPress and share this article with your friends! Follow us on Instagram at rsreportblog and check out our Facebook Group, Porsche Enthusiasts United. Feel free to suggest new topics in the Contact Page. Newly added on the contact page is a link to the Porsche Club of America website which you should definitely check out HERE! Thank you for reading and don’t forget to come back next Sunday!
Rennsport Report 