After what seems like an eternity to all sports car fans, Honda have announced that the production ready model of the new Honda NSX will finally be unveiled on January 12th 2015. The new NSX – to be displayed under Honda’s North American ‘Acura’ brand – will make its world debut at the 2015 North American International Auto Show.
In order to further moisten the already rabidly salivating glands of NSX fans worldwide, Acura has released a short 30 second YouTube video displaying some of the car and the sound of its new three-motor, twin-turbocharged hybrid power unit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0RJsqrS0NY
It is only fitting that the NSX first comes out under the Acura banner as almost the entire development of the car has been conducted in the USA. Designed in California and both engineered and built at a new state of the art facility in Ohio, if the new NSX could talk it would have a distinctly North American accent.
While the all-American development of the car may worry some purists, Mike Accavitti, the Acura division senior vice president and general manager has sought to reassure them the NSX will remain true to its now legendary predecessor, saying; “The next-generation NSX will deliver a ‘new sports experience’ true to its heritage and to the supercar concept that originally gave rise to the name NSX.” While chief engineer and NSX project leader Ted Klaus has said; “We’ve developed a human-centered supercar that responds to the will of the driver and that builds upon the NSX heritage.”
The reveal of the new NSX comes at a time where Honda is returning to the world of Formula 1 it previously dominated in the late 80’s and early 90’s. With drivers such as Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet and perhaps the greatest of all in Ayrton Senna, Honda won six consecutive constructors championships and five drivers’ championships, with Senna taking three of them. Senna also famously had a big input in the characteristics of the first generation NSX, something that simply knowing makes driving the original NSX even more special.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izaWlKxVo1A
With their new hybrid NSX and powering a new hybrid McLaren F1 car, Honda really looks like it has lofty ambitions. On top of that, with the latest hybrid hypercars from McLaren, Ferrari, and Porsche being so well received the future looks bright. Its real rival however looks like being the super impressive BMW i8. If it can beat that, we will have a truly special car on our hands.
