The 2020 Hybrid Acura NSX

One of the finest automobiles of the new decade, the 2020 Hybrid Acura NSX is an automobile that aims to deliver supercar aesthetics and performance in an everyday liveable package. The £140,000 supercar has a hybrid-electric powertrain combining a twin-turbocharged 3.5 litre V6 with three electric motors for a combined total of 573 horsepower, remarks Oliver Taylor.
 

Delivering an impressively fast, yet clean getaway even on imperfect tarmac and accelerating from 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds with a top speed of 191mph, this futuristic hybrid supercar that takes inspiration from the 1990’s original, provides an experience that will rival the finest sports cars on sale, with a high-octane performance that is as thrilling as it is stylish.

With thin door handles and a higher seating position than a Lamborghini or McLaren, the NSX is not usually rattled by road imperfections and rides as comfortably as a Porsche 911 Carrera S, with soft leather covering the dashboard, door panels, center tunnel and steering wheel. The luxurious combination of black leather and Alcantara, create a sophisticated and comfortable interior to complement the visually striking exterior. With a knob for tuning between drive modes and a push button gear selector, it has a simplicity that makes everything easy to read and use. It is the kind of car you get excited about driving and does not disappoint.
 

Honda, which owns the Acura brand and uses it for high end automobiles, introduced the NSX in 1990 and it’s the flagship model of the Honda range. The original NSX of the 1990s was a sports car created to rival the Porsche 911 of the time, while this newer incarnation is built with all of the finest technologies required for a vehicle to be a worthy challenger in the supercar class, rivalling not only the Porsche 911, Audi R8 and BMW i8, but the McLaren 570, and Mercedes-AMG GT. Its hybrid petrol electric engine enables it to drive in silent EV mode, meaning you will not irritate any neighbours if you have to pull off in the late hours of the night. As a bona fide high performance vehicle, it still possesses enough versatility with plush and supportive leather seats to provide a comfortable drive while getting the weekly grocery shopping. Stated by Honda to be ‘a supercar that you can use everyday’, the vehicle is driver-friendly with high visibility, enabling you to squeeze through gaps in traffic.
 

The first NSX designed and built in the late 1980s, had a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic with a horsepower that clocked in at 270. During the development phase of the NSX, priority was placed on usability, with a mid-engine layout chosen to incorporate the automotive industry’s first introduction to the use of an aluminium semi-monocoque design in a production vehicle. Handling was aided by F1 legend Ayrton Senna and Indy 500 racing champion Bobby Rahal, whose initial critiques had engineers enhance the chassis by an extra 50 percent before making further progress, in order for the NSX to withstand the test of durability. Their early vehicles were designed to offer the performance of cars like the Ferrari 328 and 348 with the reliability and everyday drivability of the Honda Civic.
 

Fast forwarding to the 2020s, the Hybrid Acura NSX weighs in at 3,803 lbs to balance on 573hp and a healthy 645Nm of torque and is a vehicle that possesses front wheels connected to a 36hp permanent magnet electric motor. This enables the application of positive or negative torque in the corners and the motors deliver battery-charging regenerative braking, as well as most of the output from standstill to initial acceleration. The fact that two electric motors individually power each front wheel for precise power delivery while turning is a splendid touch, reducing understeer and boosting traction. The 2020 Acura NSX is very similar to the 2019 model, with the inclusion of a new Indy Yellow colour option harkening back to the Spa Yellow colour that was available with the original NSX.

Acura has also built upon the 2019 model by giving the NSX improved standard features including dynamic chassis control, satellite navigation, front and rear-proximity sensors, power seats and aluminium pedals. The dual LED lights look superbly elegant when rolling down the road and Honda also made improvements to the previous model with precision all-wheel driving made possible on Continental SportContact 6 tyres which provide plenty of grip.
 

Like similar all-wheel mid-engined hybrid automobiles like the BMW i8 and the Porsche 918 Spyder, the lithium-ion battery pack is a small 1.3kWh, with electric motors providing a performance boost when needed. A permanent magnet motor can be found between the V6 engine and the nine-speed dual clutch transmission, and this is noticeable during initial acceleration, serves as the vehicle’s starter motor and a generator using extra engine power to keep batteries topped up. Battery-only driving is possible, but with no specified range given by Acura.
 

In Quiet mode, the nine-speed changes gears early in the rev range, handling short distances from 0-50mph with most of the noise consisting of air sucking into the engine. Over long distances, the suspension does a terrific job of ironing out potholes and bumps in this setting. In Sport mode, as the vehicle shifts the transmission shows more of the engine’s rev range, with exhaust valves opening up the more aggressively you drive. There is not a lot of room for luggage with space dedicated instead to cooling fans, electronics and aerodynamics.

Sport, Sport+ and Track modes, provide instantaneous torque from the electric motors that leap the car forward ferociously as it quickly accelerates. As you twist the rotary dial, each of these modes adds different weight to the steering, sharpness to the throttle response and stiffness to the two-stage adaptive dampers. The skinny steering wheel of the Acura NSX requires very little arm movement to turn, fitting well in the hands and requiring minimal input on the front wheel.
 

In terms of size, its wide front fascia at 176 inches long is shorter than the 2020 Porche 911, with a low stance. The vehicle is American-made, built in Ohio and assembled at Acura’s Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC) in Marysville, with engines from Honda’s busy Anna engine plant, which is located just 90 minutes from Columbus. The V6 engine is carefully constructed over the duration of five hours by masterful workshop veterans, each of them possessing no less than three decades of experience.
 

HYBRID EXCELLENCE

The Hybrid Acura NSX stands out as proof that Honda are one of the most diverse car manufacturers in the world and is a testament to the quality of Japanese engineering. Combining cutting-edge technology with unmatched craftsmanship, most current sports cars tear a page out of the book of Honda’s original masterpiece. This beautiful, sleek and high-tech supercar drives very much like a six figure automobile and is a competitive peer alongside the Audi, McLaren and Ferrari, doing everything the Audi and Porsche can do, while handling basic everyday tasks other supercars can’t. Searingly quick when needed, comfortable and quiet when not- the 2020 Hybrid Acura NSX can provide raw thrills while being capable of efficiency at an economical 26 miles per gallon.   EG