How does the new Acura NSX compare to the original? Find out here [Video]

It has been over 25 years since we saw the first generation Acura NSX, known as the Honda NSX in other parts of the world, and over a decade since it went away. The vehicle featured a mid-mounted 3.0-liter V6 engine that produced 270 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque fed to the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual. It also had an all-aluminum body to keep weight to a minimum.

Throughout the years the car received a larger 3.2-liter engine good for 290 horses and 224 lb-ft, an extra gear in the transmission, and cosmetic upgrades, but the soul of the vehicle remained in tact throughout its lifetime. After the original went away in 2005, there has been a void in the hearts of people who loved the relatively affordable supercar from the Japanese automaker.

After a prototype of the next generation NSX failed to gain traction (pardon the pun) back in 2012, the automaker went back to the drawing board to create a car that would hopefully reignite loyalists’ passion for the car. The result of an Ohio-based team that went into hiding until they got it right is what you see here today. The 2017 NSX is significantly more powerful, looks completely different, and – for better or worse – is laden with technology.

The new powertrain consists of a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 that makes 500 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque that’s assisted by three electric motors – one at the end of the crankshaft (50 hp and 109 lb-ft) and two that power the front wheels (each 36 hp and 54 lb-ft). All together the output climbs to 573 horsepower.

Numbers are numbers and they are just that. To find out if the new car retains the original charm of the first-gen NSX, TFL’s Roman Mica spent time in both in an attempt to answer that question. Check out his thoughts in video review above.

2017 acura nsx