This has been a very long time coming, a long time waiting for some proper seat time in the successor to one of the most important sportscars of the '90s -- and of the early '00s, for that matter. It's the new 2017 NSX, thoroughly modernized and precision-engineered to an incredible degree. In fact, some might say over-engineered with its four-motor hybrid system, electronic all-wheel drive and nine-speed dual-clutch transmission. That's a lot of moving pieces, but only one thing matters: How does it feel to drive?
The answer to that question is: "Very well indeed." But, before we delve into the necessary driving impressions, let's take a moment to discuss just what it is that makes this thing go.
The new motor is 3.5 liters, twin-turbocharged to make an even 500 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. That's a huge bump over the original -- but not enough for Honda's engineers. They've also grafted on a small electric motor onto that V-6, then paired that with two more electric motors up on the front axle. Yes, that's four total sources of oomph (one internal combustion, three electric) with a combined power output of 573 hp and 476 ft-lbs.
Do the math and you'll see that's basically twice the power of the original in a 3,800-pound package. Yes, it has all-wheel drive, but the vast majority of that drive is restricted to the rear wheels. So, too, the car has a strong rearward weight bias: 58 percent on the back axle.
Power gets to those rear wheels via a nine-speed, dual-clutch gearbox and is modulated across the axle with a proper, mechanical limited-slip differential. Suspension is adaptive, magnetorheological damping able to be toggled into one of two modes, one for comfort, the other for somewhat less comfort.
My first full day in the car would start out in the less-comfortable option.
Steering, too, is firm and quick, so quick that you can do an entire lap without your hands leaving 9 and 3 on the wheel. Not a fan of shuffle-steering? This is the car for you. However, after a few sessions I couldn't help but feel like the steering was too firm, as if the car were resisting my inputs rather than assisting.
Steering weight is one of the many parameters the car modifies as you cycle through the four driving modes: Quiet, Sport, Sport+ and Track. On Track you get maximum power and the most liberal interpretation of stability control, as well as the stiffest suspension and the most firm steering. Unfortunately, unlike the simpler (and far less expensive) BMW M4, in the NSX you cannot select individual parameters to create a custom driving mode. So, there's no way to get maximum power and handling from the car without also selecting the firmest steering. That's a little disappointing.
Source: http://www.cnet.com
The answer to that question is: "Very well indeed." But, before we delve into the necessary driving impressions, let's take a moment to discuss just what it is that makes this thing go.
The details
Though the NSX is far from a traditional looking car, its powertrain is even less-so. The original NSX was powered by a mid-mounted V-6 that, at its peak, put 290 horsepower to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. The new NSX also has a V-6 somewhere in the middle, but that's about where the similarities end.The new motor is 3.5 liters, twin-turbocharged to make an even 500 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. That's a huge bump over the original -- but not enough for Honda's engineers. They've also grafted on a small electric motor onto that V-6, then paired that with two more electric motors up on the front axle. Yes, that's four total sources of oomph (one internal combustion, three electric) with a combined power output of 573 hp and 476 ft-lbs.
Do the math and you'll see that's basically twice the power of the original in a 3,800-pound package. Yes, it has all-wheel drive, but the vast majority of that drive is restricted to the rear wheels. So, too, the car has a strong rearward weight bias: 58 percent on the back axle.
Power gets to those rear wheels via a nine-speed, dual-clutch gearbox and is modulated across the axle with a proper, mechanical limited-slip differential. Suspension is adaptive, magnetorheological damping able to be toggled into one of two modes, one for comfort, the other for somewhat less comfort.
My first full day in the car would start out in the less-comfortable option.
On the track
Thermal Springs was the venue, situated just outside Palm Springs, California. It's a tight course, with a series of orderly turns that make the most of the available real estate. Thanks to a longish back straight I was quickly able to get a feel for the (optional) carbon ceramic brakes, which did not disappoint despite temperatures hovering in the mid-90s. Initial bite is strong and clean, unlike most hybrids I've driven, and brake pedal feel stayed firm -- although, given the car's brake-by-wire system, that feeling is largely synthetic in nature.Steering, too, is firm and quick, so quick that you can do an entire lap without your hands leaving 9 and 3 on the wheel. Not a fan of shuffle-steering? This is the car for you. However, after a few sessions I couldn't help but feel like the steering was too firm, as if the car were resisting my inputs rather than assisting.
Steering weight is one of the many parameters the car modifies as you cycle through the four driving modes: Quiet, Sport, Sport+ and Track. On Track you get maximum power and the most liberal interpretation of stability control, as well as the stiffest suspension and the most firm steering. Unfortunately, unlike the simpler (and far less expensive) BMW M4, in the NSX you cannot select individual parameters to create a custom driving mode. So, there's no way to get maximum power and handling from the car without also selecting the firmest steering. That's a little disappointing.
Source: http://www.cnet.com
