The new NSX was created to revolutionize supercar performance, delivering a more vivid, immediate and intuitive dynamic experience with instant acceleration, ultra-powerful yet easily controlled brakes and exceptional handling—making the most of the driver's capabilities in every driving environment and rewarding the most skillful drivers with its extraordinary at-the-limit dynamic capabilities. This is the essence of what Acura does differently than competitors in this segment.
- Instantaneous Acceleration – Acceleration G force from the moment the driver touches the throttle through the immediate torque response of three electric motors working in concert with the bespoke, twin-turbocharged V6 and 9-speed dual clutch transmission (9DCT)
- High-Performance Braking – Powerful, linear and predictable braking performance in a variety of driving conditions via a high-performance mechanical (Brembo hydraulic) and electro-servo motor-assisted (hybrid) regenerative braking system
- Precise Cornering – Continuous and immediate torque vectoring with direct yaw control combined with advanced chassis and frame and body design for precise handling capability
- Integrated Dynamics System – The most extensive and evolved Integrated Dynamics System in Acura's history, integrating all of the NSX dynamic chassis and Sport Hybrid Super Handling All‑Wheel Drive (Sport Hybrid SH-AWD) power unit systems to produce a wide range of driving experiences
The new NSX enjoyed a design and engineering approach that leveraged Acura's global development muscle. NSX engineers employed the latest simulation and development techniques, with every aspect designed to deliver a New Sports eXperience.
Power Unit
The all-new Acura NSX Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (Sport Hybrid SH-AWD) power unit electrifies all phases of driving, whether accelerating, braking or cornering. Sport Hybrid SH-AWD is a further evolution of Acura's highly-regarded Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD). It is a first-of-its-kind technology in the exotic sports car segment.
Package
The new Acura NSX package pursues a design philosophy that seeks to optimize the design and packaging of all major vehicle systems in order to:
- Lower the center of gravity
- Centralize the mass of the vehicle
- Achieve the desired weight distribution
The low center of gravity (CG) and centered mass pay dividends in handling and response. Biasing the mass toward the center of the NSX reduces the polar moment, making the car respond (yaw rate) faster to steering inputs and reducing its rotational kinetic energy. In other words, it's easier to initiate a turn, and easier to stop the rotation. The low CG reduces the roll moment, which allows softer springs to be used while still possessing excellent body roll control. The new NSX has the lowest CG among its core competitors.
The payoffs are quick response when you want it, minimal unwanted body movement and a stable ride, thus raising the performance levels without punishing the driver and passenger.
Aerodynamics
Every square inch of the Acura NSX exterior body panel surfaces, fluid shapes, air inlets, exhaust outlets and the positioning, shaping and thickness of its floating C-pillars serves a distinct purpose: to optimize aerodynamic efficiency and support dynamic driving performance.
The second-generation Acura NSX was designed with a total airflow management strategy to achieve critical cooling flow performance, while minimizing drag, and to provide precise downforce distribution between the front and rear axles to help ensure vehicle stability at high speeds. The total airflow management strategy manages airflow not only under and over the exterior surfaces, but through the front and rear motor rooms.
- Front tire wake management was critical to achieving downforce at the front axle, working together with air exiting from the hood and fender vents and promoting smooth airflow down the sides to be re-used through the rear motor room
- The rear decklid spoiler was tuned in conjunction with the diffuser and tail light exit slot to achieve rear axle downforce targets and minimize drag
- Rear brake cooling ducts pull air off the flat floor and direct air through hollow rear suspension members for efficient rear brake cooling, resulting in world-class fade performance
Space Frame and Body Panels
Like the original Acura NSX, which was the world's first all-aluminum exotic car, the all-new Acura NSX has a cutting-edge structure. Its multi-material space frame and body panels utilize new materials and construction methods. They deliver next-generation structural rigidity, outstanding outward visibility, world-class collision performance and superior surface and paint quality, befitting a next-generation Acura supercar.
The aluminum-intensive space frame and multi-material body panels also minimize weight with superior packaging flexibility for the NSX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD power unit. The high level of dynamic rigidity reduces noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) and ensures that driver inputs are directly translated to vehicle actions with incredible speed and fidelity—the essence of the New Sports eXperience.
Some key features of the NSX multi-material space frame and body panels are:
- Unmatched dynamic torsional rigidity – The NSX directly responds to the driver's cornering demands, instantly transmitting those inputs to the chassis while maintaining perfect connection between front and rear axles, communicating both the driver's action and any changes in the road surface with the utmost fidelity.
- Ultra-high local chassis rigidity – Each chassis component is mounted to a rigid casting supported by extruded aluminum frame members that act like “truss structures” such that high local attachment-area stiffness is ensured in all directions, helping maintain the precisely‑designed chassis geometry at all times.
- World's first automotive application of ablation casting technology – Used both at front and rear, these ablation cast aluminum frame nodes serve as ultra-rigid mounting points for the suspension. Applied in key crush zones, these nodes link frame sections together and uniquely deform in a manner similar to a forged component but with lower weight, enabling shorter front and rear overhang, reduced vehicle mass and world-class collision performance.
- A-pillars: Super strong, yet slender – In another world's first, a new three-dimensional bent and quenched (3DQ) frame member was employed to create thin yet sturdy A-pillars. The resulting ultra-high-strength material allows a slender cross section to maximize forward visibility while meeting structural demands, including roof-crush requirements.
Chassis
As the connection between the driver and the road, the all-new Acura NSX chassis provides high‑fidelity steering and road feedback. Advanced technologies combine to produce sports car agility at low speeds, with confidence-inspiring stability and predictability at high speeds. The NSX faithfully translates driver inputs under a wide range of driving situations for ultimate handling performance.
- All-aluminum front and rear suspension systems provide precise control through highly rigid construction and precise geometry
- Rigidly-mounted variable gear ratio electric power steering (EPS) eliminates the need for hand‑over‑hand steering, once out of the parking lot
- Electro-servo sports brakes (ESB) seamlessly integrate friction and regenerative brake systems to provide a powerful and confident response
- Third-generation active magnetorheological (MR) dampers stabilize tire-to-road contact while stabilizing vehicle roll, pitch and heave motions
Interior and Exterior
Every interior design element of the new NSX enhances the New Sports eXperience for its driver. The second-generation NSX respects the fundamental, driver-centered interior concept of the original NSX with attention to enhanced visibility, driver support and comfort, ergonomics and simple driver interfaces presented with elegant materials and design.
Staying true to its Precision Crafted Performance DNA, the “interwoven dynamic” exterior design of the NSX integrates supercar aesthetics with supercar performance while significantly contributing to the total airflow management strategy. Additionally, the NSX contains innovative multi-material body panels.
Integrated Dynamics System
The new NSX is designed to provide a wide range of driving experiences and dynamic character commensurate with the desires of the driver and the driving environment via its Integrated Dynamics System, the most advanced of its kind in an Acura vehicle.
The Dynamic Mode Dial, located in the center console, puts this customizable driving experience at the driver's fingertips, allowing drivers to dial-in desired performance by selecting among four dynamic modes: Quiet, Sport, Sport+ and Track.
NSX advanced technologies—including its rear Sport Hybrid power unit, front-mounted TMU, third-generation MR dampers, electric power steering and electric-servo braking system—enable a finer and more wide ranging degree of control over the dynamic character of the NSX.
Whether flying under the radar in Quiet mode, enjoying a refined yet still exhilarating long-distance cruise in Sport mode, carving up a mountain road in Sport+ mode or exploring the at-limit track performance of NSX in Track mode, the NSX Integrated Dynamics System conforms the dynamic character and capabilities of the car to the will of the driver.
Highlights of the tuning available from the Integrated Dynamics System include:
- Throttle, brake and steering response and feedback
- Sport Hybrid SH-AWD power unit active drive force
- Suspension response, feedback and support
- Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), including Agile Handling Assist (AHA) and Traction Control System
- Engine sound, inside and outside the vehicle
Anatomy of a Turn in the New NSX
It is difficult to effectively convey in words the immediate, high-fidelity acceleration force that NSX provides, or the incredible feeling of direct yaw control that adds a sense of at-will rotation to the experience of steering. The following excerpt was taken directly from NSX expert drivers' board notes, in an effort to visually map the New Sports eXperience that the all-new NSX provides through a turn on the track:
For more insight on the engineering and science behind the new NSX:
The Aerodynamic Science Of The NSX:
https://steemit.com/technology/@acura-tech/the-aerodynamic-science-of-the-nsx
Inside The NSX Power Unit
https://steemit.com/technology/@acura-tech/inside-the-technology-the-acura-nsx-s-power-unit