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2016 Honda NSX revealed


Honda reveals new NSX hybrid supercar at the 2015 Detroit motor show.

The wraps have finally come off the production-ready reborn Honda NSX supercar in Detroit overnight, after a lengthy teaser campaign lasting over two years.

Like the original NSX which was the world’s first all-aluminium supercar, the second-gen model is stuffed full of new technology including an advanced hybrid powertrain.

Honda is keeping its cards close to its chest regarding power or performance figures, but has confirmed that the new-age NSX features a twin-turbo dry-sump V6 petrol engine which is mated to a brand-new Honda-developed nine-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

Further, three electric motors are said to give the hybrid supercar instantaneous response, improved agility and greater traction while also improving fuel efficiency.

Two motors drive the front axle, effectively giving the NSX all-wheel drive and torque-vectoring capability, while a third sits between the petrol engine and gearbox to act as a torque-filler (like the McLaren P1’s system) to give quicker acceleration and faster gearshifts.

The new NSX also uses a hybrid body construction consisting of aluminium and carbon fibre to reduce weight and give supercar-levels of structural rigidity. The majority of the car’s architecture is aluminium, but carbon is used in the floor to give the car a rigid backbone.

Suspension is fully independent front and rear, while Honda says the car’s heavier items like the battery pack, combustion engine and electric motors have all been placed as low as possible to give the NSX the lowest center of gravity in its class.

Carbon ceramic brakes with six-piston front calipers and four-piston rear stoppers also aim to reduce unsprung mass and improve the handling.

Staggered alloy wheels measuring 19x8.5 inches up front and 20x11 inches at the rear also give the new NSX an aggressive stance, while rubber is provided by high-performance Continentals.

The reborn NSX features four different driving modes which include Quiet, Sport, Sport+ and Track which adjust the powertrain response, gearshift speed and damper stiffness. Quiet mode offers electric-only driving at low speeds for an unspecified range.

A launch control system is also fitted which primes the transmission, electric motors and twin-turbo V6 for the ultimate acceleration off the line – though a 0-100km/h time still hasn’t been revealed, it’s expected to be in the three-second range.

The reborn NSX’s styling hasn’t varied dramatically from the previous concept versions, though it has been tweaked in most areas for production. The nose has been made more upright presumably for pedestrian safety purposes, cooling ducts fitted to the bonnet, gills added behind the front wheels and a large central exhaust outlet added to the rear.

Physically the car has grown slightly too compared to the original concept – 80mm in length to 4470mm, 25mm in width to 1940mm, 15mm in height to 1215mm and 20mm in wheelbase to 2630mm.

These figures also represent a significant increase in size over the original NSX which debuted in 1990 and ended production in 2005.

Inside, the new NSX features a digital TFT instrument display and an overall design which has been centered around the driver with an emphasis placed on ergonomics and visibility.

The design isn’t going to wow a Lamborghini or Ferrari buyer, but the new NSX is expected to offer 458-rivalling performance for a fraction of the price when it goes on sale in Australia in 2016.