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. Somewhere under there is a V-6.
Tim Stevens/Roadshow
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
A sunny day at Thermal Springs.
Nick Miotke/Roadshow
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. The LCD dashboard reconfigures itself subtly as you toggle through different modes.
Tim Stevens/Roadshow
Toggling through the various modes also makes the car progressively
louder. At least, it does on the inside. Much like the Porsche 911,
Honda engineers ran a couple of tubes from the engine's intake into the
cabin of the car. Those tubes open or close depending on the mode,
piping in more or less of the organic symphony of internal combustion.
The exhaust, too, has valves that selectively allow more noise out the
back, but as you might expect given those twin-turbos, even when
wide-open there's not an awful lot to be heard trackside.
Power
here is strong, as indeed it should be given that 573 hp figure, but
it's delivered in a deceptively flat way. Acceleration almost feels
underwhelming, a sensation that professional Indy racer Graham Rahal
confirmed when I ran a few laps in the right seat with him. Rahal called
the car "deceptively quick," and that's thanks to many factors,
including the electric motors. Among many other things, those motors
kick in a little extra power when shifting. That, plus to the close
ratios of the nine-speed box, give the feeling of a nearly seamless
shift. There's no screaming surge of power toward the redline then a
kick in the pants when you grab the next gear. It's just a flat wall of
torque with an almost imperceptible toggle from one cog to the next.
It's similar for the 0-60 sprint. The car's launch control holds at a
(relatively low) 2,200rpm before you slip your foot off the brake. The
NSX shoots forward immediately with zero drama and then just maintains
that acceleration as it gets to 60 somewhere around three seconds later.
The flat torque and power delivery make this process almost clinical in
execution.
Handling, too, is a bit deceptive. The NSX is plenty
grippy and, despite its weight and AWD, feels very nimble. But, when you
really start to push, the front-end can start to feel a bit vague.
However, another pro racer, Acura legend Peter Cunningham, advised to be
a little more heavy on the throttle to get a good reaction.
And,
of course, he was right. Unlike many AWD cars, which will simply plow
onward should you get on the gas with the front wheels turned, the NSX
tucks in nicely with judicious early applications of the throttle. The
electronic wizardry controlling those two front motors works. Get on the
gas early and be rewarded with a car that hugs the apex and then slings
itself down the next straight.
On the road
Big carbon ceramic brakes perform great on the track yet have excellent feel on the road.
Tim Stevens/Roadshow
Toggle the NSX into Quiet mode and it lives up to its billing. Here,
the car can whisk along at low speeds using only the EV motors, making
nary a sound as it cruises through the paddock or wafts out of your
driveway. But, this is not a plug-in hybrid, so you won't get far before
the V-6 pops on. When it does, it does so with an industrial racket.
While that engine sounds good when screaming on the track, it's far from
evocative when idling around town.
In Sport mode the sound gets a
bit more engaging, but still the ride is compliant and the transmission
takes it easy. The seats are comfortable, the fat steering wheel feels
great in your hand, the optional ELS speaker package sounds phenomenal
and, with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay on-tap, inside the NSX is a
very nice place to be. Even visibility is good, something that can't be
said for most cars in this performance category. I could definitely see
myself commuting in this car.
However, despite all the tech
trimmings, there's still a lot missing. Adaptive cruise is not on the
docket, nor any sort of lane-keep assist nor collision warnings. You do
get a rear-view camera and parking sensors, but that's about it.
Come to a twisty bit of road, toggle the car into Sport+, and any
ADAS-related worries drift away. While the impeccable poise of the car
on the track leaves it feeling a bit overly composed, out on the road
that's simply not a problem. Across cracked and crumbling roads, through
unexpected sections of gravel, the NSX never lost its footing --
despite generating plenty enough g-forces to put a big smile on my face.
The complete package?
Flying buttresses. So hot right now.
Tim Stevens/Roadshow
The 2017 NSX is deceptively quick on the track and impeccably civilized
on the road, a split personality that many supercars advertise but few
deliver. But it's on the road where the NSX feels most at home, and
given that's where most owners will spend the vast majority of their
time, that's almost certainly for the best.
If the NSX has a
failing, it's that it's too sophisticated, engineered to such a fine
point that you can't help feeling like you are the weakest link in the
equation. This is a comprehensively excellent drive, but it's rarely an
exhilarating one. You're left wondering what this car would be like
minus the hybrid system and about 300 pounds of weight. Rumor has it,
Honda is pondering the same question, and I hope some day to drive the
answer.
My first full day in the car would start out in the less-comfortable option.
Comments
Post a Comment