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Acura NSX to Retire, Replacement in Development
July 12, 2005

Motor Trend

Acura has officially confirmed that it is developing a new sports car to succeed the long-running NSX supercar. Acura also announced that production of the current generation NSX will cease at the end of the year due to the extensive retooling necessary to meet stringent 2006 emissions and equipment regulations for the U.S., Europe and Asia.

"We are committed to having an ultra high-performance vehicle in the Acura lineup in the future," said John Mendel, senior vice president, automobile operations. "It's too early to comment on specifics, but the all-new model will be just as groundbreaking as the 1991 NSX."

As the first-ever production supercar from Japan, the NSX was created as a hand-built, exotic, mid-engine sports car that would set standard for the balance of performance, refinement, and drivability. The NSX went on sale in the summer of 1990 and the following year posted record U.S. sales of 1,940 vehicles. Through June of 2005, NSX cumulative sales totaled 8,854 in the U.S. and more than 18,000 worldwide.

During its 15-year run, the NSX has been showered with accolades including, Motor Trend magazine naming the NSX to its "Top Ten Performance Cars" list and touting it at one point as being "the best sports car ever built."

Acura designed the NSX as a technological and performance showcase. Among other innovations, it was the first production car to feature an all-aluminum body, chassis, and suspension and to utilize titanium connecting rods. It featured a transversely mounted dual overhead cam V-6 engine equipped with Acura's breakthrough VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) system and a variable volume induction system. The next NSX will likely push the technology envelop again, introducing the systems that will enliven Honda/Acura products for years to come.

The first look we have seen of the intended design direction was from the tantalizing HSC show car on the 2004 circuit, rumored to be the NSX replacement. True to the NSX formula, the carbon-bodied HSC features a 300-plus horsepower mid-engine V-6 shifted via F1-style paddle shifter transmission. Based on the corporation's recent trend with concepts shown in North America, we have good reason to believe this portends of the production model. As a rule, Honda doesn't show a concept Stateside that it doesn't intend to build.

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