The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2020 - Issue 27

Acura NSX Jada Brookes admires the dynamic all-new supercar Acura NSX that takes to the road like a storm and provides a comfortable ride as well. bite cars N ot only it is a race car in the form of the Acura NSX GT3, but its’ sister road model, the two-seated Acura NSX is described as a supercar that is even more responsive to the will of the driver. This latest model is equipped with a host of chassis enhance- ments including stiffer stabiliser bars, a new grippier tyre and soft- ware tuning designed to elevate performance in all driving conditions. Whether you choose the external colour scheme of Thermal Orange Pearl or Indy Yellow Pearl, you’ll look nothing but hot in it. In comparison to the first-generation Acura NSX which was manu- factured by Honda in Japan between 1990 and 2005, you will find that the latest model is much sportier and more modern. When it was first unveiled in 1989, the NSX with its all-aluminium construction and 270-horsepower VTEC V6 engine was seemed as exotic as anything available at the time. It had a conventionally comfortable and ergo- nomic cockpit with gentle road manners that ran sharply rounder to contemporary European exotics. Today’s NSX (New Sports eXperimental) incorporates groundbreak- ing technology and is the only supercar made in America that utilises electric motors to enhance every element of dynamic performance. It combines the three-motor Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel Drive with a bespoke twin-turbocharged, mid-mounted V6 engine to deliver an unparalleled range of driving experiences, from the all-elec- tric Quiet mode to the ultimate at-the-limit capability of Track mode. What Drives This Power Model? At the heart of the Acura NSX is the all-new twin-turbocharged mid-mounted DOHC (Dual Overhead Camshafts) V6 engine that is driven by the next-generation Sport Hybrid SH-AWD power unit. This powertrain also consists of an all-new 9-speed dual-clutch trans- mission (9DCT) and Direct Drive Motor that supplements the en- gine with instant torque response. In addition to this, the Direct Drive Motor operates as a generator, maintaining the state of charge of the hybrid batteries to consistently support driver demands. That is not all because these systems also comprise of the rear power unit which is supplemented by the revolutionary capabilities of the front-mounted Twin Motor Unit (TMU). While the electric motors within these units independently drive the left and right front wheels, this allows the TMU to provide ‘active AWD (All-Wheel Drive)’ that increases forward acceleration and continuously varying positive and negative torque supplied to the front wheels. This results in a ‘direct yaw control’ effect that enhances agility, sta- bility, performance, and response. Finally, the TMU provides the re- generative braking force, supporting braking demands while recharg- ing the hybrid battery. Through the immediate and precise torque response of the power unit’s three electric motors, the Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system can elevate any driver’s confidence and performance while extracting more performance than could be obtained without it. They say the ‘power is behind the wheel’! In the Acura NSX, the en- gine and electric motors produce a combined peak of 573 hp and 476 Images courtesy of Acura