“The way it responded to steering inputs, hung on around curves at speed, rocketed out of bends, allowed late braking for corners and planted a smile on my face won me over -- for the most part.” - CNET
2018 Acura NSX Engine and Transmission
The 2018 Acura NSX packs in a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine assisted by three electric motors. The combined output of this setup peaks at 573 hp and 476 lb-ft of torque. The first two motors individually power the front wheels while the third motor sends power to the rear wheels. The nine-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission ensures a seamless power transfer working in conjunction with the third motor. Thus the complete setup makes the Acura NSX an AWD sports car.
The twin-turbo V6 with the hybrid setup is a cracker deal for NSX with short city rides being purely handled by the electric motor optimizing gas mileage while for spirited driving the complete setup works together to give you unmatched performance and seat pinning acceleration.
Models |
2018 Acura NSX |
2018 Audi R8 |
2018 Nissan GT-R |
2018 McLaren 570s |
MSRP |
$156,000 |
$138,700 |
$110,490 |
$191,100 |
Engine |
3.5-liter twin-turbo hybrid V6 |
5.2-liter V10 |
3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 |
3.8-liter twin-turbo V8
|
Transmission |
9-speed automatic |
7-speed automatic |
6-speed automatic |
7-speed automatic |
Power |
573 hp @ 6500 rpm |
532 hp @ 7800 rpm |
565 hp @ 6800 rpm |
562 hp @ 7500 rpm |
Torque |
476 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm |
398 lb-ft @ 6500 rpm |
467 lb-ft @ 3300 rpm |
443 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm |
In this comparison, none of the rivals sports cars get a hybrid setup like the NSX. The McLaren 570s commands the highest premium for its base trim while the Audi R8 is the only sports car with a naturally aspirated V10 under its hood. That said, the NSX due to the hybrid setup has an edge here with the highest power and torque figures among all.
2018 Acura NSX Acceleration
The 2018 Acura NSX goes from 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds and covers a quarter-mile in 11.2 seconds while 0-100 mph comes in 7 seconds flat. The hybrid setup eliminates any weak spots in the powerband and at a slight dab of the throttle, the NSX leaps ahead without any delay.
Models |
2018 Acura NSX |
2018 Audi R8 |
2018 Nissan GT-R |
2018 McLaren 570s |
0-60 MPH (sec) |
3.1 |
3.1 |
2.9 |
2.7 |
Quarter-mile (sec) |
11.2 |
11.4 |
11.2 |
10.7 |
Engine |
3.5-liter twin-turbo hybrid V6 |
5.2-liter V10 |
3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 |
3.8-liter twin-turbo V8
|
Nissan GT-R and McLaren 570s are quicker than the NSX with the 570s being the quickest and beating the NSX in 0-60 mph by 0.4 seconds and in quarter-mile run by 0.5 seconds.
2018 Acura NSX Ride and Handling
The active torque vectoring and the AWD system ensure the 2018 Acura NSX has commendable handling and leech-like grip even around corners with standard rubbers. Whether you are doing freeway speeds or just trotting around town the NSX is a bliss to drive. Further, the Acura NSX satisfies some fundamental requirements of a good handling car made possible with a low center of gravity and weight distribution. The NSX's engine uses dry-sump lubrication and hence can be buried deep within the chassis low to the ground. This along with low-mounted heavy components like the battery pack helps it achieve an extremely low center of gravity.
Owing to the mid-engine layout and careful placement of heavy components means the NSX does not roll much or yaw much during hard cornering or braking. The ride quality of the NSX also remains respectable with sports car standards. Regular city roads are handled with ease by the NSX while the occasional rough patches and bumpy roads are taken care of without filtering much inside the cabin. Thus the overall ride quality remains above-average and particularly long-distance hauls remain comfortable in the NSX.
2018 Acura NSX Braking
The 2018 Acura NSX comes with a 14.5-inch front disc and 14.2-inch rear disc that work in conjunction to rein the 3,803 lbs beast from 70-0 mph in just 142 feet. While the NSX managed to stop from 60-0 mph in just 100 feet during panic braking.
The above numbers are for the NSX with regular tires and a standard braking setup. While the NSX equipped with high-performance summer tires and carbon-ceramic brakes further reduce the stopping distance.
Model |
2018 Acura NSX |
2018 Audi R8 |
2018 Nissan GT-R |
2018 McLaren 570s |
Brake Front (in) |
14.5 |
14.4 |
15.3 |
15.5 |
Brake Rear (in) |
14.2 |
14.0 |
15.0 |
15.0 |
Curb Weight (lbs) |
3803 |
3505 |
3933 |
3212 |
70-0 MPH (ft.) |
142 |
N/A |
145 |
144 |
In this comparison, the NSX took the least distance to stop from 70-0 mph followed by the McLaren 570s and GT-R. That said, the McLaren 570s sports the biggest brake setup and is the lightest yet it took 2 feet more to stop compared to the NSX.