Autocar reports that Acura is finalizing the redesign of their new, front-engined NSX. The latter-day version of the Ayrton Senna-fettled "everyday supercar" will lead the luxury brand's charge into the Eurozone come 2010. Pistonheads may recall that the new NSX was supposed to debut at last year's Tokyo Auto Show. Honda's bosses were unimpressed with the final design; they've pushed the release back a year. The nose of the 550hp V10-powered monster has received special attention. Sources inside Honda tell Autocar that "it now has Chevrolet Corvette overtones." The NSX will be followed by a range of rear wheel-drive (RWD) sedans. First out of the box: a 7-series-fighter set to debut in 2015. And then, perhaps, they'll release an S2000-based sportscar aimed at Mercede's SLK. Acura faces an uphill battle in establishing a foothold in Europe's brand-loyal luxury market. But a revamped lineup of capable, RWD performance machines can only help.
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Finally some good news from my favorite brand of vehicles! IT’S ABOUT TIME!!! they need to apply that Europe strategy here in the US.
Looks suspiciously like a corvette to me…Not digging that flare on the door.
V10 doesn’t sound like the Honda I know and love, and front engine doesn’t sound the NSX I know and love. I’m disappointed already.
Please make a RWD Civic or a 4-door S2000 and call it a day!
This will mop up in GT racing, yes?
If the European Accord is the American TSX, what will the European TSX be?
I’m confused.
Acura is slipping their announced release dates.
What is wrong with those guys?
what will the European TSX be?
Given the current state of Honda design… it’s going to be hideous.
Yep, I see some Corvette, but I also see some RX8.
Also agreed that front engined car does not equal NSX.
If Lexus is struggling in Europe, what chance does Acura have? Europeans are badge snobs!
The NSX was known for it mid-engine, lightweight, with superior performance and handling from a v6. A v10, with 550hp, it’s nice, but like “brownie” said it doesn’t sound like the NSX I know and love. But one thing that is actually good is how the bosses dislike this design, cause it’s not appealing or attractive. I’ve would have been happy with a 3.5 liter v6 with 400hp.
Why doesn’t Honda use the 2.4L V-8 that they use in their Formula One car? 700 hp would move the NSX right along.
I want to know what happed this:
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~vs6t-ari/honda_hsc.jpg
The HSC still holds up today.
I’m not digging this NSX at all either, especially with the performance per dollar of a GT-R or Z06. If the bosses could force a redesign on this (and it still looks silly), how did ANY of the new Acura vehicles get the green light?
what the hell was wrong with mid-engine ?
Technically, it will probably be mid-engined, the engine is just behind the front axle instead of being in front of the rear axle..
I have not looked into how well Lexus does in Europe, but if they are doing poorly i would imagine it’s because they don’t make cars that Europeans want, not because of snobbery. I think i saw a big Lexus the other day, but i didn’t have my glasses on so at least from my balcony it looked kind of like a 7-series in the arse part of it. I see some IS250s occasionally though, and they look pretty ugly to be honest. Not that new German offering are pretty either.
@geggamoya
I have not looked into how well Lexus does in Europe
In Germany for March 2008, Lexus has sold 268 cars. Compare that with 1500 Porsches and more than 29,000 Mercedes.
Ok, that’s.. bad. I wasn’t quite expecting it to be that bad.
That’s Germany only, which is going to be a very tough market for Lexus for obvious reasons.
European-wide Lexus sales figures:
2005: 10,265
2006: 36,662
2007: 53,810
Looks good to me. They are new in Europe; it’ll take awhile before they have really high sales over there.