Let’s be clear: we like this car. Austin described it as “makes you giggle” fast, everyday-comfortable, and chock full of impressive party tricks like seamless shifting – with only a few foibles, like numb steering, to spoil the illusion of perfection.
Back to the benchmarked cars. Acura says the NSX will compete with the Audi R8, and was developed to compete with the now-superseded 458 Italia. Let’s start with the 2017 R8 V10 Plus – pricing hasn’t been released, and a direct Euro-to-USD conversion isn’t the whole story, but it starts at the equivalent of $179,000 in Europe. For that, the R8 V10 Plus provides 610 horsepower, a seven-speed DCT, and a 3.2-second sprint to 60 mph. The 458’s successor, the 488 GTB, should be more expensive than the $243,000 the old model started at, and provides 661 hp, a seven-speed dual-clutch, and a 0-60 time of around three seconds (official numbers haven’t been released for acceleration).
For less money than either of these cars, the NSX delivers … less. Total system output is 573 hp. It has a slight edge in gear count, at nine speeds, and should beat the R8 to 60 mph. But there’s no V10, let alone Ferrari’s feral turbocharged V8. It’ll be up to buyers to determine if the compromises involved are worth a few thousand dollars in savings, if no options are selected.
It should also be noted that Acura describes this as its first “built-to-order” vehicle, but the limited external color options and interior schemes don’t appear to be much different than the extent to which you can customize an Accord. The configurator goes live on February 25th, if you want to see for yourself.
Lastly, in what now seems to be a necessary part of a new high-end car launch, Acura will auction off VIN 001, the first production NSX, at Barrett-Jackson in January. All proceeds from that auction will benefit two charities: the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and Camp Southern Ground.
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– 2017 Acura NSX U.S. MSRP set at $156,000
– First 2017 NSX to be auctioned for charity at Barrett-Jackson in January
– Online configurator and customer order taking to begin Feb. 25
TORRANCE, Calif. (Dec. 18, 2015) – Acura today announced additional launch details for the next-generation 2017 Acura NSX supercar, coming to market next spring, including pricing and the order taking process. Acura also revealed plans to auction off the very first serial production NSX, VIN 001, at the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction in Scottsdale, Ariz. the last week of January 2016. All proceeds from the auction sale will go to a pair of children’s charities: the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and Camp Southern Ground, the passion project of Grammy Award-winning artist Zac Brown.
Designed, developed and manufactured in America, the 2017 Acura NSX will have a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)1 of $156,000 in the U.S. and will top out at $205,700 when equipped with all available factory features and options1. As Acura’s first build-to-order vehicle, customers will be able to design their NSX by selecting one of eight rich exterior colors and four interior color schemes available in three different seating surface options. Customers can further customize their NSX through several exterior and interior features including three wheel designs with painted or polished finish, carbon-ceramic brake options, a carbon fiber interior sport package, carbon fiber roof, and more.
“The NSX is the pinnacle expression of Acura precision crafted performance and we’re thrilled to take the next step toward bringing it to market,” said Jon Ikeda, vice president and general manager of the Acura Division. “We’re creating new space within the supercar realm, pushing the envelope beyond the conventional thinking about supercars – just like the original NSX.”
Customer order taking for the new NSX will begin on Feb. 25, 2016 at authorized NSX retailers, in concert with the launch of a vehicle configurator on Acura.com. The configurator will be the first engagement point for customers interested in exploring the process of ordering a vehicle from an authorized NSX retailer and enthusiasts who want to configure their dream NSX. Once customers have customized their vehicle online, they can schedule an appointment with an authorized NSX retailer to finalize the order.
The 2017 NSX will be the first all-new Acura vehicle to be auctioned for the benefit of charitable organizations – certified to be the very first serial production NSX. The winner will be able to customize their NSX to their choosing.
“The very first production NSX will be such a special and historic vehicle, so we wanted to make sure we treat the sale of it in an equally special way,” said Ikeda. “It will be available for purchase by anyone – anyone that is, who submits the highest bid for VIN number 001 at the world famous Barrett-Jackson auction. And we’re pleased to be able to support two incredible children’s charities, Camp Southern Ground and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, with the NSX.”
