• After months of speculation, Acura finally confirms that the new NSX will be turbocharged.
• The 2015 NSX will also have three electric motors and a dual-clutch transmission with "more than six gears."
• Unlike the first-generation NSX, the new Acura's engine will be mounted longitudinally.
Confirming months of speculation, Honda officially unveiled the 2015 Acura NSX's V6, armed with a pair of turbochargers.
Acura wouldn't confirm any details or specs on the car other than that the engine will be unique to the NSX and not simply an Accord motor in a pretty package. Just from looking, however, we can tell this V6 is just under 90 degrees and features dry-sump lubrication and direct injection. Assuming a displacement of 3.7 liters, combined with the car's three electric motors, 550 horsepower sounds reasonable, if not conservative.
But the big news here is how the engine is positioned within the car. Unlike the original NSX, the new production model will have its engine mounted longitudinally and not transversely.
Hideki Wakamatsu, Honda's operating officer and chief officer of technology development for drivetrain and e-drive told Edmunds that the change from a transverse layout to the longitudinal one happened recently after extensive testing, but that the change would not delay the anticipated on-sale date of 2015.
Not only does this layout simplify packaging (look at how much material is behind the engine now), but Wakamatsu says that the car is dynamically improved with this configuration.
The Ferrari 458 Italia and McLaren MP4-12C, two of the NSX's benchmark competitors, also use a longitudinal midengine layout.
Those of you who are familiar with NSX history will know that this isn't the first time an NSX has gone longitudinal, as the Super GT racing NSX also featured this layout.
Edmunds says: Switching a vehicle's drivetrain configuration during development is a massive undertaking, and proof perhaps that Honda is just as concerned as we are about the 2015 Acura NSX being as good as the original.