{"id":30081,"date":"2022-11-17T14:03:37","date_gmt":"2022-11-17T18:03:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=30081"},"modified":"2022-11-17T14:03:37","modified_gmt":"2022-11-17T18:03:37","slug":"payne-wicked-600-hp-acura-nsx-type-s-saves-the-best-for-last","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/payne-wicked-600-hp-acura-nsx-type-s-saves-the-best-for-last","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Wicked 600-hp Acura NSX Type S saves the best for last"},"content":{"rendered":"

Southfield<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 The Acura NSX is galloping off into the sunset in style. For its last model year, the NSX gets a Type S performance model with 600 horsepower, carbon-fiber roof, sticky Pirelli P Zero PZ4 tires and quicker shifting.<\/p>\n

Awesome. But can we talk styling?<\/p>\n

As one of world\u2019s rare mid-engine supercars \u2014 and one of only two Made in the USA (the other is the Corvette C8 in Kentucky) \u2014 the NSX\u2019s conservative wardrobe always appeared a mismatch for the sinewy, all-wheel-drive hybrid turbo-V6 sci-fi beast underneath.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Walk up to a C8 and its shard-like headlights stare at you hungrily. Come across a Lamborghini Huracan and it looks like Smaug the Dragon on the verge of burning down Middle Earth. The NSX? It has the face of a Honda Accord.<\/p>\n

Not the Type S. This thing looks wicked. For its last hurrah, Acura has remade the front and rear clips of its supercar for proper menace. The headlights \u2014 12 LED projectors glowing inside \u2014 are now visually separated from the gaping grille and underlined by gaping gills. A huge diffuser hangs out back.<\/p>\n

More:<\/strong>Final assembly: On the Ohio line with the last Acura NSX Type S supercar<\/a><\/p>\n

Now that\u2019s a proper supercar. Like an alien insectoid come to earth to consume all our asphalt roads.<\/p>\n

Type S and I did a lot of consuming.<\/p>\n

Over northern Oakland County\u2019s twisty lake roads, I nailed the throttle and the V-6 howled with pleasure. Slinging NSX around a 180-degree Telegraph Road turn, I stomped the gas. More howling. Out of a stoplight on a vacant rural two-lane, I initiated launch control for a 2.9-second 0-60 mph sprint.\u00a0Hooowwwwl!<\/em><\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

With 492 pound-feet of thrust, the hybrid all-wheel-drive drivetrain is a joy. Despite the resulting 3,900 pounds of girth, the supercar\u2019s low center of gravity makes it feel sucked to the road. It\u2019s learned at the feet of the NSX GT3 race car (still competitive on the IMSA circuit). Given that it was introduced in 2017, the NSX’s interior design is dated given the relentless industry electronics race \u2014 but also since NSX\u2019s signature cyclops driver mode button and trigger shifter are being phased out in other Acura\/Honda products. But it\u2019s still unusual, a reminder of the NSX\u2019s ambitions when it was rolled out as a $160,000 hybrid supercar with tech previously found on the $1 million Porsche 918.<\/p>\n

Despite its technological prowess, NSX was a sales disappointment, moving just 2,548 copies globally over its five-year run. Though cheap for the hybrid supercar class, it had to compete against comparably priced cyborgs like the flat-6-fired $160K Porsche 911 GT3. Ohhhh, knees. Getting. Weak.<\/p>\n

But while the stiff, wailing 911 GT3 feels like it wants to race all day long, the NSX Type S is a lovely daily driver, starting with its Toyota Prius-like preference to sneak out my driveway on battery power in Quiet mode.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Dial up cyclops to Sport, Sport Plus and Track modes, and the engine tone gets sharper, the magnetic dampers firmer. Two personalities, one supercar. A St. Louis pal had to trade in his 911 GT3 after a year for a 911 Targa because he wanted more comfort.<\/p>\n

Just don\u2019t plan on going too far in the Type S. Its tiny 4.4 cubic feet of trunk space won\u2019t hold much more than toiletries for a date weekend. Frunk-equipped peers like the McLaren GT and 911 are more accommodating.<\/p>\n

My friend Kevin has owned everything from Lambo Aventadors to Ferrari F8s, and he fell in love with the Type S.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like this better than the Ferrari,\u201d he said while driving over the oxcart-rough roads of Southfield. In Track mode, the Type S porpoised over the bumps. Then we dialed it back to Sport, and the car was more domesticated \u2014 the ferocious, battery-assisted torque always at the ready when needed.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Just weeks after my jaunt in a loaded $185,000 Gotham Gray Matte Type S, Chevrolet introduced the performance version of its Made in America supercar \u2014 the Corvette Z06.<\/p>\n

The 670-horse, V8-powered Z06 has an 8,000-RPM exhaust note from the gods, 2.6-second 0-60 mph time, Stealth mode and 12.6 cubic feet of cargo room. For $166K loaded ($127K base). Oh.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The \u2018Vette will probably sell as many copies in a year as NSX sold in its lifetime. Which speaks to why Acura couldn\u2019t translate its supercar into super sales. Still, the halo-car NSX has transformed Acura back into a performance brand. Everything from the RDX SUV to the entry-level Integra now carries its DNA.<\/p>\n

And with its final, 2022 run of 350 copies, NSX has finally found its halo. The Type S is the best-looking NSX ever.<\/p>\n

2022 Acura NSX Type S<\/h2>\n

Vehicle type: Mid-engine, all-wheel drive two-passenger sports car<\/p>\n

Price: $171,495 base ($192,495 as tested)<\/p>\n

Powerplant: 3.5-liter, twin-turbo V-6 with three electric-motor hybrid assist<\/p>\n

Power: 600 combined horsepower, 492 pound-feet of torque<\/p>\n

Transmission: Nine-speed dual-clutch<\/p>\n

Performance: 0-60 mph, 2.9 seconds (Car & Driver); top speed, 191 mph (mfr.)<\/p>\n

Weight: 3,898 pounds<\/p>\n

Fuel economy: EPA 21 mpg city \/ 22 mpg highway \/ 21 combined<\/p>\n

Report card<\/strong><\/p>\n

Highs: Best-looking NSX made; supercar performance for under $200K<\/p>\n

Lows: Small cargo space; less performance than cheaper Corvette Z06<\/p>\n

Overall: 3\u00a0stars<\/p>\n

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Southfield\u00a0\u2014 The Acura NSX is galloping off into the sunset in style. For its last model year, the NSX gets a Type S performance model with 600 horsepower, carbon-fiber roof, sticky Pirelli P Zero PZ4 tires and quicker shifting. Awesome. But can we talk styling? As one of world\u2019s rare mid-engine supercars \u2014 and one […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30081"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30081"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30081\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30082,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30081\/revisions\/30082"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30081"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30081"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30081"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}