Concept Provides a Glimpse of the Next Generation Acura Exotic Sports Car

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The show-stopping Acura "Advanced Sports Car Concept" made its world debut today at the 2007 North American International Auto Show. The dynamically styled concept provides a preview of the design direction for the successor to the Acura NSX.

Created to take exotic sports car styling to a new level, the concept is designed to incorporate a powerful front-mounted, V-10 engine and a new high-performance, rear-wheel-drive based version of Acura's exclusive Super Handling All-Wheel Drive(TM) (SH-AWD(TM)).

"The Acura brand will always be a home for people who love to drive," said Takeo Fukui, president & CEO of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. "As we advance toward building a car like this, I can tell you it will feature advanced technology matching our passion for performance."

The concept's exterior demonstrates a dynamic fusion of advanced technology and emotion. The long, pronounced hood features deeply sculpted lines and embossed air vents, both of which hint at the powerful engine beneath. The exterior lines run the length of the body, creating a ribbon-like effect from the front headlights to the rear wheel arches, evoking a feeling of movement and power.

Although modern in its appearance, the Advanced Sports Car Concept retains the subtle cues associated with its predecessor, the NSX. The concept's slim, LED headlights are pushed wide and designed to mimic the pop-up headlights found on the first generation NSX. Other styling hints include a modern take on wraparound rear taillights and the all black cockpit.

"Our intention was to design an exotic sports car that gracefully combines advanced technology and strong emotion," said Jon Ikeda, principal designer, Acura Design Center. "The technical, machined surfaces and keen-edge design are balanced with sweeping curves and dramatic lines, all of which results in the ultimate exotic sports car."

Wide and low to the ground with a 108.8 inch wheelbase, the concept is anchored by grippy 19 inch front and 20 inch rear performance tires which are mounted to custom billet-machined, polished aluminum wheels. Powerful, ventilated carbon ceramic brake discs and eight-piston calipers accent the wheels. Bold wheel arches and flares add to the concept's aggressive appearance.

The low slung cabin is constructed entirely of tinted glass and sits flush against the body. Door handles are also flush mounted, allowing the sports car to retain a clean and aerodynamic appearance. The Advanced Sports Car Concept features a carbon fiber underbody and the rear is finished with aggressive quad exhaust pipes and integrated rear diffusers, further communicating its high performance potential.

The Advanced Sports Car Concept was designed by the Acura's Los Angeles-based design team that will be based at the new Acura Design Center, opening this summer.

Additional Acura information and downloadable high-resolution images are available at http://www.acuranews.com.

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Advanced Sports Car Concept dimensions:

Width: 78.6 in
Length: 181.5 in
Height: 48.1 in
Wheelbase: 108.8 in
Tires: .
Front:
255/40R19
Rear:
295/35R20








http://www.hondanews.com/CatID...ves=t

 

Looks pretty cool I like it already

 

It looks decent to me Gotta love a V-10 with SH-AWD!
Though I must add how some Honda faithful blasted the IS-F exhaust and they now have the same thing!

 

Not gonna lie, the front and side remind me of the LF-A and other Lexus models. Looks nice though.

 

I love the side profile. The rear, well, let's just say it sucks ***!

 

The car looks surprisingly good, but why make the next NSX front engined?

 

Front-engine and AWD? I feel sorry for the NSX nameplate.

On the other hand, I really like the design. Reminds me a lot of the Aston Martin DB9 from the rear and side shots.

 

source : motorauthority

 

If this is the next NSX then it is nowhere near what the original was and a bit of a dissapointment. Front engine SH-AWD just took away what made the NSX so great and unique among sub 100K sports cars. I know alot of NSX enthusiasts and previous owners are going to be very dissapointed with this vehicle and are going to go to other brands for a new high end sports car. Instead of having a great and unique vehicle with a low slung lightweight mid engine nimble exotic it will just be competing with a sea of other heavy front engine cars like the Merc SL, BMW 6 series, Jaq XK, Aston Martin AMV8, Corvette, Viper, etc with the new Lexus LFA being its main competition. I am sure the new Lexus will have more horsepower, be faster, have a nicer interior, and sell much better because Lexus is much more successful at selling more expensive vehicles then Acura. The best thing to come out of this is that Acura now has a proper front engined rwd platform that can be utilized with other vehicles like sedans and coupes and the next RL will finally get a proper rwd platform so that many will stop complaining about its Accord chasis roots. Hopefully Honda/Acura did not engineer this new platform so that it will be difficult to spawn other vehicles or will be too expensive for sub 60K cars. I do have a faint amount of hope that this is not the NSX replacement but the new rumored coupe that was supposed to be between the RL and NSX and there will be a proper mid engined NSX replacement but I kind of doubt it. Acura should definitely not name this car the NSX as it possesses nothing the original had and is a completely new model. Sorry I lost a little respect for Honda/Acura today and am not really looking forward to this new car anymore.

As for the looks, it looks ok and really kind of plain and does not really have head turning style and certainly does not look like a 70K+ car. The SL and Aston Martin AMV8 look nicer and the Lexus LFA concept looks much better with a exotic look then this and will certainly turn heads and be bought on looks alone.

 

I don't see any DB9 in it (considered by many to be one of the most beautiful cars ever made).
I see some corvette in it, if anything. Its a decent looking concept much better than this crap

 

I sometimes think Acura designers in their quest for "edgy" and "futuristic" forget plain ol' "good lookin'".

 

I should get PAID for this...
http://news.windingroad.com/concept-...s-car-concept/

NSX fans, rejoice. Corvette fans, rejoice. The next Acura NSX will debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in the fall of 2007, but Acura unwrapped a design study for the car this afternoon with the Advanced Sports Car Concept, or ASC Concept. And dare we say: its proportions give it a near-Corvette stance (Bonus conjecture: the front duct work reminds us of the Audi R8).

 

Not normally the one to play the 'it looks like' game, but from the side profile it looks like 'vette in the rear, ferrari 599 in the middle and audi R8 up front. All mish mashed and served with a dose of ugly. The LF-A concept is much better looking than this.

Im also terribly dissapointed with the front engine awd setup. Acura, Please dont put an NSX badge on it. I'm with UDel 100%

 

oh, those wheels are also vintage Lexus LF-C concept

 

That car looks so much like a Corvette, only uglier. The only thing it's missing is the bowtie up front.

Whatever happened to this car (pic below)? Dammit Honda, stop making fugly cars and concentrate on good looking cars again.



Fire this clown already. Acura's designs are going from bad to worse with every new release.



http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/davemarek.htm