Page 39 - Motor Trend (April 2020)

ACURA’S MID-ENGINE HYBRID SUPERCAR HAD THE IMMENSE CHALLENGE
OF LIVING UP TO THE CRUSHING REPUTATION OF THE ORIGINAL.
The Acura NSX isn’t the
new kid on the block, but
its exterior design still
makes it a head-turner.
on electrons alone. With the engine on
and the Polestar in Power mode, the gas
and electric integration is seamless—
the motors mask any of the engine’s
low-end weakness, and the engine
quickly takes over from where the
motors leave off.
The Polestar’s powerplants pull hard
in a straight line, but they really come
alive on a switchback-ridden road,
where the torque vectoring, instan-
taneous power delivery, big Akebono
brakes, and tremendous grip from the
all-wheel-drive system help the 1 dive
hard into a corner and claw itself out
just as fast. A car that weighs as much
as a Jeep Gladiator shouldn’t rotate this
quickly, yet the Polestar continually
lives up to the brand’s origins as a Volvo
race team. Best seats of the bunch, too.
So what relegated the Polestar 1
to spot No. 2? Simply put, our No. 1
finisher is a more engaging, dynamic,
and thrilling hybrid performance car.
1st Place: 2020 Acura NSX
Eureka, Acura Found It!
To say the second-gen Acura NSX had a
rough start would be an understatement.
From 2007 to the time it hit the streets
a decade later, the NSX evolved three
times as Acura attempted to figure out
just what a modern NSX should be.
The mid-engine hybrid supercar
Honda Motor would end up launching
had the immense challenge living up to
the crushing reputation of the original.
It didn’t help that NSX 2.0 was under-
tired, prone to plow, and lacked the
original’s organic nature. In our 2016
Best Driver’s Car competition, the
NSX suffered a disappointing eighth-
place finish, as our staff waited for the
“Eureka!” of the new-age sports car
experience that never came.
So how did the 2020 NSX topple the
Polestar 1, BMW i8, and Lexus LC 500h?
You can thank Acura’s 2019 update
for that. Thicker anti-roll bars help cure
the car’s tendency to understeer, stickier
tires improve grip and steering feel, and
a rethink of many of the car’s electronic
control systems capture a touch of that
sparkle that made the original so special.
The changes work hand in hand with
the NSX’s unchanged hybrid powertrain.
A mid-mounted 3.5-liter twin-turbo
V-6 paired with an electric motor and
nine-speed dual-clutch automatic drive
the rear wheels, and up front an electric
motor drives each front wheel. A small
1.3-kW-hr battery between the engine bay
and cabin scavenges electricity for the
powertrain. Total system output is 573 hp
and 476 lb-ft of torque.
We had to wait a while for Acura to
get the NSX’s ride and handling balance
sorted, but that wait was worth it. The
NSX’s magnetic shocks help the supercar
feel as docile as a Honda Accord around
town and as buttoned down as a Civic
Type R on a good road. “The suspension
is terrific and ‘breathes’ so well,” Walton
said. “Docile, compliant, and, even in
Race mode, it’s no harsher than a Porsche
911 in Comfort mode.”
The Acura also handles better than
before, too, with light and precise steering
(“McLaren-like,” Walton adds) with none
of the pesky plow and lack of feel that the
pre-refresh car suffered from.
As good as the chassis changes are,
the NSX’s powertrain is the star of the
show. Despite the immense complexity
of ensuring three motors, two turbos, six
cylinders, and nine gears play nice with
one another, the Acura’s powertrain is
nearly organic in its responsiveness.
The linear way the NSX delivers power
is truly impressive. The Acura’s three
motors provide a strong, forceful shove
off the line as the turbos whoosh behind
your head, building up boost. Just as the
electric motors start to wane, the V-6
begins to howl, with the full boost of
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