While not the “00000” engine number as the last model we drove, the 2017 Acura NSX is a beauty with carbon fiber bits accented on the 130R white paint.
Our one complaint last time we drove the NSX was that the busy city streets of Portland, Or., was no place to really open up this speedy vehicle.
With our prayers for wide open roads answered, we hopped into the mid-engine, two-seater and started up the 3.5-liter, twin turbocharged V6. It’s a hybrid, so standing at the ready were two front-mounted motors increasing torque and horsepower for a total of 573 horsepower and 476 lb-ft of torque.
Putting the foot down on an open and cleared stretch of paved backroad took us to well above 60 in quicker than we blinked. And, no, I wasn’t looking at a stop watch. I was driving.
The Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system kicks in, grips the road and you’re off like a rocket. Then you look down at the speedometer and realize just how quick it was.
Letting off the pedal and decreasing to reasonable speeds was the best course of action. Not just because they’re reasonable, but because there’s also a line of camper trailers four deep in the roadway going camper trailer speeds (and there’s oncoming traffic).
It allowed me some time to (quickly) peak at the interior of the NSX, as lush as it was last time. Included in the interior are all the techy things you’ll want inside any modern car, including Apple and Android native apps.
So, would the further emotional inspiration from gratuitous acceleration on open country roads get me to buy this super handling supercar for the price tag of $165,000? Certainly! The real question is: to which racetrack does one go to unleash it often?
