2007 Detroit Auto Show: Acura Explores a New Sports Car
- January 7, 2007
- Acura, Concept Cars
- Posted by George Peterson
- Comments Off on 2007 Detroit Auto Show: Acura Explores a New Sports Car
Acura’s NSX Replacement Still in Development
Acura’s auto show focus for 2007 is on its future, specifically its more distant future. The company followed up the Advanced Sedan Concept, shown in LA, with the Advanced Sports Car Concept in Detroit at the 2007 North American International Auto Show. Though Acura described the Sports Car Concept as “show-stopping” and as having been “created to take exotic sports car styling to a new level,” it is in reality no more innovative than its name.
This concept previews what Acura’s second sports car, replacing the mid-engined, V6-powered, rear-drive NSX that dropped after the 2005 model year. The Advanced Sports Car styling exercise shows the form a new sports car might take, but interior and running gear are still under development. The next step was promised for the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show (October 2007), not likely to be the production version. Acura’s next sports car may yet be more than two years from the dealership.
The more important elements revealed are Acura’s intent to go all-wheel-drive with a front-mounted V10, the type of package the car was, as it looks, designed for.
Powerful, Precise Slingshot
In describing the concept, principal designer and manager John Ikeda described the Advanced Sports Car Concept as a powerful, precise sling shot and its design theme as “keen-edge design.” The LED headlights are intended to be reminiscent of the original NSX’s pop-up headlights. Wheels were nineteen inch in front and twenty-inch in rear, nice-looking but a rather standard size for exotic sports cars. In presentation, the designer talked about having the ability to break free of conventional design themes with this project, but this is a pretty conventional sports car package and design, from its large front air dams to quad exhaust pipes. Its proportions are typical of a large, rear-drive, front-engined sports car. The flowing lines on the bodyside are attractive, but the flat surfaces in the front instead of a grille are not as successful. Though there are attractive elements, the result is a conventional take on a modern sports car.
If the NSX was an affordable exotic car that you could live with, what is this?
