Meet the fastest, and possibly final, Honda NSX ever – the NSX Type S.
The end of the second generation Honda NSX is now at hand. At the Monterey Car Week, Honda, or rather Acura revealed the final NSX model, most likely ever. It’s the NSX Type S, and it’s the fastest NSX they’ve ever produced.
Only 350 will be made, with 300 of those being specifically for the North American market.
We got a teaser of this vehicle last week, and as suspected, Honda are giving the NSX Type S a total power output of 600 horsepower and 667Nm of torque, an increase of about 27hp and 21Nm of torque. This increase comes from the inclusion of turbochargers from the NSX GT3 Evo race car, as well as from updated injectors and intercoolers. The battery capacity is also up by 20% and its output is up by 10%.
The Honda NSX Type S also gets new 5-spoke wheels with increased track widths. These new wheels are shod in Pirelli P-Zero tyres specially made for the vehicle. The 9-speed DCT has 50% faster upshifts and a new Rapid Downshift Mode allows the driver to skip gears to the lowest possible gear at that speed by holding down the paddleshifter for 0.6 seconds. The torque vectoring Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system has been retuned for better performance. The adaptive dampers have also been retuned.
Other performance improvements include a reprogrammed Intake Sound Control and Active Sound Control for the four modes of the Integrated Dynamics System.
Quiet Mode – Quiet mode combines the increased battery capacity and output with the new lower gearing for the TMU for sharper acceleration from a stop. The higher output and capacity also mean that NSX Type S can remain in its pure electric mode for extended periods, even when using more aggressive inputs of the accelerator pedal. Additionally, the ISC is programmed for minimal engine sound while in Quiet mode.
Sport Mode – In addition to implementing the new Rapid Downshift function, Sport mode has been updated with new calibrations for the suspension dampers and Sport Hybrid SH-AWD®. The new suspension calibrations reduce body roll and brake dive, creating a more stable turn-in.
The supercar uses its Sport Hybrid SH-AWD® to vector torque and create a yaw moment giving NSX Type S steering a sportier and more responsive feeling. When exiting a corner the TMU assists with additional torque for a direct and light feeling, with less accelerator pedal input.
Sport+ Mode – Intended for spirited driving on winding roads, Sport+ has been reprogrammed to help the driver feel more integrated with the car, starting with earlier downshifting when the transmission is in fully automatic mode. The Sport Hybrid SH-AWD® is optimized to help improve turn-in by using the torque vectoring to create an even more aggressive turning feel for a given steering angle.
When accelerating out of a corner, the TMU offers additional assist, stabilizing the car while improving acceleration. In Sport+, gear upshifts also are up to 50-percent faster, reducing the amount of time between shifts and improving acceleration.
Track Mode –Track mode has been updated to maximize the additional performance and grip potential of the NSX Type S. When downshifting into 2nd through 7th gears, the allowable downshift speed has been raised by 1,500 rpm, giving the driver more control over power delivery and keeping the engine in its most powerful rev range in circuit conditions. Additionally, in Track Mode, the ISC and ASC sound profiles also are optimized and provide a more clearly audible cue on the ideal shift points.
Besides that, the exterior design gets some reworking too. A new front intake opening and a carbon fibre roof and rear diffuser.
Buyers can also opt for a Lightweight Package, which brings in carbon ceramic brakes (in four colours), a carbon engine cover, and carbon interior trim for a total weight savings of 26.2kg.
The interior of the NSX Type S comes with an Alcantara headliner with Type S embroidered on the glove compartment and the NSX logo embossed on the headrests. There’s also an “NSX Type S” logo on the key fob. The upholstery also gets contrast stitching. Finally, there’s a new Gotham Gray matte exterior paint option.
