acura nsx Full Overview
The tables tend to turn quickly in endurance racing. One moment a car has an advantage over the competition, and the next it spins out, losing all hope of winning. On the other hand, one car’s misfortune can lead to a surprise win for another. In a way, building a production car is an endurance race: A car can be a winner until a midcycle refresh dulls it, or a dog can gain a whole new lease on life after receiving an update that fixes a critical flaw. In either case, it’s hard to predict what will happen down the road until the moment a major revision takes effect. Such is the case with the second-generation Acura NSX, now in the form of the 2022 Acura NSX Type S.
The hybrid NSX supercar followed up the first-generation NSX, a vehicle that changed the segment with its legendary balance and daily usability. The “new” NSX certainly ticked the boxes for capability and ease of use, but we also found it to be a bit too rational to truly excite as a supercar. But when we drove the updated 2020 model, we discovered Acura finally baked in the brutality the car needed. Jump ahead to now, after the Type S sub-GM Ebrand’s recent return to Acura’s U.S. lineup, and the brand figured it was high time to apply its high-performance principles to the NSX for this year, the car’s final round of production. We traveled to Daytona International Speedway for the Rolex 24 endurance race to get a first taste of the 2022 Acura NSX Type S in its element: on the track.
The New Normal
The NSX Type S replaces the standard NSX, and it includes a thorough overhaul touching almost every element of the car. At first glance it looks more aggressive all around, thanks to a ferocious new front fascia and a redesigned rear diffuser inspired by the NSX GT3 race car. Acura reworked the overall aerodynamics with new openings that direct air to sub radiators to improve cooling, and it added a larger center grille opening. The new bodywork is shaped to better direct airflow into the rear-mounted intercooler, and the front lip is positioned lower than before to channel air to the fins mounted at the rear.
All of the 2021 Acura NSX’s optional carbon-fiber bodywork elements are now standard equipment for the 2022 Type S model. The front lip spoiler, side skirts, deck spoiler, roof, and diffuser are all made from the stuff. A Lightweight package, which was equipped on the car we sampled on the track, adds carbon-ceramic brakes, a carbon engine cover, and carbon interior trim. Overall, this $13,000 package shaves 58 pounds from the NSX’s curb weight. New wheel designs in matte Shark Grey and Berlina Black high gloss are also available, as is a range of paint that includes Gotham Gray Matte, the first ever use of matte paint on an Acura body. Only 70 cars will be produced in this exclusive shade.
Acura also darkened the exterior trim, making the 2022 NSX Type S look more sinister than before. The mirrors and door handles are piano black, and for the first time in Acura history the badges are Gloss Berlina Black. Even the headlight housing and taillights have been darkened to match the car’s overall look. The special touches extend into the engine bay with a red cover for the powerplant and a serial badge; this NSX is limited to just 350 units, after all. A Type S graphic on the supercar’s flank tops off the whole affair as a delectable last version of the second-generation NC1 NSX.
Super Performance on the Track
Whereas the 2021 NSX developed a total of 573 hp and 476 lb-ft of torque from its 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine and tri-electric motor drivetrain, the Type S cranks out a total of 600 hp and 492 lb-ft. The engine received larger turbochargers poached straight from the NSX GT3 Evo race car that battled in the Rolex 24 the day following our track drive. Its injectors have a 25 percent better flow rate than the 2021 NSX, and the intercoolers discharge 15 percent more heat. The front twin-motors’ gear ratio is also 20 percent lower, which helps smooth out the supercar’s torque curve. Acura also improved battery output by 10 percent and its capacity by 20 percent. The result is fierce acceleration and blistering speed we deployed on Daytona’s generous straights and high banks. The latest NSX has utterly ballistic acceleration and totally linear pedal engagement.
Other improvements applied to the NSX Type S were merely a result of fine-tuning the car’s existing hardware and software. Acura increased its sharpness by improving the nine-speed dual-clutch transmission’s shift speed by 50 percent, and it also added a mode so that when the downshift paddle is pulled and held for 0.6 second, the gearbox downshifts automatically to the lowest and best gear possible for the situation. On the track, the transmission blasted through gears on acceleration and stepped down during deceleration as smoothly as Acura told us it would. We appreciated this feeling of total control when we were on the tail of TCR-class race driver Ryan Eversley, who had just finished competing in the BMW Endurance Challenge race and hopped into an NSX Type S of his own to lead us around Daytona.
Acura took other steps to up the car’s drama. Since it was first introduced, the NSX used Acura’s intake sound-control system to literally pipe engine noise into the cabin depending on throttle input and drive mode. This system is now reworked to pump less noise into the interior when the throttle is closed or slightly depressed, but it ramps up the sound pressure more quickly as the throttle opens. On the track, this meant the twin-turbo V-6’s buttery tones filled the cabin at nearly full volume most of the time, but the car quieted down quite a bit when we lifted off. It added to the thrill of suddenly jumping into a 600-hp sports car after hanging around the track as a spectator. The adrenaline of the drive lasted 10 times longer than the time we actually spent behind the wheel.
Ride and Handling
Acura touts better ride quality and handling thanks to an updated version of the NSX’s active damper system. It’s retuned to cover a wider range of use cases, maximizing high-performance capability while still offering the everyday usability the NSX is known for. It’s equipped with new bespoke Pirelli P Zero tires that are 0.19 inch wider in front and 0.39 inch wider in the rear.
These changes mean the 2022 Acura NSX Type S still feels approachable and composed despite being outrageously quick. On Daytona’s banked turns, it settled in nicely as we sailed along deep into triple-digit speeds. The car feels totally planted whether it’s tucking into a corner or flying down a straightaway, yet the steering remains sharp and precise. The Type S flicks around corners willingly. After just two lead-follow laps, it was evident the car had massive amounts of performance we simply wouldn’t be able to access in such a short span.
Interior Appointments
In the whirlwind of our short track time, there was barely enough opportunity to appreciate the special touches Acura applied to the NSX Type S’ interior. The seats were comfortable and supportive, a must-have thanks to the car’s enhanced lateral grip. Acura added NSX logos to the seat backs, an embroidered Type S logo on the glove box door, red seat belts, and a new key fob featuring the NSX Type S name.
We’ve complained in the past about the NSX’s interior layout, and none of that has changed. However, Acura did apply Alcantara to the entire roof and A-pillars, which makes the cabin feel more special. With the Lightweight package equipped, extra carbon fiber on the steering wheel and instrument-cluster cowl help give the cockpit a little bit more of the race car vibe.
Final Thoughts on the Final NSX
We’ve developed a firsthand appreciation for the NSX over the years. We’ve road tested the oldest NSX with the lowest road-going VIN in existence, we’ve driven the updated 2020 model, and now we’ve experienced the last example from this generation. Acura has remained faithful to the original version’s purpose of being an everyday supercar with exceptional driving characteristics. The 2022 NSX Type S is all that and more; it loses none of the usability but gains an even sharper edge in its final year of production.
Buyers have already spoken for all 350 examples of the 2022 NSX Type S. In fact, Acura told us more than 700 people reached out inquiring to buy one, meaning the supercar that has long suffered from poor sales figures ended production in relative demand. And this is the priciest NSX ever, with a starting price of $171,495; the Long Beach Blue Pearl example we drove was optioned to $185,995. Whereas folks once struggled to rationalize spending well more than six figures on an Acura supercar, it seems the brand finally found the right balance of price, features, and exclusivity to get buyers to reach into their pockets.
As the sun sets on the second-generation NSX, so too does it rise on a whole range of Type S products. Twenty-five percent of all new TLX sedans sold are Type S models, and Acura said the MDX Type S is sold out through the first two months of production, to the tune of 1,400 units. But here’s what we really care about: Acura says another NSX is in the cards, and in the spirit of the NSX acronym (New Sports eXperience), we assume it’ll be an all-electric car. In the meantime, we’ll remember the 2022 NSX Type S as simply being electric.
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Keyword: 2022 Acura NSX Type S First Drive: One Hell of a Track Star