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Acura announces new NSX concept for Detroit

Acura said it will bring a concept version of a new NSX model to the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, along with a compact sedan concept. Honda also announced a new Accord concept.

Wayne Cunningham Managing Editor / Roadshow
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Wayne Cunningham
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Acura

On the heels of the Earth Dreams Technology announcement at the Tokyo Motor Show, Honda says it will unveil a concept version of a new Acura NSX at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The original NSX, discontinued in 2005, was a midengine two-seater sports car. Honda released no details on the new NSX concept, merely saying it would show the "styling direction for the next generation of Acura's super sports car." It seems likely that Honda will pick up where it left off, with the Acura High-Performance Sports Concept shown at the 2004 Detroit auto show.

At the time of Honda's Earth Dreams Technology announcement, we speculated that the newly announced hybrid all-wheel-drive system would be the perfect drivetrain for a new NSX. It seems likely that the new concept will use this drivetrain, if it goes beyond a mere styling exercise. The hybrid all-wheel-drive system uses a direct-injection 3.5-liter V-6 as a main power unit, and two 20-kilowatt electric motors, one on each rear wheel, for torque vectoring. There is also a main drive motor, as well. The detail that a new seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission is part of this system fueled our speculation that the new drivetrain would go in a performance car.

Acura ILX and Honda Accord concepts
Honda also said it would bring a concept called the Acura ILX to the Detroit show, which will be an entry-level premium car under the Acura nameplate. Bringing in a model below the TSX seems to further muddy Acura's model differentiation, yet the ILX will offer a hybrid among its drivetrain choices. It will be the first Acura hybrid.

Under the Honda nameplate will be the 2013 Accord Coupe concept, this vehicle representing the future design direction for the Accord model. The fact that Honda put a model year on the concept suggests it will be a near-production vehicle.

The company will also show off an updated 2013 Acura RDX in Detroit.