Acura’s new American-built supercar will be assembled at a set annual pace, even if that means making some customers wait.
The 2016 NSX finally debuted at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show three years after its first concept preview first went on display here. Production begins this fall at Honda’s Marysville, Ohio, assembly facility leading up to a launch scheduled for the 2016 model year that will yield a limited number of vehicles per year. “We are thinking in terms of demand minus one. It is clear that this is a small volume one-by-one production,” NSX global large project leader Ted Klaus said on the sidelines of the Acura display. ” So we are going to not add additional manpower and additional shifts to produce the vehicle.”
The company hasn’t officially disclosed the number of models it plans to produce each year, but Acura might be able to better leverage a halo from the NSX by keeping a line at the door. For example, Ferrari caps its annual production to maintain an image of exclusivity.
2015 Detroit Auto Show Coverage
Early prototypes of the NSX used a transverse naturally aspirated engine in a layout akin to the original car, Klaus said during a round table discussion with reporters. That didn’t stick during development and Honda ultimately opted for a longitudinally mounted twin-turbo V6 in large part to leave space for building higher performing models later in the cycle plan.
Acura’s new exotic is still going through final validation, but the company said during its press conference that the twin-turbo V6 hybrid system, which relies on three electric motors, will generate at least 550 hp. An official price hasn’t been announced yet, but a company source familiar with the matter said Acura is targeting a price point of roughly $150,000.
GALLERY: 2016 Acura NSX Live Photos
