It's all going down at Monterey Car Week in California this weekend. A new Lamborghini Countach is being unveiled, Pagani is bringing a special edition Huayra to the event, and even Koenigsegg will be making its first American auto show debut with the Gemera hyper-GT and Jesko Absolut. But in and among all the action Acura has unveiled its final swansong to the second-generation Acura NSX supercar. Meet the NSX Type S, a celebration of the final year of NSX production.
After teasers earlier in the week, Acura confirmed production of the Type S would be limited to just 350 units. Only 300 of those are reserved for the US market with the first to be auctioned off for a good cause. But what makes the NSX Type S so special? Well, in keeping with Acura's Type S heritage, it's a more hardcore variant: more power, more aerodynamic trickery, and more hardcore handling attributes. The 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 and triple electric motor powertrain has been uprated to produce a combined 600 horsepower and 492 lb-ft of torque, 27 hp and 16 lb-ft up on the standard NSX, while retaining the base model's SH-AWD all-wheel drive and nine-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
To achieve the increase in outputs, engineers at the Anna Engine Plant in Ohio enhanced the motor with high-flow fuel injectors improving flow rate by 25%. The turbos gain new intercoolers that dissipate 15% more heat, and the turbos themselves are scavenged from the NSX GT3 race car, now peaking at 16.1 psi of boost pressure. This results in 20 hp and 37 lb-ft more from the combustion engine alone. Then, engineers reduced the gear ratios for the pair of torque vectoring electric motors on the front axle from 10.382:1 to 8.050:1, improving torque when the Type S launches from a standstill. The nine-speed DCT has been retuned and now features a Rapid Downshift Mode, which automatically selects the lowest possible gear when the driver holds the downshift paddle for 0.6 seconds. Additionally, it boasts 50% faster upshifts and a higher rev threshold in its most aggressive Track driving mode. This all results in a 0 to 60 mph time of under 3 seconds, a top speed of 191 mph, and a two-second quicker lap time around Japan's Suzuka race circuit.
The battery system has been made more efficient with a 10% higher output, too.
Improvements to the chassis' dynamic handling and responsiveness have been made by specific tuning for each of the four modes of the Integrated Dynamics System - Quiet, Sport, Sport+, and Track. Quiet Mode has sharper acceleration and can remain in pure electric mode for longer periods, while Sport Mode now has the aforementioned Rapid Downshift function and new calibration for the adaptive dampers and SH-AWD to improve stability and cornering performance. Sport+ Mode boasts sharper shifts, tighter turn-in, and more aggressive tuning on the steering feel, while Track Mode maximizes the available performance with a 1,500 rpm increase in downshift threshold. In all modes, the Intake Sound Control and Active Sound Control have further been enhanced for a more emotive exhaust note inside and outside the car, too.
A wider track is a key enhancement on the Type S, created by fitting new split-five-spoke forged alloy wheels measuring 19 inches in diameter up front and 20 inches at the rear wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero tires measuring 245/35 and 305/30, front and rear, providing a 6% increase in lateral grip. These widen the track by 0.4 inches in front and 0.8 at the back.
They can be finished in either Matte Shark Grey or Gloss Berlina Black, and house Brembo brakes with six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers - finished in red. Buyers opting for the Lightweight Package receive carbon ceramic brakes with either black, silver, red, or orange calipers. This package equips a lightweight carbon fiber engine cover, carbon accents on the steering and instrumentation, and shaves 57.8 pounds overall.
The NSX Type S is visually more aggressive, sporting a larger front grille, extra front air intakes, broader, more angular side air intakes, and a carbon fiber rear diffuser developed from the one on the NSX GT3 Evo race car for added downforce and to reduce wake from the tires when cornering. Additionally, the Type S features extensively-used carbon fiber for the roof, front lower spoiler, side sills, rear decklid spoiler, and diffuser, while the mesh in the front air intakes is now steel. The mirror caps, door handles, exhaust tips, and Acura badges are finished in Gloss Berlina Black, the head- and taillights are dark tinted, and the engine cover is finished in red. The rear quarter panels show off Type S deals, and each engine cowling will feature a numbered plaque.
Ten exterior paint hues will be available including previous favorites like Thermal Orange, Indy Yellow, and Long Beach Blue, but the Type S also debuts a new matte paint finish dubbed Gotham Gray. Only 70 of the 350 unit production run will be allocated in this finish.
Lastly, the cabin gets Type S enhancements, too with an Alcantara headliner, an embroidered Type S logo on the glovebox, embossed NSX logos on the seats, and a Type S logo on the key fob. Alcantara and semi-aniline leather seats can be specced optionally in either Ebony or Orchid and Red, both with contrast stitching, or full semi-aniline leather seats in Ebony and Red.
The 350 NSX Type S models will be the last units to be sold globally for the second-generation NSX, raising the US sales since its 2016 release to 1,814 and global figures to more than 2,800 - all built at the Performance Manufacturing Centre in Marysville, Ohio.
Pricing for the Acura NSX Type S starts at $169,500 for the standard derivative - $12,000 more than a regular NSX - with the Type S with Lightweight Package carrying an MSRP of $182,500 before destination.