07 Jan 07
The Honda NSX, the Japanese company's classic supercar that went out of production two years ago at last has a successor, a concept unveiled at Detroit called the Advanced Sports Car.
Launched under the banner of Acura, Honda's North American luxury division, the ASC officially provides a preview of the design direction for the successor to the NSX.
The concept is designed to incorporate a front-mounted, V10 engine and a new high-performance, rear-wheel-drive-based version of Honda's exclusive Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) currently found in the new Legend.
The ASC's exterior styling is designed to fuse 'advanced technology and emotion' - a tired and hackneyed phrase frequently trotted out by car companies. A long, pronounced hood features deeply sculpted lines and embossed air vents, intended to hint at the engine beneath. Exterior lines run the length of the body, designed to create a ribbon-like effect from the front headlights to the rear wheel arches, in an attempt to evoke a 'feeling of movement and power'.
However, all these lines seem a little bit too fussy to us: too many creases and edges. Clearly an attempt to be modern and futuristic - no bad thing in itself - there just aren't enough organic, rounded surfaces there for our taste. It certainly lacks some of the looks of the original - which itself was no stunner.
Although modern in its appearance, the Advanced Sports Car Concept retains the subtle cues associated with its predecessor. Slim LED headlights are pushed wide and designed to mimic the pop-up headlights found on the first generation NSX. Other styling hints include a modern take on wraparound rear taillights and the all-black cockpit.
The low-slung cabin is made entirely of tinted glass and sits flush against the body. Door handles are also flush-mounted, for a clean, aerodynamic appearance. The ASC also features a carbon fibre underbody and the rear is finished with quad exhaust pipes and integrated rear diffusers, to emphasise its high performance potential.
It will be interesting to see whether the final production version will be quite as bold as the ASC concept: for once, we're hoping it won't.
