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Acura NSX will use Cosworth block, plus other neat tidbits

The blue NSX you see here was built just two weeks ago. Prototype number six, it rolled off Acura's newest assembly line in Ohio and was rushed out to the Monterey peninsula for various car week activities. We had a chance to sit down with several members of the NSX team to discuss the car, the long road from concept to production, and some interesting details. Below are some choice bits from our conversations. Acura is pretty proud of the fact that NSX version 2.0 was designed and is being built in the US. The new assembly line, called the Performance Manufacturing Center, is in Honda's hometown of Marysville, Ohio. While the line is brand new, the building has seen many uses over its lifetime, most recently as a warehouse facility. PMC staff numbers about 100, with 60 technical and 40 non-technical associates. The car uses parts sourced globally, and one of those sources is Cosworth. The engine blocks and heads come from the English firm and get assembled into twin-turbo powerhouses at Honda's nearby Anna, Ohio, engine plant. The Cosworth name is rarely associated with a bad engine, so we were geeked to hear the NSX's 550-plus-horsepower hybrid powertrain has good genes. Acura hasn't decided how many cars will come to the US each year, but supplies will be limited. We're told there is a total figure for global sales – basically anywhere Honda and Acura vehicles are sold – but they're not ready to divulge that number. Dealer allocation is also yet to be sorted out, although we're told that any dealer that has the necessary tools and equipment to service the new NSX will be able to sell them. Acura currently has 272 US dealers. The switch from the transverse engine originally planned to a longitudinal twin-turbo engine threw everyone involved for a loop. The designers had to lengthen their nearly finalized design, and the engineers working on the production process had to revise or redo much of their work. Though we've been waiting a while for the car since the concept first surfaced in 2012, it's pretty amazing to think that the car was engineered one and a half times and a new factory was built in about three years. But yeah, it's delayed, with series production now set to commence in the spring of 2016. One result of the switch to a longitudinal engine is a transmission hump in the cargo area aft of the engine. The hold is still sized to fit a bag of golf clubs, though it will be a tight fit.

Acura NSX is industry's first supercar with a female design lead

Michelle Christensen. Unless you've been casting about the web for some behind-the-scenes takes on recent exotic car launches or were unusually curious during the early days of the sport crossover trend, her name probably means nothing to you. She grew up in Northern California, where her family drag-raced. Venerables like the 1932 Ford, Plymouth GTX, and Dodge Super Bee rolled through her family garage. And Christensen grew up designing prom dresses for friends and dreaming of working in a pit crew. In fact, she didn't even realize car design was a real profession until junior high, when her father pointed out Chip Foose at a car show. After that, she was hooked, so she went to Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, where she reimagined the Plymouth Barracuda as her senior project. Today, Christensen can add the title of lead exterior designer on the 2016 Acura NSX to her resume. The first woman to lead the shape of a supercar, Christensen actually opened up her "First!" account with Acura in 2005 when the company swooped her up the night of graduation and she became its first female exterior car designer. Her first sketch on the job was a concept for the ZDX, and the bigwigs chose her design for production. She joined the NSX team after the mid-engined concept was introduced at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, replacing the front-engined V10 concept (we encourage you to go back and look at what was versus what is). Christensen thereafter led a crew of eight through a rework of the sheetmetal, with the focus being to keep the "emotional, 3-D kind of feeling." Reminiscing about her family's utterly unadorned '32 Ford hot rod, she said the NSX team was committed to keeping the design simple and light. Wind tunnel work led to larger bumper, hood and side intakes for better airflow on the production model. That, along with a switch in engine position, gave them a chance to go aggressive and to not only "punch more holes in it and make it more exotic," but also "take it to the gym and beef it up." In line with its decidedly un-retro rebirth, the third brake light that runs across the decklid is about the only nod to its predecessor. At age 34, we're certain we haven't seen the last of Christensen or her designs. Related Video:  

Acura heading to SEMA with... a '93 Legend?

Acura is gearing up for SEMA this year, and it'll be showing a 1993 Legend, the second-generation version of the sedan that had launched the brand in the first place. You read that right. The vehicle just happens to belong to one Christopher Bridges, better known to some as Ludacris and to others as Tej from the Fast and Furious movies. The Legend is the rapper-turned-actor's cherished possession, having appeared on the cover of his ninth studio album Ludaversal. It was involved in a collision recently, but is being painstakingly repaired, restored, and modified by Acura and will be on display at the Vegas tuner expo. Of course that's not all that Honda's premium division has in store for the show. It's also teaming up again with Galpin Auto Sports to customize a TLX and an ILX – the latter inspired by the aforementioned Ludacris project. Galpin may be better known for working on Fords, but did a custom TLX for last year's SEMA show as well. Joining the Legend and the Galpin customs will be a new NSX and an ILX fitted with several factory-backed accessories. Acura to Showcase Legendary Performance Heritage and Personalization at 2015 SEMA Show Oct 12, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif. - Acura to unveil rapper, actor Ludacris' custom-restored 1993 Legend - Highly modified 2016 ILX by Galpin Auto Sports will also debut at SEMA during the Acura press conference on Nov. 3 Acura's 2015 SEMA showcase will be highlighted by a custom-restored 1993 Acura Legend sedan owned by actor and rap artist Ludacris. Stepping up its game from the 2014 SEMA Show – where the performance-oriented Galpin Auto Sports Acura TLX was unveiled – the luxury brand will also feature a wide variety of vehicles showcasing its performance heritage and its products' customization potential at the 2015 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Following a collision that severely damaged Ludacris' cherished 1993 Legend, Team Acura set about to artfully restore and modify the vehicle under the guidance of Acura Design Studio in Los Angeles and under the watchful eye of Acura Global Creative Director, Dave Marek. Fans can follow the build progress leading up to SEMA on Acura (@Acura) and Ludacris' (@Ludacris) social media channels and by using the hashtag #LegendaryDuo. "Working with a real car guy and a passionate Acura owner like Ludacris has made the processes of bringing his Legend back to its original glory a fun and unique experience," said Marek.