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Acura NSX to end production in blaze of glory with Type S

Production of the Acura NSX is coming to an end after the 2022 model year. Before it goes, though, Acura is promising one last hurrah, in the form of a Type S variant. Said to have performance improvements and limited production, it will prove to be the ultimate form of Honda's second-generation supercar. So far, Acura has only released some teasers and a few vague statements. Now, normally when car companies make ambiguous declarations about improved performance, that means something like stiffer shocks or bigger rims (after all, handling is a form of performance, no?). In this case, Acura specifically says the NSX Type S will have more power and quicker acceleration in addition to sharper handling. That's some real talk, even if no hard figures were provided at this time. From the teasers, we can see a few visual signifiers that will distinguish the Type S from regular NSXes. Firstly, the engine cover is finished in red, a color that has traditionally been reserved for high-performance Hondas like the Type R Civic, Integra, and the NSX of the '90s. Much of the brightwork seems to be blacked out, like the door handles and rear badge. They've also added a small Type S emblem located just in front of the rear wheels. Only 350 Type S variants will be built, with 300 of them allocated for the U.S. market. And it looks like the regular NSX may not even be available. Acura's website no longer shows the regular NSX. Only the Type S is shown under the model selection menu. Prices of the first-generation NSX, introduced in 1990 and considered one of the best supercars of its era, have been on a steady rise in recent years. It's hard to say whether this generation NSX will follow suit in the collectors' market decades from now, as despite positive reviews it never quite caught with brand-conscious buyers. But if it does end up becoming a sought-after classic, though, the Type S will surely be worth a hefty premium. The NSX Type S will be fully revealed next Thursday, August 12, during Monterey Car Week, where the very first serial production 2022 NSX Type S will be sold to the highest bidder at Mecum Auction’s Monterey sale on Saturday, Aug. 14. All proceeds from the sale of VIN #001 will benefit charity, including a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) education program for underserved youth.

Sony Honda EV venture's plan for online sales has dealers squirming

TOKYO/DETROIT — A new joint venture formed by Japan's Sony Group Corp and Honda Motor plans to introduce a premium electric vehicle later this decade, and the automaker's U.S. dealers are anxious to be part of the sales process. Sony Honda Mobility said on Thursday it was aiming to deliver the first of the unnamed EV by 2026, starting in the United States, and will sell them online. The success of Tesla at selling EVs without franchised dealers is putting pressure on established automakers to overhaul their retail networks. That leaves dealers across most brands concerned about their place in the changing world and whether profits will be squeezed. The online aspect of the Sony Honda plan, as well as the lack of details around how the vehicle will be sold and serviced, has raised questions with the Honda and Acura brand dealers. Many nonetheless expect Honda to work through the existing retail network. "These issues are certainly a concern," said Brian Benstock, general manager and vice president of Paragon Honda and Paragon Acura in Queens, New York. "The best path forward is with the dealers." "We have a role (automakers) can't replicate," said Benstock, who also is on the Acura national dealer advisory board and has spoken with Honda officials about the new vehicle. "There's no way that Honda wants to hurt their existing dealer body." Some dealers questioned why Honda would even consider trying to work outside the current U.S. sales network given its national reach. Honda has about 1,100 Honda dealers and 270 Acura dealers. A Honda spokesperson referred questions about the joint venture to the new company. Sony Honda spokesperson Mai Nagadome said there are still a lot of details to finalize, but selling through the dealers has not been ruled out and customers would feel uneasy without some kind of after-sales service process. "The cost of continuing to develop (internal combustion engine) products along with EVs and autonomous tech and software for the next generation vehicles is proving to be quite the challenge," said Peter Hennessy, dealer principal of Atlanta-based Hennessy Automobile Companies, which includes a Honda store. "I get teaming up with Sony, but it should be done in conjunction with the dealer network, not outside it," he added.

Why the 2015 Detroit Auto Show will be the best since The Crisis

The Detroit Auto Show clearly has its swagger back, and the 2015 edition will be a veritable feast for the enthusiast senses. We're talking serious performance, and it will be exhibited in a variety of forms. Sports cars. Supercars. Muscle-bound luxury cars. They're all set for splashy debuts in January in the Motor City. It's another signpost that companies have recovered from the global economic crisis that gripped the industry from 2008-09. For a while, automakers played it safe at Detroit and other shows. Environmentally friendly cars were important, especially for General Motors and Chrysler that were living on loans from Uncle Sam. Ford, Toyota and other companies generally focused on their best-selling or core models. With a few notable exceptions, recent auto shows have been a bit more buttoned-down than in the past. Boring probably isn't the right word, but austerity has been reality. That's changing. Car companies are making money. Sales are up. Aside from the many nagging recalls – and they are notable – the industry now has the time and energy to make performance cars a priority. That will be offered in hard evidence in Detroit. A year from now when we look back at this auto show, we'll sum it up with one word: Horsepower. But make no mistake, this isn't frivolous. Sports and luxury cars are expensive. They're profitable. They boost images and highlight strengths. With that in mind, here are five significant performance-oriented reveals to watch for when the show kicks off in less than two weeks. 2016 Acura NSX Acura's reborn NSX is a strong bet to earn plenty of votes for our Editors' Choice awards. It's one of the most anticipated – and strung-out – reveals of the year. Think back: we actually saw an NSX concept at the 2012 Detroit show, and Acura has spent the last three years teasing the car in a variety of ways. The slow burn, however, means we know a lot about the NSX. It's will use a mid-mounted twin-turbo hybrid powertrain and run with all-wheel drive. It will also wear an innovative zirconium e-coat paint, a new paint process that Honda says is more environmentally friendly. Honda has also said it will build the new NSX in Ohio, where a large part of the car's development work has been done. The original NSX was produced from 1990-2005 and helped establish Acura's performance credentials in the United States. It was a landmark car and a shot across the bow of Ferrari, Lamborghini and others.