Is the 2017 Acura NSX the biggest automotive failure of recent times?

The second generation Acura NSX is shaping up to be one of the biggest automotive failures in recent times, and that says a lot considering that I include the Pontiac Aztek as part of “recent times”.

Case in point: where are these cars? Has anyone actually seen a new NSX out in the wild? I sure haven’t, and that’s a pretty big deal considering that I live in one of the most densely populated parts of the US (southern California) and seeing pre-production cars like this isn’t at all out of the norm.

Heck – I’ve seen enough Porsche 918’s and Bugatti Veyron’s out cruising around that it’s not even that exciting of an event anymore. But this next-generation NSX, the supercar that was designed and built to re-ignite our love affair with Honda’s two-seater sports car, has so far missed the mark in it’s failure to get automotive enthusiasts gushing over Honda again.

None of the big YouTuber’s plan to own this car

Not only is there not a single big automotive YouTuber who is getting one of the first production models, absolutely none of them are talking about it. I’m talking big names like Shmee150, superspeedersRob, Solomondrin, and more. I have never once heard them (or anyone else for that matter) mention this car, let alone talk about how they would like to get one of their own.

Even smaller automotive YouTubers like TheStradman (who has a rabid lust for supercars) has never once mentioned this exotic from Japan, and to me that says a lot due to how intense he is about supercars. He – among many others – just don’t care. It’s almost as if this car doesn’t exist.

I should also mention that they have all at one time or another talked about how much they love the first generation NSX, and superspeedersRob actually has one that he talks about nonstop (or so it seems). He loves his NSX, is very happy to have purchased it, and has no intention of selling it.

Is it disliked because it’s over-engineered?

Make no mistake about it – the second generation NSX is an an engineering marvel with all kinds of whiz-bang technology built in. The car features a 3.5L twin turbo V6 augmented by THREE electric motors (two in the front and one in the rear), which provides supercar performance.

But like many cars these days, computers and electronics control just about every other system, making the car feel as some have said “too soft” and “too forgiving”. That goes against everything the original NSX was loved for. That car, launched in 1990, featured the perfect amount of analog feel and automotive spirit, combined with just a hint of 1990’s automotive technology.

It was so balanced and pure that it became the car that all others were measured against, which even still happens quite a bit today.

The new (second generation) NSX has none of the simplicity and analog feel. It’s gone, and so are the buyers, apparently.

What needs to happen to make the NSX great again?

If I were the Head Honcho at Honda, I never would have let the engineers throw so much technology and gadgets at the NSX. Of course technology can be good, but is it really necessary to have every part controlled by a computer? Strip it down, lose some pounds, and give it a manual transmission for crying out loud.

I kind of like the idea of the twin turbo V6 being helped along by the electric motors. More power is always a good thing, right? It almost seems like they designed and built the NSX to be more of a “look what we can do” kind of car that was designed to impress people at auto shows than it was to impress real automotive enthusiasts.

The bottom line

It seems the original NSX was loved by all, and is still considered by many to be one of the greatest and most influential sports cars of all time. This new car contains none of the spirit of the old car, at a price encroaching Ferrari and Lamborghini territory.

Unfortunately, it’s performance isn’t anywhere near those levels, so that’s why I’d never buy one. Why spend all that money when for just a little bit more you could buy a far superior automotive experience? It seems many others are thinking the same way, as I’ve yet to see one of these things in real life – almost two years after it’s debut.