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Follow-Up Test: 2002 Acura NSX
A Reskin before the Redesign
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By Karl Brauer, Editor in Chief, Edmunds.com
Date posted: 12-28-2001
Question: Does it make sense for a car company to redesign a vehicle that has an annual sales rate of approximately 200 units?
Answer: Doubtful, but not redesigning the vehicle may be the reason why so few examples are leaving dealer showrooms.
In the case of Acura's NSX exotic sports car, the company has effectively decided to split the difference between investing big-time money (redesign) and saving money (leaving it completely unchanged) for 2002. With an all-new model due in less than two years, Acura has to keep promoting the current version until 2004. At the same time, this mid-engine sports car is now entering its 11th year in production without a major update, the equivalent of 77 years in both dog and sports car years. Except for a horsepower increase and upgrading from a five-speed to a six-speed transmission in 1997, the 2002 NSX is essentially the same as the one offered to exotic car buyers back when the last Bush was president. Clearly, something had to be done.
That "something" is a series of visual and mechanical upgrades designed to extend the NSX's shelf life another 24 months, sometimes referred to as a "reskin" or "freshen" in automotive circles. Elements like flip-up headlights and monotone interior panels have been axed in favor of today's hip fixed headlight design (featuring high intensity discharge bulbs), while inside the cabin a combination of chrome plating and metallic paint dress up the center stack, door handles and door-mounted switchgear. The gauge cluster has also been upgraded with a blue (instead of the previously black) background, and optional high-impact colors like Vivid Blue and Targa Silver are available to capture the flavor of many aftermarket kits.
These changes bring a sense of style to the NSX's innards, but the core design is pure 1990s. In fact, climbing inside the 2002 model was like stepping into a time warp. Quaint items like an analog odometer and a lack of one-touch power window operation (remember, this is an $88,000 automobile) quickly betray the car's age.
That said, the NSX is still one of the most advanced vehicles available for U.S. consumption. Aluminum chassis and suspension components give the car a nimble feel, despite its large dimensions, and the electrically assisted power steering provides sublime feedback, though it feels a bit slow for a vehicle of this nature, requiring greater steering wheel input to navigate tight canyon roads than one might expect. A quick check of the specs confirms an 18.6:1 steering ratio for the NSX, as compared to a 15:1 on Acura's own RSX, and even a 16.9:1 ratio for the company's SUV, the MDX.
Functional upgrades for the year 2002 include an increased front spring rate and a larger rear stabilizer bar. Even more significant is the rolling stock upgrade that bumps the front wheels from 16 to 17 inches in diameter, with the 17-inch rear wheels growing half an inch in width. Tire sizes also creep up, with the fronts going from 215/45R16s to 215/40R17s while the rears jump from 245/40s to 255/40s.
All these changes conspire to move the NSX from its former "planted" status to a new "super-sticky" feel when tackling the twisties. Depending on whether you're a half-full or half-empty kind of person, you could view the 2002 version as either:
A. Amazing performance car, despite its age
B. An exotic that costs more than an all-wheel-drive Porsche while making less horsepower.
Obviously, your take on things will depend on how much you appreciate Acura's trademark technologies, such as variable valve timing and lift control (VTEC), a satisfying six-speed manual transmission, direct ignition and a computerized Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI) system first utilized in Formula One racing. Combined with a slightly more aerodynamic body for 2002 (0.30 versus 0.32 coefficient of drag), the 290-horsepower aluminum V6 can now run the car up to 175 mph instead of the mere 168 mph of years past. Of course, an automatic version is still available, but that model comes with a lesser 252-horsepower engine.
For the buyer who must have all that aluminum technology and a mid-engine design, the NSX is still in a class by itself. But those wanting more horsepower, greater luxury and superior performance at a lower price have (several) other options to consider.
See all the Ratings: 2002 Acura NSX 2dr Coupe (3.2L 6cyl 6M) Road Test Scoreboard
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