Acura NSX production delayed
Fri, Aug 14 2015
To be fair, while it sounds like a big deal – pushing the NSX back from model year 2016 to 2017 – this is a fairly minor delay in the grand scheme. Instead of starting production this fall, as previously announced, the new supercar will start rolling down the line at Honda's Marysville, OH factory in the spring. "Trial production" has already started, Honda says, while briefly acknowledging the delay in the attached press release.
While Honda offered no reason for the delay in volume production, Automobile claims it's the fault of the move to fit two turbochargers to the V6, which was made midway through development. Fitting the two iron lungs meant rearranging the six-pot into a longitudinal layout.
Here's hoping there are no further delays. Scroll on for a look at Honda's press release, which does its best to gloss over the NSX delay while talking about the company's new Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville.
Related Video:
Performance Manufacturing Center: Precision Craftsmanship
Aug 14, 2015 - CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, Calif.
The next-generation Acura NSX is produced at the new, dedicated Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC) in Marysville, Ohio, using domestic and globally sourced parts. With trial production already underway and production start-up scheduled for spring 2016, this world-class manufacturing facility employs groundbreaking techniques in weld, body construction, body painting, final assembly and quality confirmation to ensure the highest levels of precision and craftsmanship.
More details on the unique and innovative manufacturing processes at the PMC will be rolled out over the months leading up to the start of production, but the following highlights of the new facility were shared during the 2015 Monterey Automotive Week:
Innovative blend of people and technology: throughout the PMC, NSX production is centered around the skills of approximately 100 experienced engineers and technicians building the NSX to precise levels of quality and craftsmanship.
All-glass quality confirmation center: A total quality approach to production is evident not only in the mindset of every PMC technician, but in the very design of the facility, with an all-glass quality confirmation center located in the middle of the manufacturing floor. This allows for technicians from every department to monitor all aspects of a vehicle as it moves through the entire production process.
World's first weld technology: the world's first use of all robotic MIG welding employs eight robots to apply approximately 900 MIG welds. This surgical welding process results in a space frame that is incredibly precise, in addition to being ultra rigid and lightweight.
Craftsmanship: hand craftsmanship complements high tech robotic processes throughout the assembly of the NSX:
Every bolt on the NSX is hand started by a PMC technician
Exterior body panels are installed manually at the end of assembly and from the inside out to ensure 100 percent symmetrical side-to-side fitment
Lasers are used to find door hem edges, fenders and door gaps in order to install all exterior panels without requiring adjustments
Master engine builders: the NSX's 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine with dry sump is hand assembled by master builders at the nearby Anna, Ohio engine plant. Each engine takes over six hours to complete and is machine balanced.
Each NSX power unit — engine, 9-speed dual clutch transmission with direct-drive electric motor, and front Twin Motor Unit – is bench-tested and broken-in (the engine to the equivalent of 150 driving miles) to ensure that every NSX is track-ready upon customer delivery
The engine build process was benchmarked against some of the company's race engine programs to ensure the highest possible quality and performance standards were achieved
For More Information
Consumer information is available at www.acura.com. To join the Acura community on Facebook, visit facebook.com/Acura. Additional media information, including pricing, features and high-resolution photography, is available at acuranews.com/channels/acura-automobiles.
About Acura
Acura offers a full line of precision crafted performance-luxury vehicles through a network of approximately 270 U.S. dealers. The Acura lineup features five distinctive models – the RLX luxury flagship sedan, the TLX performance luxury sedan, the ILX sport sedan, the 5-passenger RDX luxury crossover SUV, and the seven-passenger Acura MDX, America's all-time best-selling three-row luxury SUV. The next-generation Acura NSX mid-engine supercar will soon join the Acura lineup. Acura was recently recognized by Edmunds.com for the fourth consecutive year as leading all luxury brands in retained value after five years of ownership.
Aug 14, 2015 - CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, Calif.
The next-generation Acura NSX is produced at the new, dedicated Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC) in Marysville, Ohio, using domestic and globally sourced parts. With trial production already underway and production start-up scheduled for spring 2016, this world-class manufacturing facility employs groundbreaking techniques in weld, body construction, body painting, final assembly and quality confirmation to ensure the highest levels of precision and craftsmanship.
More details on the unique and innovative manufacturing processes at the PMC will be rolled out over the months leading up to the start of production, but the following highlights of the new facility were shared during the 2015 Monterey Automotive Week:
Innovative blend of people and technology: throughout the PMC, NSX production is centered around the skills of approximately 100 experienced engineers and technicians building the NSX to precise levels of quality and craftsmanship.
All-glass quality confirmation center: A total quality approach to production is evident not only in the mindset of every PMC technician, but in the very design of the facility, with an all-glass quality confirmation center located in the middle of the manufacturing floor. This allows for technicians from every department to monitor all aspects of a vehicle as it moves through the entire production process.
World's first weld technology: the world's first use of all robotic MIG welding employs eight robots to apply approximately 900 MIG welds. This surgical welding process results in a space frame that is incredibly precise, in addition to being ultra rigid and lightweight.
Craftsmanship: hand craftsmanship complements high tech robotic processes throughout the assembly of the NSX:
Every bolt on the NSX is hand started by a PMC technician
Exterior body panels are installed manually at the end of assembly and from the inside out to ensure 100 percent symmetrical side-to-side fitment
Lasers are used to find door hem edges, fenders and door gaps in order to install all exterior panels without requiring adjustments
Master engine builders: the NSX's 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine with dry sump is hand assembled by master builders at the nearby Anna, Ohio engine plant. Each engine takes over six hours to complete and is machine balanced.
Each NSX power unit — engine, 9-speed dual clutch transmission with direct-drive electric motor, and front Twin Motor Unit – is bench-tested and broken-in (the engine to the equivalent of 150 driving miles) to ensure that every NSX is track-ready upon customer delivery
The engine build process was benchmarked against some of the company's race engine programs to ensure the highest possible quality and performance standards were achieved
For More Information
Consumer information is available at www.acura.com. To join the Acura community on Facebook, visit facebook.com/Acura. Additional media information, including pricing, features and high-resolution photography, is available at acuranews.com/channels/acura-automobiles.
About Acura
Acura offers a full line of precision crafted performance-luxury vehicles through a network of approximately 270 U.S. dealers. The Acura lineup features five distinctive models – the RLX luxury flagship sedan, the TLX performance luxury sedan, the ILX sport sedan, the 5-passenger RDX luxury crossover SUV, and the seven-passenger Acura MDX, America's all-time best-selling three-row luxury SUV. The next-generation Acura NSX mid-engine supercar will soon join the Acura lineup. Acura was recently recognized by Edmunds.com for the fourth consecutive year as leading all luxury brands in retained value after five years of ownership.
By Brandon Turkus
See also: Acura NSX to race in GT3 or GTE, Honda revamps F1 engine for McLaren, 2016 Acura RDX Review [w/video].