For 2021, Acura rebooted the Type S product line to offer a harder-edged version of the TLX sedan and even a sporty three-row MDX crossover. Joining them soon, for the first time outside of Japan, will be a new and improved NSX Type S. However, the limited batch of 350 units of the hybrid supercar will also be the last, marking an end of production for the Acura NSX.

Sending the NSX out with a bang

Acura says the new Type S will have more power and performance than the 2021 NSX, along with a “more emotional driving experience.” Previous versions have been powered by a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 in concert with a trio of electric motors. With 573 horsepower already on tap, it’s anyone’s guess how much the Type S will up the ante.

The second-generation NSX was the first supercar to combine three electric motors in a hybrid configuration. It was also the first, and so far the only, production car with a nine-speed dual-clutch transmission. The vehicle has won several awards since it launched in 2016, having been voted an Automobile Magazine “All-Star”, as well as Road & Track’s “Performance Car of the Year.”

“NSX has played a critical role in reestablishing Acura as a performance brand and the return of Type S,” said Emile Korkor, Assistant Vice President, Acura National Sales. “We’ve seen tremendous enthusiasm in the market, and we aren’t done yet; there’s more to come as Type S becomes the pinnacle expression of performance across the Acura lineup.”

Precision Crafted Performance

Of the 350 total units planned for the 2022 NSX Type S, 300 are earmarked for the United States. This makes sense, however, given that parent company Honda has already stopped selling the NSX in Japan. The second-generation car was largely developed and produced in the United States, at Acura’s Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio. Never a high-volume seller in either generation, Acura’s halo car has instead been a showcase for the company’s clever use of technology to achieve high-performance, reliability, and efficiency.

It will be interesting to see where Acura, and parent company Honda, go from here. With several automakers around the globe pivoting in the all-electric direction, it seems like only a matter of time before they would do the same. That said, Japanese rival Toyota has also approached electrification in a similarly conservative manner, so perhaps there’s more in store with alternative methods after all.

What’s next for Acura as a supercar manufacturer?

“Acura is a performance brand, a company of enthusiasts, and we will continue moving forward, actively investigating what the next generation of sports cars should be in an electrified era.” said Jon Ikeda, Vice President and Acura Brand Officer.

It’s difficult to know what the future holds for the NSX nameplate, but we’ll be anxiously awaiting more details on how this chapter ends. The new Type S will be officially unveiled at Monterey Car Week on August 12th, 2021, and customer orders will begin on that day as well.