I am surprised that many likes this car and most likes the interior.
It is a formula different from the Gen 1. I wonder if many likes this because it is new and different. I question if Gen 2 will have the timelessness that Gen 1 has.
I'll provide some counter points:
Interior is flashy with contrasting colors, angles, and materials. I'm not convinced this design has staying power and doesn't appear as functional as the original. That huge center console dampens the open feel of our current cars. The top of the dash board lacks texture and the center display isn't elegantly integrated into the console. Where are all my buttons and knobs? I don't want to go thru a menu to execute a command. This not an iphone on wheels, this is a sports car where commands need to be readily accessed with minimal fuss and with eyes on the road. Dedicated Buttons and knobs does that and gives drivers tactile feedback. The interior is still early in development. I know they will clean it up before launch.
Instrument panel reminds me of the flat S2000 display with different graphics and the addition of 2 analog gauges. I'm sure this will be updated.
DSG is faster, Manual trans is more engaging. Give us a choice or it may be a deal breaker.
This is no longer the lean NSX formula that it was. The hybrid is fine. It has a place in today's market. But it lacks purity and adds weight. Yea, you can offset it by weight reduction, but you are still at least 200 lbs heavier than one without it. New NSX is a different car. To each its own.
I prefer, naturally aspirated, high revving, light weight and no more than 400 hp. Power was never what the NSX is about. ITO is chasing Gusto and glory with the 500 Hp car, much like Fukui was with his V10 bloat mobile.
The car's specification will likely result in a price tag quite a few notches above the $90K of the previous. Because of Acura's marque, the higher the price tag, the lower the volume. They are not Tier 1 manufacturer. The are limited buyers willing to shell out over $125K unless it has some European name plate on it.
Sources indicate the NSX will have some form of turbo to compensate because the car was a hog once it ran out of battery juice on a track with limited or short brake zones for regen. This is short sighted on Honda part. Us primers knew this and were discussing this back in 2003. Back then, most of us agreed that a hybrid would haul dead weight around within a few laps. It is now 10 years later, and Honda sources are now confirming that. As a response to that problem, they are adding a turbo. This seems either very short sighted or just not having clear vision on the direction of the NSX when the project was launched. The source also said the goals of the car was changed. Originally around 400 Hp, now up to 500Hp.
Beak, flat front end with big gaping opening, and likely no trunk. All bad. Yea, everyone is doing the big mouth openings. Group think! Ugly is ugly. They were all doing fins back in the 50s. Pedstrian safety is an excuse. Porsches and Ferraris still have slim and low front ends.
Storage space in the front will be not much is any. Where do you think the 2 electric motors in the front are going to reside?
Flying Buttress - Good luck with access to the engine. One will have to be on top of the rear fender to access the engine bay for maintenance, unless you have cables and pulleys to hoist yourself over the car.
New NSX is flamboyant, a product of the designer's youth. Not convinced if the styling will be timeless.
Perhaps the mini-NSX will maintain some of the purity (no hybrid) of the Gen 1 and also keep the power on tap. For the Honda bean counters, they could still carry over the 6 speed manual trans to the mini-NSX.