Ever since the first-generation Acura NSX left showrooms in the mid-2000s, the world of automotive enthusiasts has been patiently waiting for its successor.
There were several years between then and now full of glimpses of the future successor to the Japanese Ferrari-fighter. Now, the new NSX is finally – finally! – here. Of course, no new performance car has made its full press tour without stopping by Jay Leno’s Garage.
Acura might as well have left the one in the following video there because Leno loved it. We think the new car’s approach to air management over, around, and through its body work is interesting. The design isn’t exactly ground-breaking, but it uses angles to effectively and attractively convey aggression, speed, and sensuality.
In terms of output, the reborn NSX seems worth the wait. Its twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6, two front-mounted electric motors, and rear Direct Drive Motor crank out a combined 573 horsepower and 476 lb-ft of torque. That’s channeled through a bespoke nine-speed dual-clutch gearbox. All out, the NSX can hit a top speed of 191 mph.
Leno doesn’t come anywhere close to that on the streets and winding roads near his Southern California cathedral to cardom. However, he does open it up enough to feel the speed of its transmission’s gear shifts. And we have a feeling he’ll be opening up a spot in his garage for one of these cars.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
