The second-gen Acura NSX is an amazing, mid-engined supercar that serves as a fine predecessor to the original. But, no matter how good a company makes its prized halo car, it can always be made better. And, that’s exactly what ScienceofSpeed has done for the second-gen NSX. There aren’t any serious engine upgrades to speak of (no, they didn’t throw on bigger turbos and upgrade the electric motors) but there are some minor upgrades to increase horsepower and torque a bit. The body isn’t neglected either, with a new aero kit and some fresh paint in place to fresh things up in the sun. Finally, the interior gets the orgasmic treatment as well, including things like new seats and updated custom upholstery.
Sounds pretty nice, right? Well, it’s not often that you find such a prominent aftermarket touch on a car like the NSX. After all, it’s only been on the market for a little over a year, and it took a long time for the name to be resurrected. So, what does this custom NSX have going for it? Well, it showed up at the 2017 SEMA show, and we’re here to take a good look at it. Let’s take a journey down the page.
Continue reading to learn more about the Acura NSX "Dream Project By ScienceofSpeed.
Let’s be real for a minute – there’s not much you can do to up the look of a car like the Acura NSX. But, then a company like ScienceofSpeed comes around and manages to one-up the engineers over at Acura. It’s hard to believe, sure, but they sure did do it. The project started out with the addition of a new aero kit that consists of new side strakes up front, new carbon fiber side skirts, and a new carbon fiber diffuser out back. To add to this, there’s a new carbon fiber GT spoiler out back that really gives the NSX a fresh look. Normally I hate spoilers like this, but it actually does the NSX some justice somehow – maybe it’s the fact that it’s got a rear-wheel bias or maybe it’s just the way it looks with the rest of the aero kits. Either way, it works. Finally, the exterior is finished off with a nice coat of Andaro Nouvelle Blue Paint with a healthy dose of gloss black on the roof.
All told, it’s really not a lot, but you can’t blame ScienceofSpeed for that – after all, the NSX is already pretty damn aggressive as it is. The aero kit added in, however, takes that aggressiveness to the next level and Acura would be wise to use it as a template for the third-gen model that will undoubtedly come much faster than the second-gen model did (or so we hope, anyway.)
The inside, much like the outside, is quite attractive straight from the factory. With that in mind, I doubt you were actually expecting a lot to be done to the cabin of the NSX. Well, even if you did, you probably won’t be that disappointed considering there is some decent love going on in here. First off, the stock seats were ripped out of there and replaced with Recaro Pole Position ABE Racing Seats, which were mounted on top of custom sliding seat rails made by ScienceofSpeed. These seats made by Recaro actually offer a bit more side support up top and down below and, while that’s nice and all, that’s not what makes them stand out. What really makes them stand out is the fact that they have been outfitted with black leather that’s held together by blue stitching. There are also blue fabric accents in the center of the seats as well as on the center console, door trim panels, and parts of the dash. The fabric has a hexagonal pattern which is a nod to the honeycomb pattern of the radiator grille up front.
That’s pretty decent as far as upgrades go for a car of this caliber, but there’s one final thing that really throws the icing on the cake. In fact, let’s go ahead and call it an extra layer of icing. I’m talking about, of course, the gaugeART OLED Display that provides performance data about the car to the driver on demand. OF course, ScienceofSpeed didn’t stop there, either. There’s more going on below the metal, so let’s check out what that’s all about.
If you’re reading this review, then you probably already know that the NSX has a total system output of 573 horsepower. Well, 3.5-liter engine delivers 500 horsepower and 476 pound-feet of torque. Apparently, the motors make up the other 73 ponies and 76 pound-feet. Well, by adding in a fresh set of downpipes, a liquid injected intercooling system, and Sport+ plus stainless steel exhaust system, ScienceofSpeed was able to finesse an extra 37 horsepower and 31 pound-feet of torque. Of course, if you add up the power delivered by each motor individually, these numbers are likely a bit higher, but we’ll leave that conversation for another day. And, that little bit of extra power requires a little more extra love, so ScienceofSpeed threw in a custom lowing kit to drop the suspension by about an inch and an iLIFT air suspension lift system that automatically raises the ride height when needed to prevent bottoming out.
Finally, to round off the whole package, there’s a sexy set of Advan GT Premium Forged wheels that measure 20 inches up front and 21 inches in the rear. The real news, however, is that those front wheels are nine-inches wide while the rears are a full 12-inches wide – that’s enough to improve grip and handling over the stock wheels and tires. Those wheels are wrapped in Pirelli Trofeo R tires and accented by gold powder coated carbon-ceramic Brembo brakes for good measure. There’s no word as to what this extra performance and add-ons do on the performance front, but you can bet it shaved a tenth of a second off the 0-to-60 time of 3.5 seconds while top speed probably stuck around 190 mph just like that of the standard model.
And here we are at the end of this review. What do you think of the SpeedofScience Acura NSX? It seems pretty gnarly to me. It’s got a nice little bit of aero kit on the outside, some fresh seats and materials on the inside, and even some nice upgrades in the drivetrain department too. Oh, and that new exhaust system, it makes the car sound really good too. If you own an NSX, I couldn’t blame you for wanted to run straight to the tuner to get your hands on some of these upgrades—at the very least, the engine upgrades, but you’ll have to contact the tuner for pricing as it was all pretty much custom work so you can be sure it’s going to cost you a nice chunk of change in the end. With that said, let us know what you think of this custom NSX in the comments section below.
Read our full review on the 2017 Acura NSX.
Read more news on the 2017 SEMA Show.
Debuting at SEMA, the second generation Acura NSX "Dream Project," created by acclaimed NSX specialist, ScienceofSpeed, features subtle enhancements to the supercar’s powertrain, suspension and styling to elevate performance.
Based in Chandler, Arizona, ScienceofSpeed – established in 2001 – began by developing high-performance downpipes and a light-weight stainless steel exhaust system (-16 lbs.) resulting in a deeper, more aggressive engine note. Liquid injected intercooling further elevates engine performance by cooling intake air before it enters the twin-turbochargers, improving power output to a combined 610 horsepower (+37) and 507 lb.-ft. torque (+31).
The extraordinary handling capabilities of the NSX supercar were further improved with wider five-spoke Advan GT forged wheels (F: 20x9, R: 21x12) with a Machine Hyper Black finish and wrapped in race-ready Pirelli Trofeo R tires. A custom suspension lowering kit was installed, reducing the NSX’s ride height by slightly more than one-inch. To make approaching difficult driveways and speed bumps easier, ScienceofSpeed integrated automatic sensing suspension technology from iLIFT which uses patented sensors to automatically raise the front axle of the NSX two-inches when obstacles are detected.
Thoughtfully executed exterior enhancements include a GT3-inspired ScienceofSpeed aero kit with aggressive front strakes, wider carbon fiber ducted rocker panels, a mid-height rear wing and larger rear diffuser to improve downforce while retaining factory design elements. The large Carbon Ceramic Brembo brakes stand out with a gold flake finish. In homage to the first-generation NSX, a gloss black roof transitions down to the Nouvelle Blue Pearl painted bodywork.
Continuing the two-tone blue and black theme, the interior of the Dream Project NSX features custom black leather Recaro Pole Position racing seats with blue stitching and accents on the doors, dash and seats. The blue fabric features a hexagonal pattern referencing the NSX’s iconic honeycomb grille. Finally, a gaugeART OLED multi-function display mounted high on the dash provides the driver with key vehicle performance data.
"ScienceofSpeed is thrilled to present our expression of the second generation NSX unlimited and unrestricted," said Chris Willson, general manager of ScienceofSpeed. "Devoted NSX fans share in a rich 27-year history, and with the second generation NSX reaching the aftermarket community, now is an extraordinary time to be an NSX enthusiast. We are thrilled to share our passion for this iconic platform."
ScienceofSpeed "Dream Project" Acura NSX Power:
610 (+37) Horsepower 507 (+31) lb.-ft. of Torque
ScienceofSpeed Sport Downpipes ScienceofSpeed Sport+ Exhaust ScienceofSpeed Liquid Injection Intercooling System
ScienceofSpeed Sport Aero Kit Front Strakes ScienceofSpeed Sport Ducted Carbon Fiber Rocker Panels ScienceofSpeed Carbon Fiber Diffuser ScienceofSpeed Carbon Fiber Mid-height GT Spoiler Andaro Nouvelle Blue Paint with Gloss Black roof Gold Powdercoated Carbon Ceramic Brembo Brakes
Recaro Pole Position ABE Racing Seats ScienceofSpeed Sliding Seat Rails gaugeART Multi-function OLED Gauge Custom Upholstery with Black Leather, Blue Stitching and Fabric Accents
ScienceofSpeed Lowering Kit iLIFT Pneumatic Suspension Lift System
Advan GT Premium Forged Wheels (F: 20x9, R: 21x12) Pirelli Trofeo R tires