Upgraded Honda NSX arrives in Australia

Honda Australia has confirmed details of the upgraded 2019 NSX supercar, which is available to order now.

To-date, the hybrid performance flagship has managed only six sales in Australia since its introduction in 2017 – and 2000 sales globally – but that hasn’t stopped engineers from a raft of performance, technology and cosmetic upgrades.

Honda Australia confirmed this week the NSX would continue with its $420,000 (plus on-road costs) sticker price, content with the car’s sales and its role as the company’s performance flagship.

The changes are led with modified chassis components, tyres and software tuning said to “elevate performance driving in all circumstances, from daily driving to the circuit”. The latter point is reinforced with a circa two-second lap time improvement around Honda’s Suzuka test track.

Chassis enhancements include larger front and rear stabiliser bars, (increasing stiffness by 26 per cent at the front, 19 per cent at the rear), and 21 per cent stiffer rear toe-link bushings. Rear hub rigidity has also improved 6 per cent.

Honda has applied software calibrations to the NSX’s power unit, active dampers, electric power steering and VSA settings, and introduced new Continental SportContact 6 rubber. Together, the changes are said to deliver greater at-the-limit playfulness, balance and controllability.

There are no changes to the Honda NSX’s 373kW/550Nm 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 or its three electric motors, which combine to deliver a total of 427kW/646Nm via a nine-speed dual-clutch transmission and Honda’s Sport Hybrid all-wheel drive system.

Elsewhere, the NSX gets a new body-colour front grille garnish and high gloss treatments for the front grille surround, front air intake and rear bumper outlet mesh. Similarly, the same finish now applies to the carbon-fibre rear spoiler, among other areas.

There’s also a new colour for 2019 – a vivid Thermal Orange Pearl hue that will be optional in Australia.

Inside, the NSX colour palette has been expanded with the option of a new Indigo blue semi-aniline leather and Alcantara theme.

Contrary to earlier remarks from Honda, officials this said that supply wasn't the reason behind the NSX's slow take-up in Australia, and they were satisfied with how Australian consumers had responded to the high-tech supercar.