Acura NSX vs. Audi R8 V10 Plus | Hybrid Technology Against Old School Supercar

YouTube video (Michael Chuang) comparing an Acura NSX and an Audi R8 V10 Plus in both discussion and performance runs. The host describes the NSX as a complex hybrid supercar (500 hp twin-turbo V6 + three electric motors) with total output of 573 hp and 476 lb-ft torque and a curb weight near 3,900 lb. The R8 is presented as a traditional 5.2 L V10 making 602 hp and weighing under 3,700 lb. Measured run data for the NSX in the video: 40-100 km/h in 5.12 s, 0-100 km/h in 7.26 s, and 6-130 mph in 8.56 s; the standing quarter matched published Car and Driver numbers but the half-mile was aborted. The host prefers the NSX for rarity and packaging despite the R8's outright speed.
Questions this video answers
573 horsepower and 476 lb-ft of torque.
500 hp twin-turbo V6 assisted by two electric motors up front and a third motor mated to the main engine (hybrid).
Almost 3,900 lb.
5.2 liter V10, 602 hp (naturally aspirated).
40–100 km/h in 5.12 s; 0–100 km/h in 7.26 s; 60–130 mph (6–130) in 8.56 s.
Chapters
All right, so today we're headed back over to our airstrip again. And no, I am not drag racing this truck. Although I will not refuse somebody if they show up with a worthy contender. I mean, this thing's got some balls to it. 5.7 liter V8, almost 400 pounds of torque. This tow haul mode here is basically a sport plus button. Anywho, before I get too carried away, I'm actually pretty excited about this matchup that we got going down. See, one of these cars is something that you've probably seen on the channel quite a few times and quite a few different variations. You know what I'm talking about. That VF Stage 2 Lamborghini R8LP610 plus edition thingamajig. And yes, no doubt it is a cool car. But this other one is something that I've been trying to get on the channel for quite some time now, and that is the mythical Acura nsx. So on top of comparing these two in a half mile head to head drag race, I'm gonna try to dive a little bit deeper on the NSX if I have some time. Now let's give these guys some track they love. Here we have the Acura nsx. And the truth is, I've been trying to find one of these things to race for the past year or so now, but there aren't too many of them out there. And that's a shame because it's pretty damn sexy, even in my second least favorite color. It's basically a hybrid supercar, much like the BMW i8 and the Porsche 918, but it sits right in between those in terms of performance. It's got a 500 horsepower twin turbo V6 that's assisted by a pair of electric motors up front and a third motor mated to the main engine. On top of that, it's got some pretty slick torque factoring capabilities, a nine speed dual clutch gearbox and a direct drive system that helps to mitigate lag. Talk about complex. All in, we're looking at 573 horsepower and 476 pounds of torque. Although I would have guessed it had a little bit more oomph, because the main problem with complex is that it often makes the car heavy. Back in the day, the old NSX weighed a touch over 3,000 pounds, but this thing will tip the scales at almost 3,900. That puts our power weight at about 6.75. A bit hefty, but hey, at least it sounds sort of decent. On the other side of the ring is the Audi R8 V10 Plus. Like I said, we've been around this block a couple times, but this particular car looks a little different. That's because it's got Vorsteiner aero on it. And usually I'm not a fan of body kits, but this does make the car much more aggressive looking. In terms of power, we're talking about the classic 5.2 liter V10 that makes 602 naturally aspired horsepower. Assuming the car is stock, which I hope it is. Weighing in at under £3,700, it's heavy, but it's still the equivalent of an American adult male, lighter than the Acura. So the power to weight is in the low sixes. But dang, you really can't beat that exhaust note, huh? So let's see if this fancy new hybrid technology can compete with good old supercar brute force. And since both cars are all wheel drive, we'll switch it up and do two digs in a rol. It's sa. It's. You know, I feel like R8s are severely underappreciated nowadays, even by me. But I still remember about 12 years ago when they first came out on the market, everyone thought it was like the hottest thing on the street, especially after watching Iron Man 1, even though that was just the plain Jane V8 version. Now every time I see an R8, I just think Walmart Huracan. Except for the 2020 performance model, that one's still pretty hot. But you know, I mean, that's not really fair because the R8 is just as good and it's just as fast as the Lambo. It's actually maybe even better in some regards. And it's really a better car than the number suggests. But hey, that's a conversation for another time. I still want to talk a little bit more about that nsx because I just find it such a fascinating car. Not because it's amazingly quick or anything like that. We obviously know that it's not the fastest kid on the block, but I just feel like it's one of the only cars to properly blend hybrid technology into a supercar at a decent price. Not to mention that it's quite an attractive looking specimen in person. You can say the same about the i8, but it doesn't count because we know it's just a pretty boy that'll get walked by a high performance SUV to 130 any day of the week anyway. So the R8 is the faster car. Bone stock plus runs high 7s, low 8s. All day on the 6 130, but what about the data on the NSX? NSX? Let's take a look. So, just a quick disclaimer, these are not technically hero runs since they were done under race conditions, but they were good. So I'm still going to put them on the fast list. We'll start from the top with the 40 100, which the NSX did in 5.12. Not bad, but I was hoping for a little quicker, but it does put it right in line with some of the other supercars in this price range. Next up is the 6 130, which is what I'm most curious about. At 8.56 it seems like it falls right between a stock plus and a base V10. From a standstill, the NSX was killing it. It's the fastest car to 60 on the channel so far. And keep in mind there's no rollout. So it's about 2:10 fast with that involved. And with a 0:100 time of 7.26, it's only really beat by next level supercars here. Now the bad news. The driver let off right before the half mile point, so we weren't able to get that time. But the standing quarter was almost identical to the published time by car and driver, so I'm pretty happy with that. At the end of the day, the NSX is probably a better contender for a base trim R8 V10, and realistically, they do sit closer in terms of price point. But what can you do? Beggars can't be choosers, so this kind of makes it an interesting dilemma. Me personally, I would go with the NSX on this one simply because they're pretty rare. And I have a few theories on that. A it's just not that impressive in terms of performance. B the peers who love the OG NSX are now mad that this thing weighs a million and a half pounds. Or C people just don't think an acura should cost 150 grand, especially with an interior like this. Sure, you can say it's nice on its own, but it doesn't hold a candle to the luscious looking inside of the Audi. Anyway. Me personally, I just like cars that I don't see too often, so that's why I chose the NSX. But what about you guys? NSX or R8V10? Let me know in the comments below. Well, that's it for this week's episode and I'll catch you guys in the next one. Hey guys, if you liked this video, help your brother out by giving it a thumbs up. If you have any questions or if I said something weird, let me know in the comments below. You can also support the channel by sharing our stuff or maybe shop in the merch store. And if this is your first time here, don't forget to check out some of my other stuff. I produce all sorts of cool cinematic car content, so if that's your jam, hit that subscribe button and ring that bell icon for new episodes every week. Thanks for watching.
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