Skip to main content

Iron Man’s Acura NSX Roadster will be real

When we saw Robert Downy Jr. turn up to the Avengers movie premier in the spring of 2012 piloting an Acura NSX convertible, we were convinced it was a one-off stunt to promote Iron Man’s new supercar. Turns out, though, Acura was giving us a glimpse at a drop-top variant of its forthcoming hybrid supercar.

That’s right. Acura plans to rip the roof of the NSX, creating a roadster, spider, convertible, or drop-top version, depending on how you care to refer to it.

Recommended Videos

Although the broader concept has been agreed upon by Acura brass, what form the NSX Roadster – that’s the one I’m going with – will actually take is still up in the air. Principal NSX Designer Jun Goto told Autocar that the Japanese automaker isn’t sure if it’ll fit a hard- or soft-top to the all-new incarnation of its iconic supercar.

While I am sure Acura’s clever enough to create a distinctive hardtop convertible, I’d really rather see a soft-top, as there’s just something timeless about a soft spider roof.

avengerspremiere-01-627x391

Not only would the cloth roof bring a classic look to the all-new Japanese supercar, it will also bring some much-needed lightness to the hybrid-powered, all-wheel drive rocket ship.

Although the all-new NSX will be powered by a twin-turbo V6, which is aided by three electric motors, I can only assume the mass of aluminum pistons and sensors is a hefty beast indeed. Add to that curb weight some extra scaffolding to keep the topless NSX rigid in the corners, and a complicated retractable hardtop could make the thing heavy on a cosmic scale.

Regardless, looking at the images of the conceptualized NSX Roadster and I almost wishing Acura designers had planned it as an open-air convertible from the get-go. If you can’t get sunburn your bald spot in your $300,000 hybrid supercar, what’s the point?

(Main photo credit: Cardiction) (Secondary photo credit: EGMCartech)

Nick Jaynes
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Nick Jaynes is the automotive editor of The Manual. When Nick isn't behind the wheel on the open road, he can be found…
Don’t ruin your cigars: here’s how to properly season a new humidor
Seasoning secrets every cigar lover could use
faceless man presenting a cigar humidor with cigars inside with gloved hands

If you're a newcomer to the world of cigars or just bought a brand-new humidor, you'll need to season it. And no, I'm not saying to add salt and pepper to it. If you've never heard of it, you might ask, "What is seasoning for a humidor?"

Don't think you need to flavor the box or anything — seasoning is really about getting the wood inside your humidor so as not to rob your cigars of precious moisture. Easy to understand, and getting it done is relatively straightforward as well. The trick is figuring out the "why," and we'll get into that in a bit. But let's first discuss seasoning a humidor.

Read more
The NBA’s ultimate celebration tool: The victory cigar
A look at the players and coaches who smoke to celebrate
Jordan smoking a cigar image on a bag

Sports are synonymous with celebration. After winning the biggest trophy of their lives, athletes want to indulge in the payoff that comes with seeing their dreams realized. Teams go into the locker room, where a waterfall of champagne hits them in the eyes, and swimming goggles seem to be a requirement, lest you walk around on the best night of your life half blind. While drinking is often the activity of choice after winning a championship, the NBA has an alternative symbol of greatness that other sports don't use nearly enough: the victory cigar.

Basketball is a team game, but it's also an individual canvas for solo superstardom. After winning an NBA championship, the coaches and players who sit atop the throne have long smoked a cigar in the locker room, during the parade, or even on the bench before the clock has hit zero. There's nothing quite like a good stogie to signify the ultimate win over the rest of the league, but how did the victory cigar get so ingrained in NBA championship celebrations? We want to take a walk down memory lane and look at some of the historical moments and people who made the cigar what it is within the NBA today.
Red Auerbach's victory cigar on the bench
Red Auerbach: The Story Behind the Victory Cigar + His Disdain of NBA Officials - Red on Roundball

Read more
The best medical shows of all time to binge now
From ER to The Pitt, these are the best medical shows ever made
Noah Wyle in the Pitt

Throughout TV's long history, the medical drama has occupied a somewhat unique place in the landscape. Medical shows are often some of the most reliable on TV precisely because there's so much drama built in to working in a hospital.

Personally, I've found the medical drama to be deeply comforting for years, even if I have no desire to be a doctor myself. Understanding the stress of people in the healthcare profession is fascinating in and of itself.

Read more