JZ

At the Tokyo auto show Honda unveiled a 3.5L iVTEC motor with electronic motor assist that pumper out 400hp! (Take that Nissan!)

While the electronic motor assist may not make it to the next generation cars, can a 3.5L iVTEC engine be too far off for us?

I guess maybe this time around it would be put into the TL first since that will be the next redesign. Cool.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Hey, that's from the concept car in the GT3 add on in Japan!! Read that article this afternoon, could be cool if they produce it!!

Vampyre

I doubt you'll see the 3.5L i-Vtec in the CL or TL anytime soon. Honda MC spent too much time and money creating the 3.2 to replace in the next few years. Maybe about 3-4 years down the road there'll be something new. HOwever, look for an upgraded i-vtec 3.2L that'll pop up in the 3.2's probably a year after the 3.5 i-vtec is an option.

I'd say the 3.5L i-Vtec will be in the next gen RL. That model is due up for a redesign and what perfect timing for a newer 3.5L engine. Too convenient to be just a coincidence.

I'd say any upgraded i-Vtec 3.2 would be around 300hp.

Of course, these are all my opinions only but I feel that this may be the path Acura will take.

typeR

why do you say that...then tl is not the redesign...its just a refresh w engine upgrade...like what the max is getting...i think it's what your gonna see in the cl 6 mt...i really do...i think honda intended to have the 6 mt out by now but nissan raised the bar and honda's just not having it...they're saying "oh ya ...255 /240lb.ft. max 6 mt ,well how about 275/275 3.5 i vetc mr nissan???"

4thGSi

I dont know if the New Honda NSX in Japan is already out, but surerly that 3.5L i-VTEC will be the NSX main powerplant i think.....

Vampyre

Reason why I don't see the 3.5 in the TL is due to them then needing to completely change the tranny (or extremely strengthen the current one.) Brand new computer programing for the powertrain control unit. I think that they'd first incorporate the i-Vtec technology into the 3.2L before we see a whole engine transplant into the CL's, TL's. Sticking a 3.5L i-Vtec with over 300 horses in the CL or TL would have us in the very low 14's if not even mid to high 13's which would honestly have us in the performance category of the NSX. No car company ever let's that happen. That's why I'm leaning toward a 3.2 i-Vtec engine redesign for the CL-S' and TL-S'. I wouldn't mind having a 400hp factory CL-S, talk about a low 13 second car to say the least!

JZ

I doubt the 3.5L will find its way into either the NSX or the RL--from what I understand both are going to be V8's. It would be foolish for Acura to try and compete with the LS430 and the Infinit without a V8 in its holster.

And there's no way a Honda iVTEC 3.5L engine would only be pushing 275 as mentioned above. A 3.5L iVTEC engine would easily be pushing 300+hp with a significant increase in torque as well. This combination on our FWD car would be very difficult to handle. Even at the current levels the torque steer in our cars can get kinda bad when you floor it. Maybe the move to an all wheel drive platform would be appropriate at this time. I wonder if any of the Acura non-NSX cars will ever get RWD only.

Rumor had it from my mechanic at the dealer that Acura initially layed out hte plans for the RSX to be RWD but scraped it after many considerations. Now, that would have been a fun car that really pushed the envelope and would have absolutely smashed the current sport compact market. Ah, never since my beloved, but severely underpowered, 240SX has anyone had the balls to put RWD in a sport compact!

GoldTypeS_RENAMED

TOV reported several weeks back that this 3.5L i-VTEC with IMA could power the next NSX. I've also heard several other rumors that the next NSX will NOT have a V8.

To me, this seems like a very Honda-like thing to do. They typically don't listen to the critics and do whatever the f**k they want!! Honda didn't develop the IMA system to just put it in a few cars. They are thinking WAY long term here to where it will be necessary to survive. It wouldn't surprise me in the least to see them try to refine it to the point where they can apply it to any car.

http://www.vtec.net/news/items/852.html

AC_RENAMED

That would be nice, but prepare yourself for a $45,000 TLS/CLS if that's the case, IMO.

gavriil

I think that we might see a 3.5 iVtec option with a more significant bump in torque and a less increase in HP. SOmehting like 280HP and 265 lb-ft of torque. Now that would make our car feel like a totally new car. We are still lacking torque in this car folks. Mid range needs more torque to feel fast. And shorter gearing.

gavriil

Here is the engine JZ is talking about:

Ferrari and Porsche had better take note and prepare for a duel! Honda has reinvented the supercar with the world's first twin-engined hybrid performance coupé, offering 190mph and an incredible 50mpg.
Plans for the Dual Note were revealed by us two weeks ago, but now we can bring you the first official picture and details of the Tokyo Motor Show star.

Using an advanced version of the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system first seen on the Insight, the Dual Note uses two engines. One is a rear-wheel-drive 3.5-litre V6 i-VTEC petrol unit developed from the current NSX, the other an electric motor driving the front wheels. By switching the drive bet-ween the two depending on conditions, the car can achieve hatchback-rivalling fuel consumption.



Both engines running together produce an awesome 402bhp and 4WD traction. Despite this, the Dual Note is practical. It's a full four-seater four-door, although the interior is as futuristic as the powertrain, with the cockpit featuring interactive voice recognition and infrared night vision cameras.

Expect the all-new NSX, due in 2004, to feature most of the Dual Note's advanced technology. But if you can't wait that long, the facelifted version of the current car is finally on show. Featuring fixed headlights, revised body panels and a new interior, it reaches the UK in April.

Another hybrid, but on a less spectacular scale than the Dual Note, is the IMA-equipped Civic, which is set to take on the Toyota Prius. UK sales aren't expected until 2003. No Tokyo show stand is complete without a wacky design concept, though – and for Honda it's the Unibox. The MPV has a moped built into the doors.
----------------------------------------------
So the total of the 2 engines is 400HP not just the 3.5 liter.


But seeing Honda put a V6 in that concept which looks like a car par on price and performance with the NSX, one has to admit that there is a chance for the NSX to continue with a V6 folks. I dont know...we will see. I would love to see a 4.0 liter V8 for the torque factor only. One needs at least 300 pounds of torque for a supercar no matter how light it is.

acura_service

hmm.............................nevermind

syncivic

i-VTEC systems rely on a DOHC cylinder head so that the "i" portion (a variable camshaft gear) can change the relation of overlap betwwen intake and exhaust timing.....try that when both lobes are affixed to the same camshaft. I don't see a DOHC motor in the CL/TL near future...not only from a cost standpoint but it would likely be too wide for the engine bay to accomodate.

Just my .02

gavriil

Good point. I forgot about that.

typeR

well ,than that kinda explains why two different people that work and whos father works for honda have reported that they've brought DOHC machine equip

NOLACLS

They should put that 3.5 in a MDX type S....and have it haul some arse!