98CoupeV6

Tokyo show is in October:

"The show car will be mid-engined with rear petrol-electric drive and front electric drive. And the headline news is that the production NSX, due in summer 2004, will use the same hybrid powertrain [as the Honda Dualnote].

No word on outputs yet, but Honda talked of the Dualnote havin 300bhp from the 3.5-litre V6 which is mated to an IMA electric motor. In addition, two 50bhp electric motors turn the front wheels, for 400bhp total.

These four-wheel drive systems have the potential for terrific performance from a standstill, because electric motors develop maximum torque at zero revs. And four-wheel drive will make sure the tyres can get traction. Besides, ESP can work much faster and more smoothly on electric motors than by braking wheels or cutting a petrol engine's power, so there's the potential for more effective but less intrusive stability systems.

Honda's new flagship saloon, the Legend, will also run hybrid tech.

The new Legend's debut will be at Tokyo this October. It shares the Accord's front-wheel-drive platform, with a 200bhp-plus V6 driving the front wheels. In the Legend the V6 will be mated to the IMA electric motor system, creating Honda's first production six-cylinder hybrid, and cranking up total power beyond 300bhp."

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Hard to argue. Legend info seems very probable, but I dunno about the NSX info..electric motors had previously been put down by Honda because of their weight. Maybe they were just throwing us off? :dunno:

MrFatbooty

So is the Legend still fwd or does the electric motor drive the rear wheels?

AcuraFanatic

Techincally AWD...engine propels the front wheels and electric motors propel the rear.

velfarretokyo

This should silence all those who had said that IMA would be too heavy to use in the NSX.

BTW, where did you get this article? You quoted it, but I didn't notice any source.

Tirod

i'm excited!!

yianni64

it would make sense for the RL to have 300hp+. the base TL now has 270hp, so its going to need some kind of advantage.

04 Acura TSX

about time it has AWD.

velfarretokyo

If they plan a TL Type-S, which hopefully they have in the works, the RL would have to be above that as well (unless they plan to drop the ball with this model too), so I'm guessing around 330-350hp. It's reasonable I think since its slots nicely between the 270hp RL and the top of the line 400+hp NSX.

MrFatbooty

I was a bit confused because the article mentions that the Legend will have IMA but it doesn't say which wheels the electric motors will drive. The way it's worded still leaves the possibility of a hybrid fwd drivetrain.
With the standard TL at 270 hp I doubt there will be a Type-S variant. You can't really put that much more power in a fwd car (well...a mass-produced luxury fwd car) without running into problems--LSD or no LSD.

Tirod

but you can add ima to the rears