Honda NSX takes off its top for movie stardom

HONDA has designed a convertible version of its new-generation NSX super sports car just for fun – or is it? The topless NSX is set to appear in the new Hollywood blockbuster from Marvel comics, The Avengers, that premieres next week around the globe.

Honda’s up-market Acura division in the US says the car was created specifically for the film, where it features alongside a range of other Acura vehicles, including the upcoming 2013 RDX SUV and all-new 2012 ILX premium small car.

The cars are driven in the film by Marvel’s peacekeeping force, SHIELD, giving Acura another film credit after last year’s Thor. American pundits speculate that the film is a teaser for a real NSX convertible to sit in the range beside the all-wheel-drive hybrid V6 coupe that was revealed in concept form at the Detroit motor show in January.

The first-generation NSX also featured a convertible of sorts, the NSX-T, with the ‘T’ standing for the targa roof that had a removable aluminium panel to let the sun shine in.

From top: The 1995 NSX-T, NSX coupe concept and Acura RDX in action in the The Avengers.

Introduced in 1995 – four years after the coupe – all NSX-Ts initially were equipped only with automatic transmission, but later became available with a five-speed manual gearbox.

Says Acura brand manager Susie Rossick: “Acura is developing an impressive second chapter as the official vehicle of the cutting-edge SHIELD organisation, enabling us to reinforce Acura's brand philosophy of innovation and advancement, and leverage excitement for the new ILX, RDX and NSX supercar concept product news announced earlier this year." The official image of the Acura convertible shows a proper convertible, instead of the targa format.

The car shows styling differences to the NSX coupe concept, with changes to the sheetmetal down the sides and the removal of the coupe’s prominent air scoops, seemingly replaced by more discreet scoops in the rear deck.

Car fans might know more next week, as Acura has promised “a surprise special stunt” to make “an impactful, red-carpet entrance” at the film premiere at Hollywood’s El Capitan theatre on April 11.

The Abvengers teams up a number of Marvel comic-book heroes, including Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America and Thor, to “pull the world back from the brink of disaster”.

The movie stars Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson, and is directed by Joss Whedon.

Footnote: The original NSX also featured in a major movie, Quentin Tarentino’s Pulp Fiction, which coincidentally also starred Samuel L. Jackson.