2010 Acura NSX test mule spotted, engine most definitely in the front

Of all of Japan's new entrants into the supercar market, the much-anticipated 2010 Acura NSX has been the one most shrouded in mystery. Whereas the Lexus LF-A and Nissan GT-R made regular and highly-visible forays onto test circuits and public roads around the world, the new NSX always seemed to lurk in the shadows, hiding from the long lenses of the automotive press. Even when Honda did take a development prototype to the Nurburgring, it was simply a chopped-up S2000 drivetrain mule and offered no clues as to what the finished product would look like.

Much of the secrecy was largely due to the negative reaction from the public and the press to Honda's Advanced Sports Car Concept (above), which was meant to represent the next-gen NSX. Honda has since gone back to the drawing board, corrected their mistakes and have now emerged with a newer, cleaner, more muscular design that properly befits the NSX's high-performance aspirations, even if it makes no reference to the design of its predecessor - the NA1/NA2 NSX that was sold between 1990 and 2005.

The reason why it looks nothing like the previous NSX is because unlike the old mid-engined car, this one's got its motor up front. The shift from an MR to FR layout is a radical one and no doubt a decision that will have the NSX purists up in arms, but we're sure Honda's tech boffins will ensure that the new NSX will be more than able to live up to the enviable reputation of the older model. A 5-litre V10 is rumoured to reside between the front chassis rails and current estimations place its power output at a very handy 410kW. The transmission is still a bit of a mystery, but don't be at all surprised if a rear-mounted transaxle is used to help distribute the NSX's weight more evenly.

As for the more specific details of the new NSX's design, we can't tell you much. If you follow the link to Autoblog, you'll find out why: the prototype is so heavily covered in camouflage that identifying any whole part of the car is next to impossible. What we do know is that the profile has a very appealing cab-rear design, that the front end features extremely large cooling apertures and that we totally dig those quad-stacked tailpipes. What do you think? Check out Autoblog's gallery of the 2010 Acura NSX prototype here, then let us know in the comments below.

[Source: Autoblog]