Honda teases new supercar ahead of Detroit

After three years of development work, the Honda Acura NSX is finally ready to hit the road and will no doubt be one of the star cars of the 2015 Detroit auto show.

The initial concept car on which the new model is based was also revealed in Detroit back in 2012 so it's fitting that Acura, Honda's premium automotive brand, has chosen to return to the same event with the production model.

And although the finished car is meant to very closely mirror the concept, Honda isn't yet ready to take the wraps off the new NSX altogether and instead has published some teaser images.

It has also confirmed that the three-motor set-up that was featured in the prototype will be making it into the production version. The new car has an electric motor powering each of the front wheels, and a twin-turbocharged gas engine driving the rear wheels and as such is taking an approach to environmentally-friendly performance similar to those of some of its more established European competitors -- most notably Ferrari, Porsche, McLaren and, to a lesser extent, BMW.

'After three years of intensive development work we are excited to reveal this next-generation supercar - the Acura NSX - to the world,' said Ted Klaus, chief engineer and global project leader over NSX development.

'We've developed a human-centered supercar that responds to the will of the driver and that builds upon the NSX heritage.'

What made the original NSX so good was its poise and handling which was due in no small part to Formula One racing legend Ayrton Senna. He worked with Honda to develop the car's chassis and set-up which helped get the most out of its less-than-potent V6 engine.

Therefore the new car has some serious shoes to fill. However, the fact that Honda has labored over its development for over three years is a very good sign that the 2015 version won't disappoint.

The Honda Acura NSX will be officially unveiled at on January 12 during the company's North American International Auto Show press conference. The event will open to the public on January 17.