Supercars give automakers a chance to show off the fullest extents of their design and engineering capabilities. They use lightweight materials, advanced powertrains, and state-of-the-art suspension technologies to create the fastest, best handling, and most exotic automobiles on the planet.

But there's advanced technology and then there's advanced technology. The 2017 Audi R8 is a traditional supercar—mid-engine design, big engine, lots of power, in a lightweight structure. The 2017 Acura NSX, however, is clearly more advanced and forward-thinking. It has all the traits of the R8, plus a state-of-the-art hybrid powertrain and pinpoint torque vectoring capabilities. The reborn Acura NSX makes the R8’s technology seem antiquated by comparison.

CHECK OUT: 2017 Acura NSX first drive review

As part of our Best Car To Buy testing, we drove the NSX and R8 back to back starting at our home base in north Georgia. The cars were very similarly priced, making the comparison that much more appropriate for anyone thinking of ponying up the cash for a supercar.

2017 Audi R8

2017 Audi R8

2017 Audi R8

2017 Audi R8

2017 Audi R8

2017 Audi R8

2017 Audi R8

2017 Audi R8

 

Priced for exclusivity

Our Ibis White R8 was the current base model, the V10 Coupe. On top of its $162,900 base price, it came with a Carbon exterior package (carbon side blades and engine compartment) for $5,600, a Diamond stitch leather package (full leather upholstery with diamond stitching on the seats and headliner) for $5,000, a Carbon interior package for $3,400, the $1,500 10-spoke 20-inch wheels, $700 red brake calipers, dynamic steering for $1,400, a $1,300 gas-guzzler tax, and a $1,250 destination charge for a total of $183,050.

CHECK OUT: 2017 Audi R8 first drive review

The base price of the NSX is $157,800 including destination. Our Valencia Red Pearl ($6,000) tester came loaded with carbon fiber exterior components totaling $21,600. They included the Carbon Fiber Exterior Sport package for $9,000, the $3,600 engine cover, the $6,000 roof panel, and the $3,000 rear decklid spoiler.

Inside, it had Semi-Aniline Red Leather and Alcantara upholstery with power seats for $1,500, the $2,900 Interior Carbon Fiber Sport Package, and a black Alcantara headliner for $1,300. Add in the $9,900 for the carbon ceramic brakes with black calipers, and the total came to a whopping $199,200.

The most notable option our tester lacked was the Pirelli or Michelin tires. More on that later.

2017 Acura NSX internal view

2017 Acura NSX internal view

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX internal view

2017 Acura NSX internal view

Bristling with technology

The NSX’s powertrain is one of the most complicated ever shoved into an automobile. It starts simply enough with a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 rated at 500 horsepower, thanks in part to those turbos that can run at 15.2 psi.

Mounted longitudinally over the car's rear axle, the engine is mated to a direct drive motor that adds 47 horsepower to net output, charges the battery pack (which is mounted in front of the engine), and smooths out shifts. At the back end of the drivetrain there's a 9-speed dual-clutch transmission and a limited-slip differential to help put the power to the pavement efficiently.

Down the central spine of the car, where you would normally find a driveshaft, Acura adds a power drive unit that sends power form the battery to a pair of front motors, each of which adds up to 36 hp and 54 lb-ft of torque to its respective front wheel. These motors can power the car alone under light load conditions and provide highly focused torque-vectoring control.

Total system output is 573 hp and 476 lb-ft of torque.

But that’s not all the advanced technology. The NSX makes liberal use of lightweight materials. The passenger cell is made of aluminum. Body panels are aluminum and composite. The floor pan is carbon fiber, and the roof pillars high-strength steel. Magnetorheological shocks change the ride quality based on mode.

Acura quotes a curb weight of 3,803 pounds, with a 42/58-percent front-to-rear weight distribution.

The R8 is advanced in its own right. The platform is Audi’s Modular Sportscar System (MSS) spaceframe that also underpins the Lamborghini Huracán. MSS is made up of more than 80 percent aluminum, but it also uses carbon fiber to provide extra rigidity to the firewall and central tunnel. The structure boasts 40 percent more torsional stiffness than the last R8’s, thanks in part to a pair of X braces, one on top of the midship-mounted engine and one behind it. Audi’s Magnetic Ride provides adjustable damping.

The engine is the 5.2-liter V-10 from the first-generation R8, but it’s been updated with port injection (to go with the carryover direct injection), cylinder deactivation, new software tuning, and a bump in compression. Output in the base version that we drove is 540 hp with 398 lb-ft of torque. A V10 Plus model turns up the dial to 610 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque.

Only one transmission is available, Audi’s S Tronic 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

Two seats, no waiting

These are supercars, so they each only have two seats, one for you and one for your arm candy. Both have a futuristic look, but in very different ways.

The NSX sweeps the driver and passenger up in a leathery embrace that is broken up by large swaths of metallic or carbon fiber trim (the latter for a considerable price). An Alcantara headliner dresses up the cabin as well.

MUST SEE: Motor Authority Best Car to Buy Nominee: 2017 Acura NSX

In his first drive review of the NSX, Editorial Director Marty Padgett wrote, “The first signal the car sends the driver, though, is a mixed one. The gentle camelback of console controls house pushbuttons for the transmission. There's no shift lever at all—one thing in a luxe Lincoln SUV, maybe, quite another in a grand-touring sports car crowding the supercar gates.”

The lack of a shifter is a bit off-putting, and the gear selection buttons are right out of the Honda Pilot. At least Acura provides shift paddles.

A large dial at the base of the center stack is a futuristic visual element; it handles the drive modes.

The NSX’s received rave reviews from our staff, but the infotainment system didn’t. “Good heavens the system Acura has in the NSX is atrocious. Being all touchscreen is a horrible idea, and why can’t I have AM radio? Apple’s CarPlay is the saving grace,” said Interactive Content Manager Joel Feder.

Our editors also appreciated the almost sedan-like feel. “The view from the driver seat is as panoramic as in the original. With that, the low cowl, and a steering wheel flattened at its top and bottom to preserve the view, the new NSX has recreated the original perspective,“ Padgett wort.

There is some Accord in this supercar cabin, and that makes it easy to drive every day: “It's a simple, typically-Honda car inside. You simply get in and go, and it's even easy to adjust the radio (as long as you like FM). I've never met such a user-friendly supercar,” Senior Editor Andrew Ganz said.

2017 Audi R8

2017 Audi R8

2017 Audi R8

2017 Audi R8

2017 Audi R8, Asheville to Daytona

2017 Audi R8, Asheville to Daytona

The R8’s cabin is simple by comparison. The driver sits in a somewhat upright position like in the NSX, and that also aids outward visibility. All of the information and many of the controls are front and center right in front of the driver. The dash flows away from the steering wheel, with the some of the MMI infotainment system controls and the climate controls along the center line.

The most unique element of the R8’s interior is the large screen in the instrument panel. It’s the only screen in the car, and Audi calls it the Virtual Cockpit. It can display navigation maps, computer-generated gauges, audio stations, and all kinds of other information.

Our views on the virtual cockpit differ. Padgett wrote, “It’s a calling card for a new generation of Audis, and frankly, it’s dazzling.”

Ganz said: “I love the virtual cockpit in the A4, but the R8 needs a redundant screen. I spent more time trying to change radio stations than I did driving (well, not quite).”

Managing Editor Aaron Cole called it a distraction, but admitted that it’s gorgeous.

The simple approach appeals to Padgett, leaving drivers to concentrate mostly on just one thing. “The R8’s cockpit practically begs for high-speed driving,” he wrote.

Disparate powerplants, similar power

Acura and Audi took very different paths to create power, but the result is very much the same. Acura says the NSX can rocket from 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds and top out at 191 mph. The Audi puts up a similar 0-to-60-mph sprint and accelerates all the way to 199 mph.

That’s where the similarities end. These engines let out unique sounds and deliver their power differently.

With it’s naturally aspirated V-10, the Audi’s power comes on in a linear manner, building and building as the speeds rise to triple digits. The 7-speed dual-clutch transmission clicks off shifts in milliseconds.

2017 Audi R8, Asheville to Daytona

2017 Audi R8, Asheville to Daytona

A launch control function raises the revs and delivers a violent burst, putting all the power to the pavement thanks to the quattro all-wheel-drive system.

Enthusiasts will love the engine note. Without forced induction, it is pure and intoxicating, and it pops and crackles when you let off the gas. Feder called it “glorious,” and Cole said, “I like the drama from the V-10 right behind me. Sounds great when it shouts.”

Fire up the NSX and healthy dose of ripe intake sounds permeates the cabin, and its especially raucous if you choose the Sport+ or Track modes. Acura pipes the sound into the cabin and damps non-essential noise. We call it selectively amplified rather than artificial.

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

“The sounds of the two turbos spooling up and the blow-off valves makes me swoon with tingly feelings,” said Feder.

The electric motors fill any torque deficits created during the wait for those turbos to come online. Feder called the torque fill a “helluva drug,” while Cole said there is “seamless power from the battery, and it’s quasi-fun to run in Quiet mode and see how to keep it running on electrons alone."

Stomp on the throttle, though, and the NSX just moves. The 9-speed dual-clutch transmission cracks off the shifts so quickly that no human can shift better during performance maneuvers.

“The gearbox and its rapid-fire shifts should be examined and cloned for future generations to enjoy,” Cole said.

Feder agreed: “The transmission in the NSX is better than that of the R8. It’s faster and more responsive.”

The engine, electric motors, and transmission work seamlessly together, which is a credit to Acura engineers who spent years on algorithms to simulate true driving signals. “The new NSX is as technically convoluted as congressional testimony—but actually delivers on the promise of driving clarity,” Padgett wrote.

“The NSX’s powertrain is otherworldly, something out of the future,” remarked Ganz.

All that tech also enables decent fuel economy, too. The NSX is rated at 20 mpg city, 22 highway, 21 combined, much better than the R8’s 14/22/17 mpg.

2017 Audi R8 V10 Plus Selection 24h

2017 Audi R8 V10 Plus Selection 24h

2017 Audi R8 V10 Plus Selection 24h

2017 Audi R8 V10 Plus Selection 24h

2017 Audi R8 V10 Plus Selection 24h

2017 Audi R8 V10 Plus Selection 24h

Road friendly

The original NSX delivered a blow to the supercars of its era. In a time when power and handling were out of touch with livable road manners, the NSX was equal parts Honda Accord and Ferrari 348.

Both of these cars have learned that lesson. The ride quality is firm but pliable. They won’t scramble your kidneys. The Audi’s magnetic dampers aid in that mission, making the R8 a comfortable cruiser with the Drive Mode Select system in the Comfort or Auto modes.

“Tweaking the R8 through its driving modes reveals a huge range in its ability. In Comfort mode, it quiets down, shifts imperceptibly, and soaks up road rash better than some sport sedans we’ve driven lately,” Padgett wrote.

Acura made every day driving comfort a priority from day one, and it has worked. It also has magnetic dampers that filter out rough roads. It even has a Quiet mode in which the car runs on electricity when it can, and limits the gas engine to 4,000 rpm. Cole called the NSX as friendly and intuitive as an iPhone.

Ganz echoed that sentiment: “The NSX is simple and easy to operate—just like the original, it's the Honda of sports cars. It is exactly as complicated as a Honda Fit.”

Supercar track stars

Daily comfort is just a bonus in these cars. It’s what happens when they are driven hard that makes them so special.

From behind the wheel the NSX calls up all the wonderful memories of the first-generation car. It's fluid, fast, fun—and even-tempered.

In the Sport+ and Track modes the car really comes alive, mostly because the engine is on boil and the gears are held low.

“This NSX has handling that's as progressive as its worldview,” Padgett wrote. Charge into corners and the mechanical and digital bits start to take over. They reduce the radius of the corner, allowing the car to rotate when you think it will push. It responds well to trail-braking, and the front axle's torque vectoring capability helps it power out of corners. The electro-servo brake pedal stroke is also very well integrated.

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

2017 Acura NSX

“It's designed to be driven quickly without feeling nervous or twitchy, and that's just what it does. If there's such a beast as a tame supercar, this is it,” Padgett said.

However, he was the only editor to drive the NSX on a racetrack. During our test drive on twisty mountain roads, the NSX didn’t quite provide the feedback other editors wanted.

“You really aren’t positive what it’s going to do at the limit, or even sometimes where that limit is,” Feder noted.

“Stiff correction once you’ve lost grip. Doesn’t feel as progressive climbing toward the performance limit—grip is there until it’s not. Who wants to get spanked?,” Cole said.

The NSX we drove had the Continental Conti-Sport Contact 5P tires that other journalists have derided. They’re designed more for comfort than ultimate grip. For those who want more of the latter, Acura offers Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R treads, and for ultimate grip, the NSX can be fitted with Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires. Perhaps either of those tires will provide more feedback.

Take it down just a notch, though, and the NSX responds beautifully. “Really easy to drive quickly. Darts in and out of corners; no prior experience necessary. The old NSX was mechanical. The new one is so digital. Better? Probably,” Cole said.

2017 Audi R8, Asheville to Daytona part III

2017 Audi R8, Asheville to Daytona part III

2017 Audi R8, Asheville to Daytona part III

2017 Audi R8, Asheville to Daytona part III

2017 Audi R8

2017 Audi R8

Our editors found the R8 to be more predictable.

Its handling is very neutral, and turn-in is immediate. Drive the car too hard into a corner and it will understeer a bit. If you kick the throttle in a turn the tail can jump out, even though the R8 uses the quattro all-wheel-drive system. Tame the slide, though, let the quattro kick in, and you can drive the car hard out of a turn.

“You can slip the surly bonds of grip and let the R8 slide briefly left before it hooks up, moving power from the rears to the front wheels,” Padgett wrote in his drive of the R8 at Daytona International Speedway. “The new all-wheel-drive system underfoot keeps a near-perfect balance.”

ALSO SEE: Motor Authority Best Car To Buy Nominee: 2017 Audi R8

Feder grew comfortable with the R8. “The R8 feels planted and predictable. You know what it’s doing, what it’s going to do, and how it’s going to do it. You can play with it, and it wants you to do so,” he said.

“When it comes time to hammer down, it's the R8 that provides so much more feedback and puts the bigger smile on the driver's face. I think I was faster in the NSX, but I had more fun in the R8,” said Ganz.

Cole agreed: “Much more progressive and fun to drive quickly. The NSX is feels sharper, but also more delicate. The R8 feels like an old friend daring you to go further, faster and high-fiving along the way. Just so much fun.”

However, Cole still has a healthy respect for the R8. “The R8 doesn’t feel heavy, until you unload the suspension. Then I challenge anyone to keep clean underwear on a two-lane road,” he said.

2017 Audi R8 vs. 2017 Acura NSX

2017 Audi R8 vs. 2017 Acura NSX

The verdict

So, all things considered, which do we prefer, the highly advanced NSX or the more traditional R8?

In a 3-2 split decision, our staff picks the NSX. Padgett, Ganz, and Feder prefer the NSX, recognizing it as a technological flagship that carries authority as a true halo car.

“The R8 feels like the past while the NSX feels like the future, or a stepping stone to the future,” said Feder.

Cole likes the R8, and think I agree.

It’s the R8’s relative simplicity that appeals to me. I’ve driven it on a track and it held up well. I suspect it can handle plenty of punishment, but I worry that, with more drive and braking systems, the NSX has more things that could go haywire if you drive it hard too often. If I had the money, though, I might go for the NSX.

Preferences aside, both cars are fantastic. Given the effort that Acura and Audi put into developing them, these supercars should feel, look, and be special. The NSX and R8 both fit the bill.