At the 2012 Detroit Auto Show this week Acura finally took the covers off a concept car previewing the replacement for its cherished NSX supercar.

At the unveiling Acura also took the opportunity to announce that the new NSX will go on sale within three years, but the big shocker was the announcement that the car is to be engineered by Honda R&D Americas and built at a special plant in central Ohio.

The original Acura NSX was built at Honda plants in Japan from 1990 to 2005.

Rest assured, the project is in safe hands as the man running Honda today, Takanobu Ito, was one of the chief engineers of the original NSX and he’s determined that the new car is done right. You’ll recall that Acura’s previous attempt at building the NSX successor as a powerful, front-engined GT failed miserably due to the automaker’s financial situation at the peak of the 2008 global financial crisis.

This time around Acura will be staying true to the ethos of the original. That is, to seek performance through efficiency.

"Like the first NSX, we will again express high performance through engineering efficiency," explained Ito. "In this new era, even as we focus on the fun to drive spirit of the NSX, I think a supercar must respond positively to environmental responsibilities."

In particular, engineers developing the car at Honda R&D Americas’ center in Raymond, Ohio will focus on an extremely favorable power-to-weight ratio. They have chosen to stick with a V-6 and lightweight, mid-engine platform, but will be packing it with the latest hybrid technology and an all-wheel drive system.

Utilizing a unique twin-motor electric drive setup with a bilateral torque adjustable control system, the special hybrid all-wheel-drive system will be able to instantly generate negative or positive torque to the front wheels during cornering.

Acura anticipates that the system, dubbed “Sport Hybrid SH-AWD”, will deliver handling performance unmatched by previous all-wheel drive systems. In addition to the handling benefits of the Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system, a powerful V-6 engine with direct-injection and VTEC works together with a dual clutch transmission integrated with a third electric motor for powerful yet efficient acceleration.

For more details on Acura’s latest NSX concept, click here, and for an exclusive gallery of live photos, click here.

Acura NSX Concept, 2012 Detroit Auto Show

Acura NSX Concept, 2012 Detroit Auto Show