The current-gen NSX is outta here after 2022, though some rumors claim it may return. But before it says sayonara, Acura is giving the 2022 NSX the Type S treatment. However, there’s an affordable mid-engine sports car that can rival the original daily-drivable mid-engine supercar’s heir: the Chevrolet C8 Corvette. Yet while the current-gen Corvette can match pace with more powerful and expensive cars, is it as fast as the 2022 NSX Type S? To answer that, YouTube team Throttle House hit the dragstrip.

2022 Chevrolet C8 Corvette vs. 2022 Acura NSX Type S: Specs and 0-60 mph times

The 2022 NSX Type S might seem like a more powerful, lighter version of Acura’s hybrid AWD supercar if you glance over its specs. But while it is that it’s also significantly more.

The 2022 NSX Type S is the sum of the continual tweaks Acura made to the NSX over the last few years combined with lessons learned during GT3 racing. That means things like re-tuned adaptive shocks and power steering, a faster-shifting transmission, a bigger lithium-ion battery, new tires, and redesigned bodywork and aero features. Also, every bit of the hybrid drivetrain, from the AWD to the torque-vectoring system, got new software, Car and Driver says.

In comparison, the 2022 Chevrolet C8 Corvette is basically the same mid-engine sports car it was back in 2020. Well, Chevy did install an upgraded fuel pump and fuel injectors, and there are some new colors as well as a limited-edition graphics package. But its 6.2-liter V8 still makes 490 hp; 495 hp with the Z51 Package, which also adds better brakes, summer tires, and an electronic limited-slip differential. The eight-speed DCT is unchanged, too.

However, if you just compare the 0-60 times, the 2022 C8 Corvette doesn’t need any updates to beat the Acura NSX Type S. And it’s worth noting that even with less power and more weight, the regular NSX had the same 0-60 time as the Type S in Car and Driver’s testing.

But one spec does not a race make.

Can a RWD sports car beat an AWD hybrid supercar in a drag race?

Speaking of racing, the 2022 Acura NSX Type S recently set a lap record at the Long Beach Grand Prix. Unfortunately, the Throttle House hosts weren’t setting lap times in their comparison. But they did race in a way that lets the Type S’ enhancements over the regular NSX make themselves known.

Throttle House ran the 2022 Chevrolet C8 Corvette Z51 against the Type S in two ¼-mile drag races. The first was from a standing start while the second was from a rolling one to eliminate traction issues. And it’s here where the AWD vs. RWD argument truly kicks off.

See, AWD cars can be tricky to launch smoothly, though launch control and grippy tires help a lot with that. And the NSX Type S has both. However, being RWD, the C8 Corvette can’t put its power down as effectively. So, while it’s easier to launch, it’s also easier to initiate a burnout.

In addition, 5-60 times are better real-world performance metrics than 0-60 times. Admittedly, the C8 Corvette’s 3.5-seconds 5-60 time still edges out the 3.6-second Acura NSX Type S, Car and Driver reports. But the Type S claws back an on-paper win in the standing ¼-mile. It finished 0.2 seconds sooner with a 4-mph-higher trap speed in Car and Driver’s hands.

In short, it’s still anyone’s game—uh, race.

Can a 2022 Chevrolet C8 Corvette keep up with a 2022 Acura NSX Type S?

So, did the 2022 Chevrolet C8 Corvette’s on-paper advantages carry through to the real world? Well, no. The Acura NSX Type S beat the C8 in the standing and rolling race by several car lengths. But in an interesting twist, both cars lost to the GT-R Nismo the hosts also brought along.

After the races, the hosts acknowledged that the upcoming C8 Z06 might have stood a better chance against the supercars. But a win’s a win: the NSX Type S is faster than the C8.

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