By Mike Davey
Toronto, Ontario — April 29, 2016 — A new OEM certification is coming to Canada. In fact, it’s already here. Acura Canada has recently rolled out a certification program designed for its 2017 NSX.
The NSX series has always been technologically advanced. Originally the vehicle was designed to meet or exceed the performance of other sports cars, while offering a lower price point. The high-tech origins of the vehicle are still embodied in its name: New Sportscar eXperimental. The original NSX was the world’s first mass-produced vehicle with an all-aluminum body. The line was discontinued in 2005.
However, Acura has relaunched the NSX for 2017. The name has been redefined as “New Sports eXperience,” but the vehicle remains on the cutting edge of technology. The body uses a space frame design, constructed with aluminum and low-density SMC outer panels.
Only two facilities in Canada have qualified for the certification: CSN-427 Auto Collision in Toronto and CSN-OpenRoad Richmond Auto Body in Richmond, BC.
Chris Hogg, Business Planning Specialist with Acura Canada, in an interview with Collision Repair magazine, outlined some of the equipment and training that would be needed for a shop to qualify for the certification program.
“This is more of an addition to our existing ProFirst Body Shop recognition program than a separate program of its own,” he says. “With that said, the NSX is a highly advanced, high-end vehicle, so the standards that a body shop has to hit are that much higher. The welding equipment in particular has to meet strict requirements. We also insist that a shop be I-CAR Gold Class, plus there’s factory training that all technicians have to take as well.”
Brad Reed is a repair technician with CSN-OpenRoad Richmond Auto Body. He spent time at the I-CAR training facility in Appleton, Wisconsin, learning the appropriate NSX welding techniques directly from the OEM.
“I like working with aluminum so I was excited to do this,” he says. “The NSX has definitely got some unique aspects to it.”
Lorenzo D’Alessandro is the co-owner of CSN-427 Auto Collision. He says that part of the reason they pursued the certification was to ensure that they remain on the cutting edge.
“Part of the reason we pursued this certification is to show dealers and insurers that we can repair high-tech, multi-material cars like this,” he says. “It’s always beneficial for us to understand different types of vehicle construction and gain insight from the OEM.”
For more information, please visit acura.ca.
