Auto Express is reporting that Honda is set to unveil the production version of its upcoming Acura NSX at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. The news comes courtesy of an unnamed "top exec" for Honda Brazil speaking at the Sao Paulo Motor Show. The concept version of the Japanese supercar is currently on display there. Interestingly enough, the same unnamed source claims the production iteration will remain aesthetically identical to the show car. You won't hear any qualms from us on that front.

Of course, the timing of the production debut is a little confusing. For starters, when Acura unveiled the concept last year, the company told the world it would be at least three years before production began. That would give the street-worthy model a 2014 or 2015 designation, the latter being cited more often in media accounts. Thus, we'll keep an eye out for the hybrid supercar in Motown, but we're going to stop short of holding our breath... it might be a while.

Earlier today, a set of monochromatic renderings of the Acura / Honda NSX were posted on China's Sohu website and were quickly picked up by other sites such as Carnewschina and Jalopnik, with all claiming more or less that these pictures are of the 2015 production model and that they were leaked "from China’s patent office".

Well, we can assure you that this is not the case - period. To begin with, the pictures were originally released on the European patent agency on February 22, 2012, a little over a month after the concept was displayed at the 2012 North American International Auto Show.

But even if we didn't know that, a quick look at the patent drawings and the pictures of the actual concept, proves that the two cars are one and the same.

Whether or not the production version will stay very close to the concept or if Honda will make some more extensive changes, is something that we will just have to wait and see.

While China is known for its propensity to dispense adulterated products at times, the images leaked of what purports to be the production form of the 2015 Acura NSX look remarkably pure--and rather remarkably like the concept.

Posted by Car News China, the images show a grescale rendering of the same shape, and most of the same details, seen on the Acura NSX Concept shown at this year's Detroit Auto Show.

According to the Chinese site, the 2015 NSX will be powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 and a hybrid drive system (just like the concept) with power output at 400 horsepower (a stat not disclosed for the concept).

Earlier this week, speculation that the production version of the new NSX would make its debut in just over two months' time at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show emerged. If that holds true, we don't have long to wait to test the veracity of these claimed leaked patent photos.

Whenever we see the new NSX hit the auto show circuit--or the streets--we can expect to see the car make its motorsports debut sometime in 2014.

For more images, follow the link to Car News China above.