From the 1984 HP-X concept to the hybrid all-wheel-drive coupe of 2016, the NSX was Honda's answer to the Ferrari V8 cars of its day.
The Honda NSX was a two-seat, mid-engined sports car that Honda built across two generations. The first ran from 1990 to 2006 with a naturally aspirated V6 and rear-wheel drive. The second, from 2016 to 2022, was a hybrid coupe with all-wheel drive and a twin-turbocharged V6.
Few sports cars have a longer or more layered history than Honda's NSX. It began as a 1984 concept shaped with Pininfarina, and it reached showrooms in two very different generations: a light aluminium V6 coupe first, then a hybrid with three electric motors. In North America and Hong Kong the car was sold as the Acura NSX.
Where did the NSX idea come from?
The NSX grew out of a 1984 concept called HP-X, which Honda developed with Pininfarina. Its rear mid-engined layout and V6 engine were intended to rival Ferrari's V8 sports cars. Honda also wanted reliability and a lower price than those rivals.
The HP-X was a 3.0 L (180 cu in) V6 car with rear-wheel drive, and the letters stood for Honda Pininfarina eXperimental. The project was later renamed NS-X, a name that meant New, Sports car and eXperimental. The production car kept the mid-engined packaging, and its V6 was built around Honda's VTEC system, which the company had developed during the 1980s.
A mid-engined two-seater that began as a concept to rival Ferrari and ended as a hybrid built in Ohio.
Who designed and engineered the first NSX?
Chief Designer Masahito Nakano led the styling team, while Shigeru Uehara served as Executive Chief Engineer. Their work drew on advanced aerodynamics and a cockpit inspired by the F-16 fighter jet. Formula One World Champion Ayrton Senna gave input late in development and drove the car.
Senna's input came during the final development stages, which tied a road car directly to the Formula One paddock. The link gave the car a story that its engineers could point to when explaining its purpose.
Honda's engineers pursued a simple goal from the early design work onward: a car that felt as precise as a racer but could still be driven every day. The mid-engined layout helped by placing mass close to the centre of the car, which gave the chassis a balanced and responsive feel.
Why was the first NSX body so important?
The first NSX was the first general production car to use an all-aluminium semi-monocoque body. That choice cut weight and gave the chassis rigidity without relying on steel. Honda built the car at a purpose-made factory in Japan. Production began in 1990, after the car had been presented at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show.
Aluminium was therefore central to the first car's engineering story. It also explains why the car could be light for its era without giving up stiffness.
What engines did the NSX use?
The first NSX used an all-aluminium 3.0 L V6 with Honda's VTEC variable valve timing and lift system. It came with a 5-speed manual, or from 1994 a SportShift 4-speed automatic called F-Matic. A 3.2 L V6 arrived in the 1997 update.
The F-Matic gearbox let drivers choose between conventional automatic shifting and manual shifting with a fingertip lever on the steering column. That flexibility made the car easier to use in traffic than a manual-only sports car, while keeping a sharper option for enthusiasts.
Engine codes caused confusion among owners for years. The labels NA1 and NA2 do not describe body style or model year. They describe the engine: NA1 cars carry the original C30A 3.0-liter V6, while NA2 cars carry the newer C32B 3.2-liter unit. Manual cars used the C32B only after 1996, while automatic cars kept the C30A through the whole generation.
How did the first-generation NSX change over time?
The original car arrived as a coupe, and a targa top followed from 1995. A performance update in 1997 brought the larger 3.2 L engine, and a 2002 facelift replaced the pop-up headlights with fixed units. Production ended in December 2005, after fewer than 20,000 cars had been built.
Pre-facelift cars with pop-up headlights ran from 1991 to 2001, and the post-facelift cars ran from 2002 to 2006. Those dates are the simplest way to sort the two groups when looking at a used example.
Scarcity keeps prices firm. Used first-generation cars remain relatively expensive, so buyers tend to study each example closely before committing to one.
Why did the second generation take so long?
Acura first announced plans for a successor in December 2007, aiming for a launch by 2010. Honda cancelled those plans a year later, citing poor economic conditions. The second generation finally reached showrooms in 2016, after a concept appeared at the 2012 North American International Auto Show.
Reports of a new successor re-emerged in April 2011. By December 2011 Honda had officially announced a second-generation concept, and the production car was displayed at the 2015 show before going on sale. Along the way the company also built the HSV-010 GT for racing, a separate project that never became a road car.
The name was kept, but it now stood for New Sports eXperience. The second car was designed, engineered and assembled in Marysville, Ohio, under chief engineer Ted Klaus. That move put the car's production on a different continent from the first generation.
What powered the second-generation NSX?
The second-generation car used a 3.5 L twin-turbocharged V6 and three electric motors. Two of those motors form part of the SH-AWD all-wheel-drive system, and together the powertrain produced 573 hp (427 kW; 581 PS). A 9-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission sent the power to the wheels.
The body is a space frame built from aluminium, ultra-high-strength steel and other rigid, lightweight materials. Some of those materials were being used for the first time in a car. Unlike the first car, the new NSX did not use VTEC.
The hybrid layout set the coupe apart from the naturally aspirated original. Electric assistance adds pulling power at low engine speeds, and the combined output placed the second car in a far higher performance class than the 1990 model.
How did the first production NSX sell?
The first production car, VIN 001, was auctioned by Barrett-Jackson on 29 January 2016. NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick won it with a bid of US$1,200,000, and the full amount went to two charities. The first car rolled off the Ohio line on 27 May 2016, and US sales started in June.
Hendrick's bid was the headline result, but the donation mattered more to the charities named in the sale: the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and Camp Southern Ground. The sale placed the new car in public view well before ordinary customers could take delivery.
What was the NSX Type S?
The NSX Type S was revealed on 12 August 2021 with 602 hp (449 kW), an increase over the standard second-generation car. It was the final update before production stopped in November 2022. Only 300 units went to the United States, 30 to Japan and 15 to Canada.
The Type S kept the hybrid layout of the car beneath it. Its small allocations made it a scarce final edition in each of the three markets.
Did the NSX race?
Honda's racing link ran through the HSV-010 GT, which took part in the Japanese Super GT Championship after its March 2010 unveiling. That car never reached production as a street-legal model, so the racing programme did not carry over to the road NSX.
Senna's involvement is the other racing thread in the model's history. His input came during development, and his time at the wheel tied the project to Formula One.
NSX specifications at a glance
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Production, first generation | 1990 to 2006 |
| Production, second generation | 2016 to 2022 |
| Layout, first generation | Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Engine, first generation | 3.0 L V6, 3.2 L from 1997 |
| Layout, second generation | Rear mid-engine, all-wheel drive, hybrid |
| Engine, second generation | 3.5 L twin-turbocharged V6 with three electric motors |
| Output, second generation | 573 hp (427 kW; 581 PS) |
| Gearbox, second generation | 9-speed dual-clutch automatic |
| Type S output | 602 hp (449 kW) |
| Type S allocation | 300 US, 30 Japan, 15 Canada |
Frequently asked questions
Was the NSX sold under the Acura name?
Yes. Acura was the badge used in North America and Hong Kong, while Honda used its own name in other markets. The same naming applied across both generations in the markets that took the Acura version.
How many first-generation NSX cars were built?
Fewer than 20,000 first-generation cars were produced between 1990 and 2006. That small total is one reason used examples remain relatively expensive today.
What is the difference between an NA1 and an NA2?
The codes describe the engine rather than the body or year. NA1 means the original 3.0-liter C30A V6, while NA2 means the 3.2-liter C32B unit. Both codes can apply to pre-facelift or post-facelift cars, depending on the engine fitted.
Is the NSX still in production?
No. The NSX was discontinued in November 2022 after the Type S update. The hybrid coupe built in Ohio was the last car to carry the name, closing a run of two generations.
