| Honda NSX | |
|---|---|
 Acura NSX (first generation, NA2) along with some NA1 NSX cars | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Honda |
| Also called | Acura NSX (North America) |
| Production | 1990–2005 2016–2022 |
| Model years | 1991–2005 2017–2023 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Sports car (S) |
TheHonda NSX, marketed inNorth America as theAcura NSX, is a two-seater,rear mid-engined, rear-wheel drivesports car manufactured byHonda.[1]
The origins of the NSX trace back to 1984, with theHP-X (HondaPininfarina eXperimental) concept,[2] for a 3.0 L (180 cu in)V6 rear mid-engine,rear-wheel drive sports car. Honda, with the intention of meeting or exceeding the performance of the thenV8 engineFerrari range, committed to the project, aiming at both reliability and a lower price. The concept evolved and had its name changed toNS-X, which stood for "New", "Sportscar" "eXperimental",[3] although the production model was launched as theNSX.
The NSX was designed by a team led by Chief Designer Masahito Nakano and Executive Chief EngineerShigeru Uehara. It benefited from advancedaerodynamics and styling inspired by theF-16 fighter jetcockpit[4] as well as input, during the final development stages, fromFormula One World ChampionAyrton Senna.
The NSX was the first general production car to feature an all-aluminiumsemi-monocoque.[5] It was powered by an all-aluminium 3.0 LV6 engine, which featured Honda'sVTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) system developed in the 1980s, a 5-speed manual transmission, or starting in 1994 the SportShift 4-speed automatic transmission, also known as F-Matic, which allows the option of conventional automatic shifting or manually shifting with a fingertip shift lever on the steering column.[6][7]
The car was presented at the 1989Chicago Auto Show. Production started in a purpose-made factory in Japan,[citation needed] for sale from 1990. It was originally available as acoupé, then, from 1995 onwards, as atarga top. It underwent a performance upgrade in 1997, which saw the arrival of a larger 3.2 L V6 engine,[8] and a facelift in 2002 where thepop-up headlights were removed. The first-generation NSX was discontinued in 2005. North American models were sold as the Acura NSX. The rarity is that only less than 20,000 were made making it highly expensive.
Cars with the 3.0 LC30A engine are referred to as NA1 models, while the 3.2 LC32B engine cars are known as NA2 models.[9]
| Year | USA[10] | Canada[11] |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1,119 | 156 |
| 1991 | 1,940 | 253 |
| 1992 | 1,154 | 91 |
| 1993 | 652 | 64 |
| 1994 | 533 | 31 |
| 1995 | 884 | 38 |
| 1996 | 460 | 16 |
| 1997 | 415 | 13 |
| 1998 | 303 | 10 |
| 1999 | 238 | 5 |
| 2000 | 221 | 6 |
| 2001 | 182 | 4 |
| 2002 | 233 | 3 |
| 2003 | 221 | 2 |
| 2004 | 178 | 6 |
| 2005 | 206 | 1 |
| 2006 | 58 | 2 |
| 2007 | 2 | 0 |
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In December 2007, Acura announced plans to launch a NSX successor by 2010, based on the styling of the frontV10-enginedAcura ASCC (Advanced Sports Car Concept).[12] Despite prototypes being tested for production, Honda announced, just one year later, that production plans had been canceled due to "poor economic conditions."[13] Instead, in March 2010, Honda unveiled theHSV-010 GT that participated in the Japanese Super GT Championship. The HSV-010 GT never reached production as a street-legal car.
Reports that Honda was again developing a successor to the NSX re-emerged in April 2011.[14] By December 2011, Honda officially announced asecond-generation NSX concept, which was unveiled the following month at the 2012North American International Auto Show as theAcura NSX Concept.
The production model was displayed three years later at the 2015 North American International Auto Show, for and was released for sale in 2016.
Although the original name was retained, this time it was defined as "NewSports eXperience".[15] Unlike the first-generation NSX which was manufactured in Japan, the second-generation NSX was designed and engineered inMarysville, Ohio, at Honda's plant, led by Chief Engineer Ted Klaus.
The second-generation NSX has ahybrid electricpowertrain, with a 3.5 Ltwin-turbochargedV6 engine and three electric motors, two of which form part of theSH-AWD (Super Handling-All Wheel Drive) drivetrain, altogether capable of 573 hp (427 kW; 581 PS). The transmission is a 9-speeddual-clutchautomatic. The car's body utilizes aspace frame design, which is made fromaluminum, ultra-high-strength steel, and other rigid and lightweight materials, some of which are the world's first applications.
The first production vehicle with VIN #001 was auctioned off by Barrett Jackson on 29 January 2016.[16]NASCAR team ownerRick Hendrick won the auction with a bid for US$1,200,000. The entire bid was donated to the charities Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and Camp Southern Ground.[17][18][19][20][21]
The first NSX rolled off the production line in Ohio on 27 May 2016 and Hendrick was there to drive it off.[22][23][24][25][26] The first sales of the second-generation NSX in the US were registered in June 2016.
The NSX Type S was revealed on August 12, 2021, with an increase to 602 hp. The Type S is the last update before the November 2022 discontinuation. 300 units only of the NSX Type S were destined for the United States, with 30 units for Japan, and 15 units for Canada.[27]
| Year | USA[28] | Europe[29] |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 269 | 0 |
| 2017 | 581 | 126 |
| 2018 | 170 | 45 |
| 2019 | 238 | 36 |
| 2020 | 128 | 8 |
| 2021 | 124 | 3 |
