The Honda NSX is a two-seat, mid-engine coupe[1] sports automobile made by Honda that is sold in North America as the Acura NSX.
The HP-X (Honda Pininfarina eXperimental)[2] idea, a mid-engine 3.0 L V6 engine rear-wheel drive sports car, is where the NSX got its start in 1984. Honda committed to the project with the goal of providing reliability and a lower price point while matching or surpassing the performance of the Ferrari range’s V8 engines at the time. As a result, the idea changed, and the name was changed to NS-X, which stood for “New,” “Sportscar,” and “eXperimental”[3], despite the fact that the production vehicle was initially introduced as the NSX.
The McLaren F1 supercar’s designer, Gordon Murray, acknowledged that the NSX served as an influence for the F1 after testing a number of high-performance vehicles and discovering that the NSX chassis offered the best performance. The design, according to Murray, was “monumental” for sports car design. He discovered that the vehicle was readily capable of handling additional power and urged Honda to create a more potent engine, but they refused. Murray used a BMW engine to design the F1, but he loved the NSX so much that he bought one for himself and drove it for 75,000 miles. The NSX, according to Murray, is “close to his heart.” [4]
In This Article...
Is the vintage NSX a Honda or an Acura?
Honda produced the first generation Honda NSX (New Sportscar eXperimental), a 2-seater mid-engine sports car, from 1990 to 2005. It was sold as the Acura NSX in North America and Hong Kong.
Why is Honda NSX referred to as Acura?
You’ve come to the right place if you’re wondering what sets the Honda NSX and Acura NSX apart. We’ll quickly summarize the two companies and the variations in their NSX models for you.
In a nutshell, Acura is a high-end variation of Honda. It is used to luxury automobiles that American Honda believed would be more difficult to sell if they wore the Honda logo. Initially, Acura was solely offered in North America and Hong Kong and was a North American brand. Over time, this has changed, and more places across the world now sell vehicles with the Acura emblem.
We must distinguish between the two distinct generations in order to understand the differences between the NSX. Let’s start by taking a look at the original NSX.
Honda NSX vs Acura NSX Generation 1
There isn’t much of a difference between the Honda NSX and Acura NSX from the first generation. From 1990 to 2004 and from 2004 to 2005, respectively, both vehicles were produced in Honda’s Takanezawa plant in Tochigi, Japan, and at its Suzuka R&D facility. The following are the only variations:
- Badge
- Modest ECU remapping
- Acura vehicles were built with a left-hand drive configuration.
Honda NSX vs Acura NSX Generation 2
The second generation NSX’s surface differences between the Honda and Acura models are largely the same as those of the first generation. There are a few more changes, though, if we pay more attention. Here are the distinctions:
- Vehicles from Acura are left-hand drive.
- In the case of a collision with a pedestrian, a distinct bonnet/hood hinge on Honda models will pop out to raise the bonnet. This complies with European and Japanese pedestrian safety regulations.
- Honda vehicles have clear indication glass, but Acura vehicles have amber. Regulations in the US are to blame for this. Some Honda promotional vehicles have amber glass since they are merely rebadged Acura vehicles (for example, the one used in the Tokyo Motor Show).
- Different airbag and restraint systems are available for Acura cars. Airbags must be made to accommodate passengers who are not wearing seatbelts in the US. In comparison to laws in other regions of the world, this is significantly different.
- When in reverse, Japanese NSX vehicles make a distinctive beeping noise (not to be confused with a reverse sensor sound). This is because of a particular Japanese law.
Overall, there aren’t many differences between the NSX models made by Honda and Acura for both generations. Check read our post on the “Complete History of the Honda NSX Generation 1” and the video below if you want to learn more about the NSX.
Acura NSX: Does Honda own it?
Simply said, Honda still holds ownership of Acura. The Acura brand, which is only headquartered in North America, actually made its debut in 1986. This implies that Acura-branded vehicles and dealerships are available in the United States and Canada but not in Japan. However, the luxury car brand has grown significantly in popularity since its founding in the 1980s, which is remarkable given that it only had two vehicles to offer at the time: the Legend and the Integra. Thankfully, the two original models’ legacy still exists in the current product selection.
Was the NSX a rival to the Ferrari?
The NSX was supposed to be a Ferrari killer since it cost half as much and was twice as reliable. It was created in Japan by Honda’s Masahito Nakano. A limited number of journalists were invited to Japan in the summer of 1989 to drive the initial prototypes.
A Quick Comparison:
Only two Acura models, the RLX and NSX supercar, receive a 3/5 in the J.D. Power Reliability ratings. All others receive a 2.5/5.
However, all Honda vehicles receive a reliability rating of 3/5, with the Honda Insight, CR-V, Ridgeline, and Passport receiving a 3.5/5.
Honda was named the car brand with the most dependable engines in 2013 by WarrantyDirect. Two years later, WarrantyDirect and WhatCar carried out a study to identify the most dependable automaker.
Honda was positioned first as a result. With a dependability value of 42, Honda was likewise ranked as the second most reliable vehicle.
Honda cars are so affordable to fix, which is why they are so dependable. Contrarily, Acura cars, like all other luxury brands, require frequent, costly repairs. They are therefore less trustworthy.
Why is the NSX becoming obsolete?
After 2022, Honda Acura will discontinue the NSX. Here’s why they made the decision to reject the quickest JDM legend and why it saddens us.
The NSX will have one final outing in 2022 with the Type-S, sharing the spotlight with its Acura-Honda family brothers. Quite simply, it is being terminated because it is too excellent! The car takes too long to build, is overly complex, and has a little profit margin. Acura is graciously handing us a budget-friendly sports vehicle in place of raising the price on us and possibly forever saying goodbye to the NSX. Although it is neither the quickest nor the cheapest, the NSX is neither pricey nor slow. It performs admirably, especially given its price! When it was introduced in 1990, it easily dominated rivals like the Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R by staying inside the mutually agreed-upon threshold of 276 horsepower set by the industry as a whole.
The NSX made an attempt to enter a niche market uncommon in Japan: those who would rather to purchase a fast automobile than have to construct one! After a decade of perfecting manageable speed with constrained horsepower, Honda was prepared for the big fish: one of their first rear-wheel-drive automobiles that appeared to be good enough that journalists and enthusiasts stacked it side-by-side with the top dog at the time: the Ferrari F50, which had two times as many cylinders. With each tear comes a strong argument for why they shouldn’t let the flame die out. We will be crushed by the loss of the NSX. Still not.
Honda NSXs a rare car?
Early in the 1990s, the Honda NSX Type R, which was only sold in Japan, entered into production. The NSX-R had a brief comeback in 2002 when the NSX underwent a facelift, albeit only in very small numbers. Only 150 instances of the updated Honda NSX Type R were made, according to CarBuzz, making it one of the most difficult supercars to find and purchase. Honda, on the other hand, produced 500 units of the first NSX Type R.
Is Honda’s luxury brand Acura?
Drivers from Hartford frequently ask us, “Does Honda make Acura? Yes, it is the answer. The main business, Honda, introduced Acura in 1986. Honda’s premium line was initially marketed in the United States under the name Channel II. Today, the Acura brand enjoys the same level of global recognition as Honda.
What is the cost of an NSX?
What is the value of a 2020 Acura NSX? A used 2020 Acura NSX is worth between $92,702 and $117,213, depending on the mileage, extras, and condition of the car.
The NSX or Supra, which is quicker?
Great views of the drivers’ scorching laps as they compete against one another are seen in the film. And it’s obvious that both men are making a strong effort to win. The top lap time for the Supra was 2 minutes 8 seconds, and the best lap time for the NSX was 1 minute 59.8 seconds. So, as should have been expected by all of us, the NSX did indeed win. However, Arllan in the Supra kept Jay and his NSX in sight, demonstrating the Supra’s superior cornering abilities. But kudos to both drivers for putting on a fantastic performance.
Honda NSX: Is it a supercar?
Despite having a good reputation for dependability, Honda does low in our Driver Power assessment.
A hand-built supercar known as the Honda NSX is put together at Honda’s Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio, in the United States. That should imply that it was built to a higher standard than Honda’s mass-produced vehicles, which are already of a high caliber. It’s simply unfortunate that not all of the inside elements are as upscale as those in an Audi R8 or a McLaren 570S.
In our Driver Power satisfaction polls, Honda performs admirably as a brand, but the favorable comments we receive from owners frequently stress qualities that don’t actually relate to the NSX. The convenience and fuel efficiency that Honda drivers enjoy in their vehicles aren’t as good in the NSX. Owners did complain about their vehicles’ outdated infotainment, and the NSX will share this complaint with the rest of the Honda lineup.
Although the NSX hasn’t been evaluated by Euro NCAP, it should be safe because to its six airbags, stability control, and strong braking system. Nevertheless, functions like adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and automated emergency braking are not included.
Acura NSX: Is it a supercar?
Yes, by the standards of its day, the NSX is a supercar in the best sense of the word.
You have everything you need in a single vehicle:
- Mid-engine positioning
- backwards-wheel drive
- Excellent power/performance, thanks to a cutting-edge engine and building techniques, on par with modern supercars from manufacturers like Ferrari.
- two chairs
The performance of the second-generation NSX is even more astounding, and it is conceivable to elevate it to the level of a hypercar rather than just a supercar.
Read our Honda/Acura NSX buyer’s guide here if you’re curious to learn more about the first-generation NSX.
NSX: Why do I need it?
How can I utilize VMware NSX? In order to manage your whole network as one unit from a single point of control, enforce uniform networking and security standards, and automate and customize the network to your needs, VMware NSX offers a full L2-L7 networking and security virtualization platform.