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Sayonara: Honda NSX

Price explosion

It was the incredible meticulousness with which Honda approached the project of its first supercar. The starting signal was given at the beginning of 1986, and by 1989, 400 patents had been registered – and the NSX was then also the first production car to be built almost entirely out of aluminium, to have electronic power steering and electronic throttle control. Despite the very extensive safety and comfort features, the unladen weight was only 1350 kilograms, about 200 kilograms less than comparable sports cars. But it went much further: the ergonomics were exemplary, the all-round visibility was more generous than in any other sports car, the aerodynamics were excellent and the downforce was at racing car level. The aluminium chassis consisted of racing components, double triangular wishbones, telescopic shock absorbers, anti-roll bars – four different tyres were fitted all round, which could not be replaced. Ayrton Senna took over the set-up runs.

The car was powered by a 3-litre V6 engine with four overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, the famous variable valve timing (VTEC), manifold injection, titanium conrods and spark plugs with platinum electrodes. It was shifted via a double-disc clutch and a manual 5-speed transmission. On paper, the official 274 hp at 7100 rpm and the maximum torque of 284 Nm at 5400 rpm did not look particularly impressive, but on the road the Honda was one of the best things money could buy. Gordon Murray saw it the same way: ‘When I drove the NSX, all the benchmark cars – Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini – that I had used as a reference for developing my car, disappeared from my mind. Of course, the car we wanted to build, the McLaren F1, had to be faster than the NSX, but its driving dynamics and handling should be our new goal’.

In Switzerland, the first-generation Honda NSX (NA1) cost a whopping 117,000 francs in 1993. That was certainly one reason why it failed to sell well – but if the Honda had been labelled as Italian, it would have sold twice as well for at least twice the money. It took a small eternity for word to get around that the NSX is a gem among sports cars. Between 1992 and 1995, Honda then built the Type R, whose chassis was slightly firmer and all luxury was removed. That meant a weight of 1230 kilograms – and of course significantly improved performance. Only 483 units of the Type R were built, they were intended exclusively for the Japanese market (pictures below).

radical has always celebrated the Honda NSX, i.e. NA1 and NA2, built between 1990 and 2005. But now things are really taking off: while NSXs have always cost between 70 and max. 120k, prices have risen dramatically in recent months. In November, a Targa on Bring A Trailer reached $260,000 (the orange one, below), and at the end of the year, it was as much as $315,000 for a very late model (the silver one, above). Only one owner, only 2000 miles, but just a T, not an R. It’s crazy.

Incidentally, the successor, NC1, built from 2016 to 2022, has also seen a sharp increase in recent months, with prices already at $250,000.

We have more Japanese vehicles under Sayonara; we want to take better care of that again.

One Comment

  1. Hugh Davey Hugh Davey

    I want one. First gen. This car is what led me to buy a CTR. These cars are not an everyday vehicle. I know te civic is different compared to the NSX but I believe it’s special.

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