ホンダ・NSX（初代）

NSXNA1

V0032

MAKER: HONDA
YEARS: 1990–2005
CODE: NA1 / NA2
TYPE: SUPERCAR / SPORTS CAR
ORIGIN: JAPAN

Photo: Charles from Port Chester, New York / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

01 — Overview

The first production car with an all-aluminium semi-monocoque body, the NSX adopted VTEC late in development for its C30A V6. It was sold as the Acura NSX in North America and built for about sixteen years without a full model change.

02 — Historical context

Historicalcontext.

01
The NSX was the first production car with an all-aluminium semi-monocoque body.
Source: Honda NSX (first generation) — Wikipedia (English)
02
It was shown publicly in 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show and the Tokyo Motor Show; Japanese Wikipedia dates the Japanese sales start to 14 September 1990.
Source: ホンダ・NSX — ウィキペディア日本語版
03
Honda redesigned the engine late in development to adopt VTEC variable valve timing, producing the C30A V6.
Source: Honda NSX (first generation) — Wikipedia (English)
04
It was sold in North America and Hong Kong under the Acura brand from November 1990.
Source: Honda NSX (first generation) — Wikipedia (English)
05
Japanese Wikipedia states it was built for about 16 years without a full model change, with production ending in 2005 as new emissions and fuel-economy rules approached.
Source: ホンダ・NSX — ウィキペディア日本語版

03 — Exterior & interior

04 — Engineering

Technicalspecifications.

Engine exhibit

C30A

V6 (90°) · 2977 cc

Manufacturer: Honda
Chassis / model codes: NA1 / NA2
Production: 1990 – 2005
Body styles: 2-door coupé / 2-door targa top
Layout: Transverse rear-mid-engine, rear-wheel drive
Engine: C30AV6 · 2,977 cc · Naturally aspirated270 hpNote: 3.0-litre manual models per English Wikipedia infobox (automatic 252 hp); later C32B 3,179 cc, 290 hp. Japanese-market PS rating not found in fetched sources
Transmission: 5-speed manual / 6-speed manual / 4-speed automatic
Length × width × height: 4,405 × 1,810 × 1,170 mm
Wheelbase: 2,530 mm
Units built: 18,000Note: More than 18,000 sold worldwide as of end of June 2005 (sales figure, not production)
People: Ken Okuyama / Masahito Nakano / Shigeru Uehara / James Stevens

Figures follow the sources listed below. Values vary by market, variant and year; anything we could not verify is omitted. Power is shown in the unit the source used (PS / hp / kW).

05 — Motorsport

Ontrack.

Competition cars differ from the road car; the specifications above describe the road car.

The NSX GT1 and GT2 cars raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans were built from factory NSX-R shells.
Source: Honda NSX (first generation) — Wikipedia (English)
A limited NSX-R GT road version was approved to support homologation of the NSX race car in the JGTC/Super GT series.
Source: Honda NSX (first generation) — Wikipedia (English)

06 — Global legacy

JDM

ホンダ・NSX（初代）

North America

Acura NSX

07 — Gallery

08 — On film

Onfilm.

HeritageOfficial channel
Honda Collection Hall 収蔵車両走行ビデオ　NSX （1990年）
A 1990 Honda NSX from the Honda Collection Hall is driven on track as part of the museum's running-condition preservation program.
Source: 本田技研工業株式会社 (Honda) · YouTube
NSX (first generation)

HeritageOfficial channel
【Honda SPORTS DRIVE WEB】NSX 35th Anniversary Special NSXの進化の足跡をたどる
A 35th-anniversary video tracing the evolution of the Honda NSX through its successive models with detail shots and driving scenes.
Source: 本田技研工業株式会社 (Honda) · YouTube
NSX (first generation)

09 — Related

Relatedmachines.

10 — Sources

01Honda NSX (first generation) – WikipediaWikipedia · reference · accessed 2026-09-26
02ホンダ・NSX – Wikipedia (ja)Wikipedia · reference · accessed 2026-09-26
03Honda NSXWikipedia (English) · reference · accessed 2026-09-26

11 — Photo credits

Honda NSX (first generation)
Black 1991 Acura/Honda NSX (NA1) with gold wheels on a dark show stand, Essen Motor Show 2022.
ByCharles from Port Chester, New York
CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Honda NSX (first generation)
Red Honda NSX (NA1) driving on a Shiga prefectural road in Japan.
By先従隗始
CC0 · Wikimedia Commons