1996 Acura NSX – Classified of the Week
October 5, 2021
Don’t let the name confuse you. This is a Honda. Acura is merely the name of the luxury division of the Japanese giant that they utilise to sell the more “upmarket” cars from their line up in the U.S. in order to fool the Americans into thinking they’re getting something a little more exclusive than a Honda, when in reality they’re getting a Honda. But boy, what a Honda the NSX is!
Very much a car of the PlayStation generation the NSX featured heavily in the Gran Turismo video games of the era which no doubt helped to bolster its reputation and this 1996 model puts it slap bang in the middle of that craze. The Japanese had done it again. Along with the likes of the Toyota MR2 and Mazda MX-5 the NSX showed that there was no class of car that the land of the rising sun could not infiltrate and subsequently dominate. A thoroughbred supercar for a fraction of the price of its European rivals the NSX is a true driver’s machine that combines blistering performance and go-kart like handling with a level of practicality and reliability hitherto unheard of in the world of the exclusive, big brake horse power sports car.
Debuting in 1990 the NSX (or New Sportscar Experimental) was Honda’s first mid-engined supercar and was unashamedly developed to be a Ferrari beater. Taking inspiration from an F-16 fighter jet of all things, the NSX has an innovative (at the time) all aluminium chassis and body which makes it incredibly light, and when paired with Honda’s brilliant 3.0-litre, V6, DOHC engine with variable valve timing the perfect match was created. With 60mph arriving in 5 seconds and a top speed of nearly 160mph VTEC was certainly kicking in, yo.
Gordon Murray (yes, the McLaren F1 designer Gordon Murray) was so impressed with his NSX that he used it as inspiration for a little British sports car he was developing in the early ’90s that was about to break the mould. Not only that but none other than Formula 1 maestro Ayrton Senna leant his not inconsiderable knowledge and expertise to the development of the car, convincing Honda to further stiffen the chassis as well as completely re-engineer the rear suspension set up. Unsurprisingly they listened.
It was, and still is, a seriously impressive machine and if there’s a slim chance that you need any more convincing (as well as an abject lesson in heel-and-toe) then just take a look at this clip of Senna expertly piloting an NSX around Suzuka. In Italian leather loafers. What an absolute legend.
This particular 1996 Acura NSX-T features a removable targa top as well as a five-speed manual gearbox and it looks to be in immaculate condition throughout. Post ’97 cars were fitted with a larger, 3.2-litre V6 but this one has the original 3.0-litre, developing around 250bhp and 135lb-ft of torque. An original California car in left-hand-drive it comes with a whole host of goodies too, from air conditioning and cruise control to electric seats and windows. It’s a low-mileage example with less than 80,000 on the clock and it’s black. We don’t know about you but we’re sold.
Equally at home at the race track, car show or supermarket car park the NSX is all singing, all dancing and Honda kept to their original spec of a reliable, Ferrari-besting, two seater, mid-engined sports car. Not only can it go toe-to-toe with the Italians at the track it’s easy to live with and can also be used as a daily grocery-getter which is what makes the NSX such an impressive machine. What other 25 year old supercars can boast the same? It’s a rare and desirable, but ultimately useable piece of automotive lore.
