The first-generation Honda NSX, produced from 1990 to 2005, was based on a naturally aspirated V6 engine in a rear mid-engine position, an aluminum monocoque chassis, and rear-wheel drive. The second generation, marketed from 2016 under the Acura badge in some markets, adopts a radically different architecture: a twin-turbo V6 coupled with three electric motors and all-wheel drive.
Comparing these two models amounts to confronting two philosophies of the Japanese sports car, separated by more than twenty-five years of technological evolution.
Engine Architecture of the NSX: Naturally Aspirated vs. Hybrid Twin-Turbo
The first NSX featured a naturally aspirated V6 VTEC. The engine response was linear, progressive, and the rise in revs constituted the essence of the driving pleasure. The torque arrived high in the rev range, which required the driver to exploit the entire rev range to extract the available power.
The second generation breaks with this logic. Its 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 works with three electric motors: one integrated into the dual-clutch transmission and two on the front axle. The torque is available much earlier, with immediate thrust from low revs.
The system power of the standard version is around 573 hp. The Type S, the ultimate limited-production variant, reaches about 600 hp thanks to revised turbochargers and improved cooling.
A detailed article outlining the differences between the old and new generations on La Belle Auto allows for an assessment of the extent of this change in powertrain and its consequences on road behavior.
Aluminum Chassis and Weight: Lightness as Original Philosophy
The aluminum monocoque chassis of the 1990 NSX represented a significant technical advancement for its time. The double-wishbone suspension on all four wheels offered remarkable steering precision, and the weight kept under 1,400 kg gave the car an agility that its often heavier European competitors could not match.
The second generation retains aluminum in its structure, combined with high-strength steel elements. The addition of the battery, three electric motors, and the all-wheel drive system significantly increases the overall weight. This mass surplus is compensated by electronic traction management, but the mechanical lightness feel of the original disappears in favor of a higher measurable efficiency.
All-Wheel Drive and Torque Distribution
The first NSX, in pure rear-wheel drive, transmitted all its power to the rear wheels. The driver managed grip through throttle modulation and trajectory reading.
The new NSX uses its two front electric motors to distribute torque independently to each wheel. This system, called Sport Hybrid SH-AWD, allows for torque vectoring in corners. The car actively pivots at the corner entry, profoundly changing how it engages in a rapid sequence.
- First-generation NSX: rear-wheel drive, 5-speed manual transmission (later 6-speed), mechanical traction management
- Second-generation NSX: hybrid all-wheel drive, 9-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, electronic torque vectoring
- NSX Type S (end of series): specific chassis calibration, refined turbo response, limited production of 350 units worldwide
NSX Type S: End of Production and Its Market Consequences
Honda ended production of the second generation with the NSX Type S in December 2022. This series, limited to 350 units (30 of which are reserved for Japan), is not just an aesthetic treatment. The improvements focus on the hybrid system, transmission management, turbochargers, and chassis settings.
The first generation had a much longer career, with production spanning fifteen years and gradual evolutions (phase 2 in 2002 with an engine increased to 3.2 liters). Its longevity helped forge its status as a classic, and Honda launched a reproduction parts program to keep these examples roadworthy.
Residual Value and Collectibility
First-generation NSXs, particularly low-mileage examples with manual transmissions, have seen their values rise significantly in recent years. The increasing rarity and the status of “Japanese Ferrari” fuel this trend.
The second generation experienced faster depreciation in its early days, partly due to a high pricing position against aggressive European competition. The Type S, with its limited production, seems to hold up better in the used market.
NSX Driving Philosophy: Analog vs. Digital
The deepest difference between the two generations is not found on a technical sheet. It is felt behind the wheel. The first NSX offered a rare mechanical transparency for a sports car: no electronic power steering, reduced weight, engine response proportional to the driver’s engagement.
The second generation filters information more. The steering is more precise in absolute terms, but layers of electronic management (torque vectoring, energy recovery, driving modes) interpose between the driver and the road. The result is faster on a stopwatch, but the raw connection fades.
This evolution reflects a general trend in the sports car industry: the quest for measurable performance now takes precedence over the purity of feel. The 1990 NSX embodied the sports car envisioned by driver-engineers, while the 2016 version reflects Honda’s mastery of complex systems. Two defensible yet fundamentally distinct approaches.
