Any Acura NSX is a highly desirable car. But this 1991 example has even more street cred. That’s because it was on the stand at the big SEMA show in Las Vegas courtesy of Japan’s VeilSide, a prominent NSX tuner. The car still wears some of the bling from the show, including a sticker for the Global Tuning Awards. VeilSide reportedly spent $130,000 to make it scream.
The NSX is in Marietta, Ga., with a $95,000 Buy-It-Now price. The current owner had it for 15 years and describes it as “one of the nicest cars I have owned.” It’s in excellent driving condition, with 92,951 miles.
An Underestimated Japanese Supercar
The NSX (New Sportscar Experimental) was a stunner when it first appeared on the American market in 1990. German automakers scoffed at the ability of Honda and Toyota to build luxury cars before Lexus and Acura debuted. However, the NSX and the earlier Toyota 2000 GT proved that Japanese automakers could also build modern supercars.
With aerodynamics and light-weighting derived from airplane practice, the NSX sported an all-aluminum body—the first mass-production car to do so. Moreover, power was not from a V-8, but a three-liter V-6 (also all-aluminum) that featured Honda’s then-new Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC).
Buy It Now on eBay
It produced 270 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque in this early form. Buyers chose between a five-speed manual or (beginning in 1994) a four-speed SportShift automatic.
Despite the absence of a V-8, the NSX was good for 5.9-second zero to 60 mph times. This car reaches 170 miles per hour. A curb weight of only 3,000 pounds helps.
A Few Flaws, Easily Fixed
This NSX was displayed at SEMA.
The SEMA NSXs’s long list of custom features starts with a suede interior with Kreative Auto Interiors seats. An Alpine stereo is connected to two rear-mounted amps.
There’s a nitrous setup, but it doesn’t currently work. The hood, wheels, and taillights are definitely not stock!
The interior has custom suede seats.
A new owner will have to deal with tires that are flat-spotted from a lot of sitting in the garage, a traction control system error, and an errant passenger seat front-and-back control. In addition, the driver’s side rear-view mirror is cracked. The car has a rebuilt title, but the owner says there’s no evidence of it having been in an accident.
Exotic Design But Maintenance at the Dealership
Acura sold 1,119 NSX cars in the US in 1990 and 1,940 in 1991—the peak year. Sales of the first-generation model ended in late November 2005. Globally, from 1990 to 2005, more than 18,000 NSX cars found homes.
The cars have held their value well. The 1991 price was $62,000, and Hagerty now quotes $132,000 for a concours example. Expect to pay $90,500 (about the price of this one) for an excellent unit.
There’s a second-generation NSX, first seen in 2016. Its last iteration is the Type S, which debuted this year. But the NSX will be discontinued in 2022. Who knows if Acura’s halo supercar will be back for a third go-round?
NSX parts are readily available on eBay. In addition, there’s a separate page specifically for genuine OEM parts for the NSX. If you want to bring it into the shop, that’s very possible. Despite being an exotic, the NSX is serviced at Honda dealers and is not temperamental or finicky.
