Tracing its roots back to when Honda commissioned Pininfarina for the HP-X concept, the NSX entered production in August 1990. Developed by the pair responsible for the S2000, the mid-engine supercar was more than an affront to Ferrari and Lamborghini. It was proof that supercars can also be practical and reliable.
McLaren was inspired by Honda for the practicality of the F1 and 570GT, and as far as reliability is concerned, even Ferrari and Lamborghini are much better than both companies were in the 1990s. The question is, where does the second-generation NSX stand in all this?
February 2019 marks 30 years since the original was revealed in Chicago by Acura, and looking back, the second generation serves as the pinnacle of hybridization for Honda. Accolades such as the first mass-produced car with an all-aluminum body are obsolete right now.
The hype surrounding the second generation wore off faster than expected, more so if you remember it took Honda seven-going-on-eight years to get from Tetsuo Iwamura’s promise to the global premiere at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. Speaking of which, that’s the venue where Ford revealed the F-150 Raptor, GT350R Mustang, and twin-turbo V6-engined GT.
Releasing a hype video celebrating the 30th anniversary of the NSX with both generations on the track is borderline cheesy for Honda and Acura, especially because the newcomer is nowhere near groundbreaking compared to the original. Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button posed for the camera next to the car a few years back, but that doesn’t come close to Ayrton Senna’s input during development.
“What about the impact of the second-generation NSX on all the hybrid supercars and hypercars out there?” BMW has this one in the bag, dating back to the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show when the concept for the i8 was revealed in the flesh. Then came the holy trinity from Ferrari, McLaren, and Porsche. Given these circumstances, the answer to the previous question is a big fat “no impact at all.”
Supercars and hypercars that are more forward-looking than the NSX include the McLaren Speedtail (greater top speed and comfort than the F1), Senna (unparalleled handling for a road-going production car), and Koenigsegg Regera (direct-drive, single-speed, fixed-gear transmission).
The bottom line is, the original is worth celebrating, not the second coming of the NSX. Come on, Honda, you can do better!
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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