1990s Acura NSX

50 Cars for 50 Years – Spotlight #11

Alyssa Acosta, Berkley One’s Vice President of Operations, calls the 1990s Acura NSX a “head turner,” and she’s not the only one! Many say Honda’s high revving rear mid-engine sports car redefined import cars of the 90’s. As Berkley One Classics celebrates the big 5-0, we’re hosting an exciting virtual car show for collectors and enthusiasts alike. We’ll share our love of classic cars by spotlighting 50 cars for 50 years that have been chosen and beloved by our employees. Each will showcase the evolution of design and engineering and provide a nostalgic journey through auto and pop culture history. Read on as Alyssa tells us more reasons why she loves the Acura NSX.

An infographic describing the Acura NSX and the reasons we love it.

 

Prefer to read a text version of the above graphic? We’ve got you covered below!

 

The Car

 

This high revving rear mid-engine Japanese sports car of the 90’s redefined import cars of its time. When it launched, it had supercar comparisons of the much more expensive Italian names. It boasted an all-aluminum 3.0-liter V6 DOHC VTEC engine with a 10.2:1 compression ratio. The powerplant revved to 8,000 RPM producing 270 hp in the 5-speed manual transmission model. It also featured unique exterior design elements including pop up headlights, integrated rear wing, dual exhaust, and intake ducts for engine cooling. Its interior featured power leather seats, power mirrors and cruise control.

 

The Collector

 

1991 was the first year of the NSX and the first rear mid-engine production car for Honda Motor Company. Honda partnered with F-1 legend Ayrton Senna on the drivability elements of the car. The interior design was inspired by the F-16 fighter jet which left the driver with a lot of visibility in the cockpit. With a full aluminum body, aluminum suspension components, and an aluminum 3.0L V6 engine, this car was a first in many ways for Honda.

 

The Love

 

This car was a head turner in the 90’s. The low-slung, long body lines of the design were instantly gratifying to any enthusiast. This remains a flagship car to anyone interested in Japanese engineering and one that still makes me stop and stare, over 30 years later.

Contributed by Alyssa Acosta

Photo: Garage Kept Motors

This car feature is part of our 50 Cars for 50 Years campaign to in honor of Berkley One Classics celebrating 50 year of insuring collectors and their vehicles. See the other cars we love here:

Spotlight #1, Spotlight #2, Spotlight #3, Spotlight #4, Spotlight #5, Spotlight #6, Spotlight #7, Spotlight #8, Spotlight #9, Spotlight #10

Berkley One Classics is a Berkley Company who recognizes that classic cars are unique and require insurance that’s equally distinctive. Let us help you protect your beloved vehicle so you can enjoy it for years to come. Learn more here.