Why the Honda NSX Was Brilliant—But Still Failed
The Honda NSX was a technical masterpiece. It had no glaring flaws, no reliability issues, and no performance weaknesses. It was one of the most intelligently engineered supercars of its time. And yet, it never captured the hearts—or wallets—of the buyers it was meant to impress. How could a car so good fail to succeed? To understand the answer, we need to look beyond the numbers and explore the deeper story of what Honda tried to achieve.
Honda's Legacy of Never Failing
Honda has a long history of setting bold goals—and delivering. Just three months after building its first car, Honda entered the world of motorsport, choosing Formula 1 as its arena. While competitors relied on old-school V8 engines, Honda introduced a radical 14,000 RPM V12 that quickly became the most powerful in the field. Within just two years, Honda went from car manufacturer to Formula 1 race winner.
By the late 1980s, Honda was on top of the automotive world. Its Acura brand launched successfully in the U.S., and the Accord became America’s best-selling car. On the racetrack, Honda-powered cars dominated Formula 1 between 1986 and 1991. It was the perfect time to build a supercar that could bring Honda’s racing expertise to the street.
Enter the NSX: A Ferrari Fighter from Japan
The idea behind the NSX (New Sportscar eXperimental) was simple: build a car with the performance of a Ferrari, but with the reliability and practicality of a Honda. Styling was developed with help from Pininfarina, the same Italian design house that worked with Ferrari. The concept car—called the HP-X—was mid-engined, lightweight, and focused on delivering an F1-like driving experience.
The final production version would take these goals even further. Honda engineers aimed for:
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A top speed of 270 km/h (167 mph)
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0–60 mph in under 6 seconds
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Better handling and braking than any Ferrari or Porsche
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Everyday usability
Engineering Brilliance and Innovations
To achieve these ambitious goals, Honda introduced several world-first innovations:
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The first all-aluminum monocoque production car
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Development using the Cray-2 supercomputer to maximize chassis stiffness
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Real-world testing on the Nürburgring with Formula 1 drivers, including input from Ayrton Senna
When early tests revealed structural weaknesses, engineers welded reinforcements by hand and refined them through supercomputer simulations. This process led to a 50% increase in rigidity, making the NSX stiffer than both the Porsche 911 and Ferrari 328 of the time.
Powertrain: Less Power, More Genius
Initial plans for a V8 or turbocharged engine were scrapped due to weight and responsiveness issues. Honda instead refined its C-series V6, enlarging it to 3.0 liters and tuning it to deliver 250 hp at a soaring 7300 RPM. Titanium connecting rods helped it rev to 8,000 RPM, and thanks to the low weight of the chassis, the NSX accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds—beating Ferrari’s new 348.
Honda's decision to include VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) made the engine even more advanced. It offered two cam profiles, one optimized for low-end torque and the other for high-RPM power. This made the NSX responsive, refined, and thrilling.
Performance Meets Practicality
The NSX wasn’t just fast—it was also livable. It offered:
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Cold air conditioning
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A tilting, telescoping steering wheel
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Smooth shifter feel
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Great visibility, inspired by fighter jet cockpits
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Excellent fuel economy (25.5 mpg highway)
It was a car you could drive every day, not just on weekends. And that was part of the problem.
The Flaw in Perfection
Despite critical acclaim and a waiting list in its early years, the NSX’s appeal faded quickly. After its 1990 debut, 60% of all sales happened in the first two years, and production eventually dropped to less than 10% of its capacity.
Ironically, the NSX was too perfect. It lacked the raw drama and emotional chaos that made Ferraris and Lamborghinis feel special. It didn’t shout for attention. It was rational, balanced, and intelligent—a sports car for thinkers. And many supercar buyers weren’t looking for brains. They were looking for thrills.
A Supercar for the Head, Not the Heart
Automotive media loved the NSX, but even they acknowledged that it lacked the visceral appeal of its Italian rivals. It was frequently described as:
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“A brain surgeon’s approach to go-fast operations”
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“The rational man’s supercar”
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“So good it made Ferrari improve, but not exciting enough to dethrone them”
Buyers looking for excitement didn’t want a supercar that reminded them of their Honda Accord. They wanted something unhinged, emotional, and unpredictable.
Legacy and the Second Generation
The second-generation NSX, released decades later, doubled down on intelligence—with hybrid technology, quiet operation, and cold-weather traction bragging rights. But this made it even less appealing to traditional supercar buyers. It sold poorly, and despite engineering brilliance, it was deemed a commercial misfire.
What the second NSX lacked was the purity of its predecessor: lightweight simplicity, driver focus, and a Formula 1 soul.
Final Thoughts: Was the NSX a Failure?
If the goal of a car is to sell, the NSX stumbled. But if the goal is to innovate, inspire, and elevate automotive engineering, it succeeded beyond measure. It pushed Ferrari to improve. It redefined what a supercar could be. And today, it remains one of the most reliable, usable, and well-engineered performance cars ever built.
In hindsight, the NSX wasn’t a mistake. It was simply too far ahead of its time.
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