1991 Acura NSX – 5 speed Manual 1-owner 5k miles

Model History

Everywhere else in the world (minus Hong Kong), this would be considered a Honda.  In 1984, just as the automaker was putting the finishing touches on its upcoming inline 4-cyl 86bhp powered Accord, Honda executives were meeting in a dimly lit backroom somewhere, plotting with Italian car designer Pininfarina to develop the concept car HP-X (Honda Pininfarina eXperimental).  (the dimly lit back room part was for visual effects only).

It was to be a Japanese exotic that would outperform anything coming out of Italy or Germany.  The HP-X concept car evolved into a prototype known as the NS-X, which stood for “New” “Sportscar” “eXperimental” which would later be marketed as such.  The first production car made its public appearance in 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show, and would eventually drop the hyphen from NS-X to NSX prior to going live with sales in North America in November 1990. Each example was hand-built by a special team in the Tochigi Honda assembly plant and listed for around $65,000, the highest price ever placed on a Japanese production vehicle.

The styling was and still is some of the most beautiful low-slung lines of anything ever made.  It was the first all aluminium production car, known for great ride quality, precise handling, rugged reliability and meticulous build quality.  Originally developed with a mission to best the Italian likes of Ferrari, that eventually would fall as Ferrari moved on to the 355, 360 and 430 models while Honda only updated with evolutionary versions of the NSX.  A highly touted performance improvement occurred in 1997 when it received the 3.2L giving it a 20hp bump and its first face lift.  Another major face lift 5 years later would follow.  Production of the first generation NSX ended in late 2005, with a total worldwide sales of about 18,000 units over the 15 years.

Car History

Second Daily is proud to present this very rare 1-owner manual 5-speed 1991 NSX in factory NH-547 Berlina Black over Onyx black leather. We’ve seen low mileage examples, we’ve seen manuals, and we’ve seen first year unmodified beauties…but we have yet to see all of those in one car. This Acura was initially sold at an Acura dealership in Massachusetts to its one and only owner in Rhode Island. The last service included replacement of the water pump, timing belt, and drivetrain. Seller reports there is no snap ring issue. This NSX is another impeccable example held by collector Ryan Friedman and is being offered here on Second Daily for auction.

Exterior

As you walk around the exterior, you feel as if you are standing inside the Honda/Acura dealer showroom in 1991, perusing the thought of buying a car so utterly new and radical, yet with lines so beautiful you forget about the Ferrari 348 you just test drove. There isn’t much to pick at with a garaged 5k mile 1-owner example. The paint shows as new, as do the seals, glass, lighted markers, and headlights. The 5-spoke factory Acura wheels show no apparent curb rash.

Interior

Inside this Acura shows as new. Original NSX embroidered mats are present, and the carpet is free of stains or tears that could be seen. The trim, dash, buttons, switches…all present as new and free of cracks or any apparent flaws. The door sills show no obvious marks of entry. The original BOSE stereo remains as does the cassette / CD player for those daily commutes. 1991 was a great year for music…Alice Cooper’s Hey Stoopid, R.E.M. Out of Time, Whitney Houston’s triumphant Super Bowl show, and Nirvana blasted onto the scene to change music forever…paralleling that of the NSX’s entrance into the exotic car market. 

The gauges are all clear and the 5,553 miles displaying on the odometer is the first thing to catch your eye. It is equipped with power seats, power windows and a rare 5-speed manual transmission. The color combo of black over onyx fitted with the manual was replicated 704 times in the first year of production.

Estimated Value

As with many of the cars we feature, proper valuing is difficult given the low production volume and the rarity of examples going to market, compounded by the wide-range of examples and conditions you may find. This example is even further complicated by the sheer rarity of the mileage and single ownership. We said it before, but to repeat…these cars simply do not come to market often. The recent market shows only a few examples, most with mileage 2-3x shown here, and bidding at prices from $70,000 to over $80,000.

Final Thoughts

This 1991 NSX is immaculate throughout, and drives and handles as it did new. It presents with all the books, records, tools and keys that originally came with the vehicle. With the NSX being re-made lately, attention has once again focused on the original, realizing how good it really was. The styling of the first generation NSX truly does transcend time. Register now to bid, examples like this do not come to market often. With mileage this low, you could actually enjoy it as a second daily driver for the next 10 years and still be considered low-mileage.

Bid Now and Drive Fun Daily.