What does NSX stand for in Honda?
The NSX name stands for "New Sports eXperimental." It represents Honda’s groundbreaking mid-engine sports car, first introduced in 1990, with the NSX badge continuing in North America under the Acura brand.
Originating in the 1980s, the NSX was conceived to symbolize a new era of Honda engineering—combining advanced materials, precise handling, and everyday usability. The letters are commonly interpreted as N = New, S = Sports, X = eXperimental, signaling an innovative approach to performance cars.
Origin and Meaning of the NSX Name
What the letters stand for
Before listing the interpretations, here is the commonly cited breakdown used by Honda and Acura branding.
- N = New
- S = Sports
- X = eXperimental
In practice, the NSX badge has come to symbolize Honda’s commitment to blending high-performance engineering with everyday practicality across generations.
NSX Through the Generations
A concise look at how the NSX name has evolved from the original model to the modern version.
- First generation (1990–2005): All-aluminum chassis, mid-mounted V6, and a landmark introduction of Honda’s performance engineering to the world (sold as Acura NSX in North America).
- Second generation (2016–present): Hybrid powertrain with a twin-turbocharged V6 and electric motors, continuing the NSX legacy in the Acura lineup.
Across generations, the NSX branding has remained a beacon of Honda’s pursuit of advanced technology, balanced dynamics, and high-performance capability.
Summary
NSX stands for New Sports eXperimental, a name chosen to signal a new standard of performance engineering from Honda. From the original mid-engine supercar to the current hybrid era, the NSX badge encapsulates the brand’s ambition to blend innovation with drivability.
What does NSX mean for Honda?
The Origins of NSX
Honda developed the original NSX in the late 1980s to build a reliable mid-engine sports car that could compete with European brands like Ferrari. The “NSX” name stands for “New Sports eXperimental.” Legendary F1 driver Ayrton Senna assisted Honda engineers in perfecting the NSX's handling.
What does NSX mean in a car?
The development code name, NS-X represented "new," "sportscar" and "unknown world," X being the mathematical symbol for an unknown value. It was the prototype for a new offering that Honda believed would captivate driving enthusiasts around the world.
What does Honda NSX stand for?
The concept evolved and had its name changed to NS-X, which stood for "New", "Sportscar" "eXperimental", although the production model launched as the NSX.
Are Honda NSX and Acura NSX the same?
Yes, the Honda NSX and Acura NSX are the same car, distinguished only by the brand badge and the market they were sold in. The Acura NSX is the model sold in North America, while the Honda NSX was sold in other markets like Japan and Europe. The primary differences are branding and market-specific features like left-hand drive for the Acura version and the use of different units of measurement on the instruments.
This video explains the difference between Honda NSX and Acura NSX: 16sPrivateAutoYouTube · Feb 15, 2024
Key differences
- Branding: The Acura badge was used in the U.S. and Hong Kong, while the Honda badge was used elsewhere.
- Market-specific features:
- Steering: Acura NSX models were built for left-hand drive markets, while many Honda NSX models were built for right-hand drive markets.
- Units: Acura models in the U.S. used Imperial units (miles, Fahrenheit), while Honda models in other regions often used metric units (kilometers, Celsius).
- Regulations: Some subtle differences exist to meet local regulations, such as the color of the turn signals or specific airbag requirements.
