When did the Honda NSX become the Acura NSX?
The NSX first became Acura NSX in 1990 for the North American market, while Japan continued to use the Honda NSX badge.
Origins: two brands, one model
The NSX illustrates an early branding strategy tied to market. Acura, Honda Motor Company's luxury brand in North America, launched in the late 1980s and began selling the NSX under the Acura badge there. In Japan, where the Honda badge is standard, the same car carried the Honda NSX name. This dual-brand approach marked the model’s global identity for its initial generation.
First generation branding across markets
Below are the key branding milestones for the original NSX (1990–2005):
- 1990: North America gets the Acura NSX; Japan gets the Honda NSX.
The dual-branding arrangement reflected the separate market strategies of Honda (Japan) and Acura (North America) that persisted through the first-generation production run.
Second generation branding and market differences
With the return of the NSX in the mid-2010s, branding followed a similar market-based pattern, though with updates to the market structure and production setup:
- 2016: The second-generation NSX debuts; North America receives the Acura NSX, while Japan uses the Honda NSX badge.
- 2016–present: The second-generation model is assembled at Honda/Acura’s Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio for North American markets, while Japan continues to badge the car as Honda NSX for local sales.
The contemporary NSX project maintains the two-brand approach in many markets, reflecting regional branding decisions while sharing core engineering and design.
Current branding by market
Today, branding depends largely on geography. In Japan, the sports hybrid supercar is typically sold as the Honda NSX. In North America and many other international markets, it is marketed as the Acura NSX. This split remains a notable aspect of the model’s identity across generations.
Summary
The Honda NSX became the Acura NSX in 1990 for the North American market (with Japan advertising the Honda NSX). The pattern continued with the second generation, launched in 2016, where North America again used the Acura badge and Japan used Honda. Across generations, the NSX has retained two branding identities depending on market, while sharing overarching design and performance principles.
