Acura wants to restore U.S.-spec first-gen NSX models
The news broke out during a Zoom call of the 2020 Acura NSXPO virtual meeting, according to TireMeetsRoad. John Watts confirmed that Acura is considering such a program for the U.S. and that it has already reached out to around 2,000 owners to see if they would be interested in the idea.
“We have research going out to 2,000 people in the United States asking their level of interest in the overall idea of a refresh plan and then looking at the packages as to the level of interest in specific packages. We’re trying to see if there’s an appetite for this type of service in the United States, and it seems as though there is,” said Watts.
The Acura NSX debuted in the U.S. for the 1991 model year with a bang, selling more than 3,000 units. Sales dropped to 1,271 examples in 1992 and them to below 800 for the next three years. Sales continued to plummet to between 166 to 338 units per year from 1997 to 2005, with U.S. deliveries being halted at 8,949 examples. Global production capped at 18,685 units, so around half of them were exported from Japan to the United States.
How much will it cost?
The U.S. program will probably be similar to the one that Honda launched in Japan in 2010. The program is so popular that Honda is no longer accepting applications due to the massive amount of NSXs it has to restore. The program is far from cheap though. While some cleaning options cost around $2,000, an engine overhaul or a suspension replacement goes up to $24,000.
The folks over at TireMeetsRoad compiled a list of services recalculated to U.S. prices and a basic inspection costs around $1,200. Cleaning and polishing the body comes in at $2,500, while replacing sealing around opening parts costs $1,000. Painting the roof in the same color as the body is priced at $2,350. But various operations will cost a lot more. Engine parts replacement and cleaning costs up to $14,500, while a full engine overhaul can go as high as $23,600.
If all the services on the list are selected, which basically means rebuilding an entire car, it amounts to $141,300.
Prices are likely to be similar in the U.S., but Watts says that the program could include more bespoke options, likely the ability to repaint a first-gen car in a color available for the second-gen model or a custom-made one.
Source: Tire Meets Road