1997 Honda NSX Type S (NA2)

The Honda NSX Type S joined the first-generation range in February 1997.

History and purpose

The Honda NSX Type S joined the first-generation range in February 1997. Honda’s dated launch release establishes the introduction alongside the larger 3.2-litre engine and a new six-speed manual transmission. This corrects the original inventory’s 1994 heading. Acura’s later official historical account reports 209 Type S cars built, supplying a complete-programme rarity reference rather than an annual or national allocation. Type S Zero remains a distinct variant and is not folded into this figure. The same Type S wording later appeared on a very different hybrid NSX, making the generation and introduction date essential parts of this car’s identity.

Design and engineering

The Japanese launch specification pairs the 3,179 cc V6 with rear-wheel drive and six manual gears. In architectural terms, the car sits between the compact open roadsters and the more radical concept studies in this Honda archive. The supplied orange example is photographed from behind on a Japanese street. Its broad rear deck and continuous rear lamp panel explain how much visual weight sits behind the cabin. That view is useful for understanding the first-generation body, but it cannot confirm the engine, gearbox or every suspension component. The source identifies a Type S; the article does not turn visible later-use details into a certificate of untouched factory originality.

Identifying the original configuration

The photograph’s creator identifies the car as an NA2SF Type S observed in Aichi on 27 March 2022, with the individual construction number unknown. That is a stronger match than an unlabeled ordinary NSX photograph, while still leaving limits on the evidence. Preserve the photographer’s description and the corrected 1997 programme title together. An individual car’s file should add factory identity, delivery documents and dated cabin and mechanical images. Since Type S is a performance designation within a wider NSX family, exterior resemblance alone is insufficient. A correct chassis-level record can also distinguish a restored factory car from a car carrying aftermarket Type S styling.

Collector context and preservation

This Type S is a useful companion to both NSX Type R generations. Its history allows a collection to discuss how a manufacturer can offer different interpretations of a shared sports-car architecture. The selected rear view encourages attention to cabin placement and the relationship between the roof and engine cover, rather than making every comparison about acceleration. Document wheel changes, refinishing and replaced interior equipment as events in the example’s life. The corrected date should remain searchable under the original 1994 heading, so improved research consolidates the identity instead of creating a duplicate. Preserve the 209-built statement with its manufacturer attribution and defined first-generation scope.

Reading the evidence for this profile

The original source links below identify the programme and the historical statements used in this article. The photograph has its own creator and licence record, separate from the manufacturer’s vehicle history. Keep both when transferring this profile into a collection catalogue. A manufacturing tally describes how many cars belong to a defined original programme; it does not measure how many survive, how many are publicly visible, or how many retain all their original components. Those individual questions require dated chassis and restoration evidence. The reference year likewise describes the programme’s introduction or named historic configuration, while the supplied caption states the photographed setting and any established individual identity. This lets future research expand the car’s history without blurring the scope of the record already assembled here.

Specifications and verified rarity

Frequently asked questions

What is the Honda NSX Type S (NA2)?

The first-generation NSX Type S introduced in 1997; Acura’s official retrospective reports 209 built.

What engineering defines this vehicle?

3,179 cc naturally aspirated DOHC VTEC V6; Japanese launch rating 280 PS. Mid engine, rear drive; six-speed manual. The specifications describe the original programme or published concept proposal. An individual example’s installed equipment and any later changes need their own dated evidence.

Why does this profile use 1997?

This is the documented introduction or original configuration year. Photograph dates and market model years can differ. Keeping those dates separate makes it possible to follow the car’s development without creating a second identity for the same programme.

How should an individual NSX Type S (NA2) be authenticated?

Connect the chassis identifier to original delivery, edition or custodial records. Compare period exterior, cabin and mechanical photographs with the documented configuration. Record replacement parts, paint changes and restoration work as dated events. A badge or colour alone cannot establish that a car belongs to this original programme.

What rarity or archive scope is verified?

Complete original first-generation NSX Type S programme, introduced in February 1997. Acura’s official 2021 historical account reports 209 built. Separate from Type S Zero and from the later 2022 hybrid NSX Type S. Original workbook 1994 heading retained as a lookup alias.

Who took the supplied photograph?

先従隗始 via Wikimedia Commons, under CC0. The original file and licence links accompany the image. Retain that credit when the photograph is uploaded, exported or reused.

Related Honda family profiles

• 1992 Honda NSX Type R (NA1)
• 2022 Acura NSX Type S

Sources and photo credits

• Original manufacturer or contemporaneous programme record
• Acura historical account: 209 Type S cars built

Photograph: 先従隗始 via Wikimedia Commons original file, CC0. Source-provided photograph supplied without local cropping, retouching or text removal. A source thumbnail is used where available. First-generation Honda NSX Type S, identified by the creator as NA2SF, photographed in Aichi on 27 March 2022. Individual construction number unknown.