Everybody is enamored with the NSX, Acura's ode to aluminum. Today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe '96 has had a total makeover, and while its price's ardor-worthiness is questionable, its widebody makes for even more of it to love.
The Acura NSX is this generation's De Tomaso Pantera. I'll give you a moment to discuss amongst yourselves. . .
WTF? you're thinking, the Pantera had a monster V8 and handling akin to sexual congress with a grizzly bear, while the NSX is a car that Accord drivers could jump into and feel right at home, with handling that is as benign as a promise keeper girlfriend. The thing is though, both these cars, while highly admired by both owner and aspirant, never compelled their guardians to maintain their originality as the cars hadn't established themselves as appreciating assets. That's changing for Panteras these days, and likely will for the NSX some 10-20 years hence, eventually causing owners to facepalm over that questionable interior treatment, or the head ass-plode body mod. However today, they're just not climbing the charts like Justin Bieber, value-wise, and so the general consensus is why not to strap on some fat gumballs and a supercharger and go hunting horses that prance?
Of course, all of those modifications have been made to today's 1996 NSX T, the T meaning toupee tussling as the targa top is transitorily takeable-offable. Outside, there's a widebody kit that makes the NSX look less Italianate and more ‘80s F-body, and the nose has been updated to the later car's wart-lamps in place of the pop-ups (does anybody else miss pop-ups?) along with the boxier valance. The acres of fenders, along with the rest of the car, have been painted a guards red, which either eliminates what is arguably one of the early car's most dated styling cues- that of the black-painted greenhouse, or makes it look like a Mitsubishi 3000GT.
Inside, the cabin has been done over in what look like several of Burt Reynolds' old windbreakers from his Smokey and the Bandit days, resulting in silver and black seats and center console trim that are definitely and acquired taste - by which I mean if it were a food Andrew Zimmern would be choking it down and wishing he was still eating the fetal dove anuses. Other than that garish treatment it looks like it's in pretty good shape, and at least there's three pedals down where the driver's feet live.
Underhood, the 3.0-litre DOHC V6 has been treated to a whole lotta' Comptech, including forced induction up top and wide pipes down below. Stock, the aluminum six managed a healthy 270-bhp, and here the seller is claiming 500-hp with the Comptech blower. Other mods include the requisite Brembos, HKS Hypermax struts and more Comptech parts on the suspension. The wheels get into the act by playing duck, duck DOUCHE, and sadly rival the interior as reflux stimulants.
Okay, it's been through the wringer and had just about its every aspect modified so much that even Ayrton Senna might not recognize it, but so what, we've got another 20 years or so before people start caring about matching numbers on their NSX's, and with a claimed $68K in updates, you'd even have to question how much this car's 68K in miles matters.
So, with that in mind, what do you think about its $44,888 asking price today? Keep in mind that it's also being offered on Craigslist for $65,000, but we know how to Google so the seller's not pulling the alloy over our eyes. Do you think that price is a deal? Or, is that NSX-cessive for this Acura?
You decide!
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