In 1984 Honda commissioned famed Italian designer Pininfarina to design a concept/project car designated the HP-X (Honda Pininfarina eXperimental). Obviously impressed by what they saw; when Honda committed to the project, they informed the engineers that the new car would have to be as fast as anything coming from Italy and Germany. The prototype and eventual production version would be known as the NSX (New Sportscar eXperimental) were designed by the team led by Chief Designer, Masahito Nakano and Executive Chief Engineer, Shigeru Uehara.

Using the Ferrari 348 as a target for performance and having body design scientifically researched that used aircraft, open-wheel racecars, unlimited hydroplane boats, plus other performance platforms for guidelines; the NSX ended up with a cab-forward, mid-engine, long tail layout that optimized visibility and high-speed directional stability.

Featuring many revolutionary components and design features that included the powerplant and supported in development by Honda’s robust motorsports division; Japanese Formula One driver, Saturo Nakajima was involved with the early endurance track development and chassis tuning. Triple World Champion Ayrton Senna is said to be the main influence in further stiffening the chassis after his initial tests at the Honda-owned Suzuka GP circuit. Senna ran Hondas in his three McLaren championship-winning cars and provided his services in testing and tuning the car’s suspension and handling. American Indy 500 winner and three-time CART Indy Car Champion Bobby Rahal, a Honda dealer, also participated in getting this car right.

The NSX production car made its first public appearances in 1989, at the Chicago Auto Show in February and at the Tokyo Motor Show in October of that year, to encouraging reviews. Honda revised the vehicle's name from NS-X to NSX before final production and sale. The NSX was sold under Honda's flagship Acura luxury brand starting in November 1990 in North America.

Beginning in 1995, the NSX-T with a removable targa top was introduced in Japan as a special order option and in North America in March 1995. The NSX-T replaced the standard coupe entirely in North America as the only version available post 1994 and nearly all NSXs thereafter were in targa form.

Offered in “exceptional, like-new condition and showing just 3,500 (reported) actual miles,” this Acura NSX-T is powered by a 3,179-cc, 290-hp V-6 engine that is paired with the desirable six-speed manual transmission. A California car, it has been serviced through Acura dealers and NSX specialty shops and has its records and a clean Carfax. The Acura has had three owners from new and all paint is reported as original.

Rio Yellow Pearl is the extremely rare and desirable color choice, and the interior features Black leather. This exciting color combination is reported as being one of only 19 that came in these colors in 2004. Among the equipment features are an AM/FM radio, air conditioning, power windows, power steering, power four-wheel disc brakes, jack, spare, books, two sets of keys with fobs and the valet key.

Can a car such as this really be an exotic if its day-to-day use is so easy and painless? Doesn’t an exotic usually require some sort of sacrifice or exact a toll of impracticality? The NSX may never be exactly placed in any exacting category to everyone’s satisfaction, but with rousing acceleration and an estimated top speed of 170-mph, it is surely an incredibly satisfying and fun machine to navigate down any type of paved roadway.