The Acura NSX Zanardi Edition: America's Hidden Gem

The Acura NSX needs no introduction. When Honda launched it in 1991 as a mid-engine, V6 rival to Ferrari and Porsche, it proved Japanese engineering could hang with Europe's finest. The car's handling, free-revving engine, and balanced chassis won over everyone who got behind the wheel.

But while Japan kept its best special editions—like the NSX-R and the ultra-rare Type S Zero—for itself, America eventually got its own exclusive version in a roundabout way.

In 1997, Honda released the NSX Type S for Japan only. It shed 99 pounds with a mesh engine cover, Recaro carbon-Kevlar seats, stiffer suspension, and a body-colored roof. Just 209 were built. Then came the Type S Zero, limited to 30 units, which stripped out everything from the stereo to power steering to save another 110 pounds.

—but they became the blueprint for something special. In 1999, Honda honored two-time CART champion Alex Zanardi with a 50-car run of the Acura NSX Zanardi Edition. It borrowed the Type S's aggressive suspension, aluminum BBS wheels, titanium shift knob, and body-colored roof, but kept more comfortable seats and added interior plaques.

2-liter V6 stayed at 290 horsepower, and the car weighed 54 pounds less than a standard NSX.

Zanardi, who won back-to-back championships in a Honda-powered car, received chassis #01. Living in Monaco, he rarely drove it at first, preferring a bicycle. After his devastating 2001 crash that cost him both legs, the car was reportedly fitted with hand controls. Zanardi passed away in 2026 at age 59, and the car's current whereabouts are unknown.

Today, these Zanardi Editions rarely come to market. One recently listed for $324,995—more than triple the value of a standard 1999 NSX. But that's still a bargain compared to the $970,000 asking price for a Honda NSX-R. For collectors who know the story, this is the American Type S that almost never was.