Mid-Engine Meetup Shows 2020 Corvette C8 Next To Original Acura NSX

The 2020 Corvette C8 is a mid-engine sports car for the masses, but nearly 30 years ago that role was partially filled by the Acura NSX.

While nearly three decades separate the cars, they were recently united by Jeff Ritter from Essexparts who owns a 1991 NSX and was working on a 2020 Corvette Z51 for a customer. He took the models out for a quick photo shoot and was kind enough to share the images with us.

Despite sharing a mid-mounted layout, there are number of differences including the engines themselves. The Corvette has a 6.2-liter V8 that produces up to 495 hp (369 kW / 502 PS), while the 1991 NSX has a 3.0-liter V6 with up to 270 hp (201 kW / 274 PS).

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That brings up to another key difference, the NSX was available with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic – the latter detuned to 252 hp (188 kW / 255 PS). The Corvette, on the other hand, is available exclusively with an eight-speed dual clutch gearbox.

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Given the trend of larger and larger vehicles, it isn’t surprising the NSX is significantly smaller than the Corvette. It’s 8.9 inches (226 mm) shorter, 4.8 inches (122 mm) narrower and 2.5 inches (63 mm) lower. The wheelbase is also 7.6 inches (193 mm) smaller.

Unsurprisingly, the NSX is also lighter as it tips the scales at 3,010 lbs (1,365 kg). The Corvette comes in at 3,366 lbs (1,526 kg) which is a difference of 356 lbs (161 kg).

While the designs are clearly different, the NSX has one notable advantage over the Corvette. Since the rear wing was integrated into the trunk lid, it doesn’t get in the way of loading or unloading cargo.

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While the cars may not have much in common, GM was a huge fan of the original NSX. As Hagerty noted a couple of years ago, GM bought on the first NSXs to arrive in America and Mark Reuss said “That car blew us away.” The automaker “learned a lot” from the model and some of that knowledge was incorporated into the Corvette C5.

Thanks to Jeff for sharing the pictures. You can see more of the two cars here