As far as a classic design goes, the C2's have it hands down!
As far as the NSX goes, it's always been eye-candy extraordinaire and will be long remembered as one of the most beautifully proportioned cars ever built.
+1000 on both counts
One simple sentence" The beauty is in the eye of the beholder" . Follow your heart.
You have mentioned that your girlfriend says NSX is very 90ish. We want to know from you - what do you think?
Very true... Like for me, this is a good thing! (very 90s ish). I think the 90s produced some of the most beautiful designs...
The NSX, the F355, the Stevens Esprit, the Viper.
I think the new millenium has shaped up to be a bit of a disaster really. For me, the 60s and the 90s are the pinnacle of automotive design (with notable exceptions obviously)
The giant geometric retro wedge aesthetic that designers are obsessed with these days bugs me. And personally, I feel the Corvette is just getting farther and farther from what made it great.
In my new hometown in PA I am VERY fortunate to have some serious classic enthusiasts in the neighborhood.
When I see ANY Vette from the 60s my heart skips a beat just like when I was a kid (and they predate my birth). My wife too.
When I see a C5 or, even worse, C6 Vette, they just look enormous and awkward by comparison. GREAT cars, but not in any way a "timeless" design for me.
So its definitely a subjective thing and you have to figure out what (if anything - not everyone has strong opinions on aesthetics) gets you going.
It really comes down to torque. The Z has shitloads and the NSX doesn't. If you have a race track in your backyard, the Z will definately win, hands down. If you drive around in traffic, in my mind, the NSX is more livable. Still tons of fun and more capable than any speed limit will support.
The connection you feel with the road when driving an NSX is something to behold. Even if it isn't as fast.
This is very true and very important. I owned a C5 Vette for years, 911 for years as well, and two NSXs.
In my current quest for a new toy I have driven the Viper Gen 2, Viper Gen 3 (SRT), the C6 Vette and the Lotus Esprit....
Objectively, there is just NOTHING with the ergonomics of the NSX. There is a reason that even the most jaded critics gushed over it when it debuted.
The seating position, visibility, controls are all really world class. The Lotus was claustrophobic and uncomfortable by comparison. The Vipers felt huge and the giant hood made it hard for me to feel "together" with the car. The 911, despite its brilliant tricks and the reality of the numbers, always kind of feels imbalanced to me.
To match the driving experience of the NSX you actually need to climb aboard a Ferrari and that isnt an exaggeration.
