Pininfarina Reimagines the NSX for a New Era

Italian design flair meets Japanese engineering discipline in a striking new tribute to one of the most beloved sports cars of the 1990s. Pininfarina, the storied design house, has teamed up with racing specialists JAS Motorsport to craft an exclusive restomod inspired by the first-generation Honda/Acura NSX. The goal is clear: revive the essence of the original “everyday supercar” with modern materials and a distinctly analog soul.

The roots of this project run deep. The original NSX was a landmark machine—an all-aluminum, mid-engined sports car that balanced everyday usability with race-bred precision. Developed with input from Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna, it set new standards for reliability, visibility, and driver connection. While the production car was an in-house Honda achievement, its aesthetic DNA traces back to the 1984 Honda Pininfarina eXperimental (HP-X) concept. Four decades on, Pininfarina is circling back to reinterpret that lineage, offering a contemporary vision that honors the past without resorting to nostalgia alone.

This new tribute arrives amid a broader renaissance of the NSX legend. It even enters into a friendly rivalry with another Italian design powerhouse, Italdesign, which has teased its own homage. The competition only underscores the NSX’s enduring influence and the fascination it still commands among designers, racers, and collectors.

Pininfarina and JAS Motorsport have focused on preserving the silhouette and presence that made the early NSX—known as the NA1—so distinctive. Expect the low-slung stance, the mid-engine proportions, and that signature glass canopy that made the car seem hewn from a single aerodynamic form. In a move guaranteed to thrill purists, the tribute resurrects pop-up headlights, a defining flourish of the era. Subtle updates bring the car into the present: crisp LED daytime running lights, sharper wheel designs, and carefully refined details that respect the original without mimicking it outright.

Under the skin, the changes are profound. The body is crafted entirely from carbon fiber—a massive leap from the original’s pioneering aluminum structure. It’s a choice that aligns with the project’s ethos: retain the spirit, elevate the execution. The carbon construction promises improved stiffness and reduced weight, laying the foundation for a more precise, more responsive machine.

The powertrain remains deliberately old-school in its sensations. Instead of electric assistance or hybrid systems, the tribute centers on a naturally aspirated V6, a modern interpretation of the engine architecture that gave the first NSX its immediacy and character. A six-speed manual gearbox completes the picture, ensuring a direct, mechanical dialogue between driver and machine. It’s a love letter to an era when engagement trumped on-paper numbers, and when the reward was measured in feel as much as speed.

The car begins life with an original NSX chassis and mechanical base, then receives a thorough, motorsport-informed transformation. Here, JAS Motorsport’s experience pays dividends. Components and know-how drawn from the track promise a chassis that communicates clearly, a braking system capable of sustained abuse, and a suspension tuned for incisive turn-in without sacrificing the road manners that made the NSX a realistic daily companion. The intent is to honor the original balance—a machine as enjoyable on a favorite back road as it is uncompromising on a circuit.

Exclusivity is part of the appeal. This restomod will be built in ultra-limited numbers, positioned for dedicated collectors who appreciate both the NSX’s history and the craft involved in a bespoke reimagining. It will be offered in left- and right-hand drive, a nod to the car’s global fanbase and to the dual identity of the NSX as both a Honda and an Acura, depending on the market. Full specifications, production numbers, and pricing remain undisclosed for now, with a formal reveal slated for early 2026. That timeline only heightens anticipation, giving enthusiasts time to debate, dream, and speculate.

What makes this project resonate is its clarity of purpose. In an era dominated by electrification, multi-clutch transmissions, and predictive software, the Pininfarina-JAS NSX chooses a different path. It’s a celebration of mechanical purity—of the tactile rituals that define driving at its most human. From the click of a gated shift to the crescendo of a naturally aspirated engine, it offers an experience that modern supercars rarely attempt.

The original NSX earned its legend not because it was the most powerful car of its time, but because it married performance with approachability. It was the supercar that didn’t strand you, that let you see out of it, that turned a commute into something special without punishing you on the way home. If this tribute succeeds, it won’t simply recreate a shape or resurrect a badge. It will revive a philosophy—one that insists a supercar can be both thrilling and trustworthy, exuberant and elegant.

For those who have long admired the NSX, the message is clear: the story isn’t over. With Pininfarina’s design sensibility, JAS Motorsport’s racing expertise, and a commitment to analog engagement, the next chapter promises to be as compelling as the first.

“Protect your classic with a custom car cover from Cover Company.
Learn more at https://www.cover-company.com”