A Legendary Honda Revival Courtesy of Italy Is Way Cooler Than Anyone Expected

The JAS Tensei by Pininfarina isn’t just an empty promise and a concept, it’s really happening.

Rear view of a gray JAS Tensei sports car with illuminated horizontal taillights and black alloy wheels.

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By Chris Chin

Published April 23, 2026

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Updated April 24, 2026

This may look like a slick, futuristic rendering of the legendary OG Honda NSX. But, it isn’t.

What it is, is the JAS Tensei by Pininfarina. It’s the world-famous Italian styling firm’s modern rehash on one of Japan’s most iconic sports cars of all time. In partnership with JAS Motorsport, the company just officially unveiled the car at the Milan Design Week in Italy.

Needless to say, we’re already swooning all over it.

Reimagining one of automotive history’s greatest legends

Red sports car with black roof and blue racing seats in a dark studio setting. — Just look at this beautiful piece of rolling art.

It was only a few months ago when Pininfarina and JAS Motorsport originally teased the Tensei. Then, it immediately caught ours and the world’s attention.

That’s because the original Honda NSX is one of those legendary automobiles with such rich history and heritage behind it, most, if not all, sports car fans and enthusiasts believe it’s a car that should only be appreciated in its original form. There have been a few attempts at restomodding the NSX over the years.

White JAS Tensei sports car with black roof and illuminated rear lights on concrete floor. — There have been several attempts at rehashing the OG Honda NSX, but none work as well as this one.

But none seem to do the original car justice. The NSX is that legendary. What’s different about the JAS Tensei however, is that it’s likely the first-ever rehash of the NSX that actually has us all stunned and drooling in amazement, simply from how amazing it works.

Because, well, just look at it.

A motorsports-inspired rehash that we can get behind

Matte gray sports car with black tinted windows, distinctive rear LED lights, and black alloy wheels on a dark floor. — If this thing overtook us, we’d happily allow it just to appreciate the view of that rear end.

According to Pininfarina and JAS Motorsport, the Tensei not only takes inspiration from the original NSX. It taps into JAS’s long-running history as one of Italy’s premiere motor racing and engineering firms.

Established in 1995, JAS Motorsport rose to prominence originally racing Alfa Romeos in various touring car leagues throughout Europe. It later teamed up and became an official racing partner with Honda.

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Since then, the two firms went on to score some notable victories in some of the world’s most prominent motorsports leagues, including the Nürburgring 24 Hours and the World Touring Car Championship.

Due to its long-standing relationship with Honda, JAS Motorsport’s partnership with Pininfarina to produce the Tensei is a natural progression. All the more so since the NSX has a serious motorsports pedigree to begin with.

More than just a restomod

JAS Motorsport and Pininfarina made sure to retain the NSX’s original allure, pop-up headlights and all.

Pininfarina

Named after the Japanese word for “rebirth,” the Tensei honors this heritage and the legend behind the original NSX. Still in its preliminary concept stages, JAS Motorsport plans to take specially chosen donor cars for the Tensei.

The company will then work its magic, upgrading the original car’s mechanicals by widening upgrading the suspension, chassis and even the powertrain. To achieve the beautifully shaped exterior, JAS Motorsport will also custom fabricate the Tensei’s carbon fiber body.

White sports car with black roof and orange interior, shown from a high side angle on a dark concrete floor. — If Honda tried to make the OG NSX today, the JAS Tensei would probably be it.

Both Pinfinarina and JAS Motorsport will preserve the NSX’s original aesthetic, including the car’s signature pop-up headlights and other distinctive elements. The final production model will also retain the NSX’s original naturally-aspirated V6 and six-speed manual, all to preserve the soul of the original car.

“JAS wanted to celebrate the NSX, a car that redefined supercars in the 1990s with its lightweight design, precision and everyday usability,” said Dimitri Vicedomini, Pininfarina’s Head of Exterior Design. “But they wanted to do it in a meaningful way, which led them to collaborate with Pininfarina, a partner with deep historical ties to Honda.”

Red sleek sports car with black tinted windows and unique spoke wheel design shown from side and top views. — One can see the Italian inspiration with the car’s original design renderings.

Neither JAS nor Pininfarina have specified when builds will commence. (Or how much they’ll cost.) Given the rich heritage of both firms and how they’re both hugely respected for being some of the best in the biz, the Tensei likely won’t be cheap. But that’s the price of this kind of perfection.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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