One of Italy’s Most Esteemed Design Firms Brings a Honda Legend Back to Life

Italdesign has unveiled its reimagination of the NSX, and the result is a car that’s even more eye-catching than the original.

Red Honda sports car front with sleek LED headlights and black roof against blue background.

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By Gray Van Dyke

Published January 12, 2026

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Updated January 13, 2026

Last September, Italdesign announced that it would be bringing its talents to one of Japan’s most iconic sports cars through a fresh take on the Honda NSX.

At the time, the outfit revealed nothing about how the design would take shape. Predictably, subsequent teasers added to the anticipation without giving away much of the car’s aesthetic.

As if that wasn’t enough, the reveal of another NSX project — penned by Pininfarina — only fueled the speculation. While that car based its striking shape on the wedge of the first generation, Italdesign’s revival has remained a distinct unknown.

Silver Honda sports car with sleek aerodynamic design and black accents on wet reflective surface. — Italdesign’s NSX tribute pulls from multiple moments in the model’s history.

Now, however, the outfit has pulled the curtain back on its reimagining for all to see. Italdesign debuted its NSX at the Tokyo Auto Salon over the weekend, and it’s even more glorious than I’d expected.

A Honda-recognized reimagination

It comes based on the second-generation NSX, and it’s a tribute that Italdesign is proudly brandishing as “officially recognized” and “the result of a strategic partnership with Honda.”

Silver and black futuristic sports car with tinted windows and rear light strip on a reflective blue surface. — The all-black greenhouse makes for a clear reference to the OG NSX.

Regardless of how much involvement the automaker actually had in the project, I do think the result is so striking that Honda couldn’t help but take notice. I like the second-generation NSX, and I still think that Italdesign managed to transform it into something that’s not only bolder but also more faithful to its heritage.

For instance, around the front, the car makes reference to the pop-up headlights of the first generation with a set of retractable “eyelids”. Moreover, it reprises distinctive elements like the slanted hood and the all black green house that made the NA1 so recognizable.

Silver futuristic sports car with black accents and five-spoke wheels on a reflective surface. — Advan wheels make anything look better.

You’ll find plenty of other design cues that speak to moments throughout the NSX’s model history. In addition to some Championship White NH0 paint that mimics the first-generation NSX-R, the car also sports a roof scoop and some hood vents inspired by the NSX-R GT.

As effective as these changes are, though, the most dramatic difference comes at the rear. Italdesign reimagined the NSX’s signature rear spoiler design in the form of a floating ring with a continuous light bar to serve as the taillight.

Interior of a Honda NSX Type S with black and red leather, carbon fiber accents, and a digital dashboard. — The interior refinements are subtle, though they’re intended to make the car even more driver-focused.

Steeped in important NSX history

Italdesign’s timing for the reveal of its NSX tribute isn’t a coincidence. Quite the contrary, in fact, as there were three significant Honda anniversaries last year that related to the iconic Japanese sports car.

Along with being 60 years since the automaker’s first F1 victory, 2025 marked 35 years since the launch of the original NSX and 30 years since its first Le Mans win.

Black and red Honda sports car with ADVAN decals driving on a racetrack. — Italdesign has given its NSX tribute a set of “eyelids” meant to reference the pop-up headlights found on the original.

Accordingly, beyond more overt choices like the headlights and the aerodynamics, Italdesign’s tribute features subtler references to its Honda history. Inside, it goes mostly unchanged, though there are some tweaks to the layout that are meant to act as callbacks to old-school Formula 1 single-seaters.

To that end, the revision also includes little details, such as a small helmet on the dash, a number 12 and some script, that are meant to celebrate Ayrton Senna. Apart from being a generational talent on the track, the Brazilian driver famously helped Honda improve the design of the OG NSX.

The rear makes for a much more eye-catching look compared to the factory Honda design.

Italdesign

An opportunity for JDM super fans

According to Italdesign, its NSX tribute will be “strictly limited” and “produced in right-hand drive.” In other words, U.S.-market cars badged as Acuras need not apply.

The outfit doesn’t specify any changes to the powertrain, so it’s safe to assume that this overhaul is strictly visual in nature. After all, under the hood, it came with a complex hybrid powertrain consisting of a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 and a trio of electric motors.

Two white and black Honda NSX Type S sports cars shown from front-left and rear-right angles on a plain background. — Italdesign’s tribute looks especially sharp in NH0 Championship White.

Regardless, this transformation is not likely to come cheap, as Italdesign states that its NSX tribute is for “demanding clients,” calling out those “passionate about design” and “enthusiasts of ’90s icons.” All the more so when you consider that even used second-generation NSXs are still easily six-figure cars.

If you’d like to learn more, head to Italdesign’s website.

About the Author: Gray is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, motorcycles and anything else with wheels. When he’s not chasing the latest industry news, he’s probably wrenching on one of many projects. For better or worse, he believes classics make perfectly practical daily drivers.

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