JAS Motorsport and Pininfarina Resurrect The Iconic Acura NSX

The original 90’s Acura NSX was one of the best sports cars ever made. They weren’t crazy fast, with a modest 276 horsepower powering the mid-engine car. But they were lightweight and nimble, a true driver’s car that embarrassed cars like the Porsche 911, Ferrari Testarossa, and other more expensive sports cars on the track.

Sadly, these cars have gotten ridiculously expensive in recent years (the dreaded nostalgia tax), with me kicking myself for not picking one up when they were still trading in the mid-30’s. And truth be told, they’re not all that fast by today’s standards.

But that’s all about to change. JAS Motorsport, the legendary outfit that’s been Honda’s official racing partner since 1998, has teamed up with Italian design house Pininfarina to create the Tensei, a carbon fiber-bodied restomod that will bring the iconic NSX back to life and redefine what a modern supercar can be.

What Is the Tensei?

“Tensei” means “rebirth” in Japanese, and that’s exactly what JAS is delivering. This isn’t just another resto-mod project; it’s a complete reimagining of the first-generation Acura NSX that dominated the supercar scene from 1990 onwards. The Tensei takes the soul of that legendary machine and wraps it in cutting-edge technology and materials that would have been pure science fiction back when the original vehicle olled off the production line.

Starting with a donor car from the early 1990s, JAS Motorsport strips everything down to the chassis and mechanical base, then builds something entirely new on top. The result? A modern version of the Grand Touring concept that made the NSX famous: high-performance, perfectly balanced, and equally capable whether you’re carving canyons or attacking a racetrack.

Pininfarina’s Carbon Fiber Masterpiece

When you want your car to look drop-dead gorgeous, you call Pininfarina – the same design house that’s penned some of Ferrari’s most iconic shapes. For the Tensei, they’ve created an entirely new carbon fiber body that honors the NSX’s timeless silhouette while bringing it firmly into the modern era.

The interior gets the same treatment, with Pininfarina bringing its legendary ability to blend beauty and functionality to the cockpit. Honda’s original philosophy from 1990 still guides the design: “A car functions through a direct connection with the driver and passenger,” and “Its quality is determined by whether or not it inspires enthusiasm in the driver.”

That driver-focused approach means every control, every surface, every detail is engineered to enhance the connection between you and the machine.

Pure, Unfiltered Performance

Here’s where things get really interesting for purists: the Tensei keeps it old-school in the best possible way. Under that carbon fiber body sits a naturally aspirated V6 engine – no turbos, no hybrid system, just pure mechanical symphony. JAS Motorsport has engineered and developed this powerplant to deliver maximum power, torque, and responsiveness. We’re hearing rumors of 420 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque.

And the transmission? A six-speed manual. In an era where most supercars have gone to dual-clutch automatics, JAS is giving driving enthusiasts exactly what they want: complete control and maximum engagement.

The mechanical components aren’t just off-the-shelf parts either. They’re derived from JAS Motorsport’s extensive competition experience, where their cars have won World titles and over 900 events. This is racing technology you can actually drive on the street.

Ultra-Limited Production

Don’t expect to see one of these at every Cars & Coffee. The Tensei will be produced in ultra-limited numbers at JAS Motorsport’s Atelier in Arluno, Milan. Each car will be hand-built to order, available in either left- or right-hand drive configuration depending on your market.

The exclusivity factor here is off the charts, this is a car for serious collectors and enthusiasts who understand the significance of what JAS and Pininfarina have created.

The Reveal

The name “Tensei” was first revealed to a select group of customers at an exclusive event at Japan’s legendary Fuji Raceway in November, organized by JAS Asian Sales Partner SPS Global Ltd. Now the rest of us get to see what they’ve been working on, and the images don’t disappoint.

The completed design shows a car that’s unmistakably NSX in its DNA but thoroughly modern in execution. Every line, every curve has been refined and reimagined while maintaining the purity that made the original so special.

What’s Next?

JAS Motorsport has promised more details will be revealed next year, including specifications, pricing, and production numbers. For now, we’re left to admire the images and imagine what it’ll be like to slide behind the wheel of a Tensei – to hear that naturally-aspirated V6 singing behind your head, to feel the mechanical precision of that six-speed manual, and to experience what it’s like when a legendary racing constructor applies everything they’ve learned to build the ultimate road car.

The original NSX proved that a supercar didn’t have to be temperamental or terrifying to be thrilling. Thirty-five years later, the Tensei is here to prove that philosophy is more relevant than ever. This is the restomod we’ve been waiting for!