Of all the cars subjected to the restomod treatment, the Honda NSX is arguably the hardest car to take on, so good is the job Honda did in the first place.

JAS Motorsport however, begs to differ, and have even employed the services of Pininfarina to reimagine the bodywork. Taking an early 1990s NSX as its base, the new look is crafted entirely from carbon fibre. 

From the teaser images, Pininfarina's approach appears refreshingly restrained. The wider stance and larger wheels give the NSX a more planted, purposeful look with more than a hint of Japanese GT-racer about it – especially at the front with the aero curtain outlet incorporated into the nose. Mercifully, the pop-up headlights remain, supported by new LED running lights in place of the original indicators and fog lamps. At the rear, an NSX-R-style wing integrates more organically into the bodywork, while the width-spanning LED taillights faithfully reinterpret the original's design. The trademark fighter-jet canopy remains untouched, too. It's evolution, not revolution – exactly what the NSX deserves.

Inside, Pininfarina promises to update the cabin while maintaining tactile, analogue interactivity. Given the original NSX's driver-focused ergonomics were already class-leading – with perfect sight lines, intuitive control placement, and that low-slung driving position – the challenge will be resisting the temptation to over-digitise. If they can blend modern materials and build quality with the original's purist layout, they'll have threaded a very fine needle.

JAS states they’re only “moving toward the ‘dressing’ of the working development prototype”, so details are thin on the ground. But the Italian firm has stated the “engine will be an original NSX-inspired, naturally-aspirated V6, engineered and developed to obtain the highest levels of power, torque and responsiveness, and mated to a six-speed manual transmission to enhance performance.”

Reading between the lines, does this mean the iconic VTEC motor, so wedded to Honda’s identity, is obsolete? The harsh reality is JAS has to compete in a rarefied atmosphere where the average Singer is knocking out 500bhp from its flat-six. The NSX’s 3.0-litre V6 originally developed 252bhp when straddled with an automatic transmission, while the manual released another 18 horsepower. The capacity and output later swelled to 3.2-litres and 290bhp respectively, but the famous Japanese gentleman's agreement capping power outputs clearly hampered the car as it aged, even if the second-generation NSX-R was rumoured to develop in excess of 320bhp with its blueprinted engine. Axing the VTEC is certainly a gamble – one that will ruffle purist feathers – but one JAS clearly feels is necessary.

The good news is whatever V6 ends up sitting amidships behind the driver, it will be naturally aspirated, which should mean plenty of revs. And the carbon body will mean the already lithe NSX will have a suitably modern power-to-weight ratio.

No doubt there will be significant suspension and handling upgrades, given JAS’s bread and butter is a partnership with the official Honda Italia racing team – one that stretches back to 1998. The company also has an engineering and consultancy arm. The re-imagined NSX will be handbuilt in limited numbers at the firm's Milan HQ, and will be available in both left and right-hand drive.

The full reveal is scheduled for the first half of 2026. As Honda put it 30 years ago: "A car functions through a direct connection with the driver and passenger. Its quality is determined by whether or not it inspires enthusiasm in the driver." 

We’ll have to wait for said reveal to find out if JAS and Pininfarina have breathed another three decades of life into the car.