Pininfarina and JAS Motorsport have unveiled the clearest look yet at Tensei, their first-generation NSX reinterpretation, and it already feels like the sort of project Honda would never approve, mostly because it makes too much sense.
Tensei is the Japanese word for “rebirth”- a bold name for a car that carries a cult strapped to its roofline, but a very good one nonetheless.
The images confirm what many suspected back in July, when JAS (Honda’s long-time racing partner), casually announced that it would be building its first road car. Add Pininfarina to the mix and suddenly the whole car industry leaned forward like someone had whispered a forbidden spell.
Now we see why.
The silhouette of this car is unmistakable: mid-engined proportions, tight haunches and that purposeful stance the original NSX wore like a tailored suit. But every surface has been sharpened by people who clearly weren’t told “no” often enough.
Carbon fiber everywhere, lighting that looks borrowed from a near-future concept sketch, and enough design confidence to make you wonder if Italy is quietly offended it didn’t build the NSX the first time.
Underneath? A recipe enthusiasts assumed was extinct:
A naturally aspirated V6.
A six-speed manual gearbox.
Rear-wheel drive.
No electric crutches. No torque-fill fantasies.
Just an engine, a pedal, and a lever that moves in real space rather than digitally pretending to.
JAS says the mechanical base is rooted in an actual first-generation NSX, which feels almost surreal in 2025.
You half expect them to say the donor cars were found behind a forgotten Honda warehouse. They won’t confirm output yet, but “remaining true to the characteristics that made it an icon” is corporate speak for: yes, it’ll rev, and no, we haven’t ruined the throttle response.
Inside, Pininfarina is reworking the cabin to reflect Honda’s original philosophy that a car should disappear around you. Expect minimalism, clear sightlines, and ergonomics aimed at drivers rather than influencers.
We all know they’re not chasing spectacle. They’re chasing clarity, something the modern supercar world has largely abandoned.
And, importantly, JAS is not some vanity outfit punching above its weight.
These people have won over 900 races and know exactly where Honda hides the good stuff. Their Civic Type R TCR program alone reads like a padded résumé: titles in Europe, Asia, South America, Oceania, the whole buffet. If anyone understands how to make a V6 Honda dance, it’s them.
The original NSX wasn’t perfect, but it was astonishingly pure. Light, precise, unbothered by theatrics. And yes, the later 3.2-liter cars finally delivered the performance the shape had always promised. But even then you felt there was room for something more purposeful. More focused. More willing to bite back.
JAS and Pininfarina’s Tensei looks like that answer.
The lighting alone is a massive upgrade. The stance appears tighter, more athletic. The surfaces have that Pininfarina discipline, like every curve and crease had to justify their existence before being allowed to stay. There’s heritage here, but no pandering.
We’ll get the full debut early next year. And when it arrives, don’t expect Honda to roll out a rival. They had their chance. Twice. So now the NSX baton has passed to an Italian design house and a race team that treats trophies like clutter.
A strange combination. But then again, the NSX was always the car that made strange combinations work.
And Tensei? It might just be the first reboot in years that doesn’t feel like a reboot at all.
