If you wanted a modernized version of Acura’s NSX, then the factory second-generation car was a huge disappointment. But forget about that one, because a Honda-supported racing team and design icons Pininfarina have just created what Honda never could. JAS Motorsports and Pininfarina have finally revealed the Tensai in full, a reimagined NSX with a carbon body and stunning looks.
With a seriously beefed-up Honda V6 in the back, it has power to back up the style.
Reborn NSX Is The Supercar Honda Should Have Made
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Tensai is Japanese for “rebirth,” and it’s the perfect name to describe this car. JAS Motorsport, an Italian racing team that has been running Honda efforts for nearly 30 years, has roped in Pininfarina to design a stunning take on the original Acura NSX for the modern age.
The project starts with an original 1990 NSX, but the chassis was immediately laser-scanned and reinforced. That includes extra carbon-Kevlar elements on the pillars and the center tunnel to make it stiff enough for modern tires and expectations.
“Our objective was not simply to update the NSX’s design, but to understand its essence and imagine how it might have evolved today. We worked on proportions, road presence and the purity of the surfaces to create a car that is immediately recognizable, yet entirely new. Every line, every volume and every aerodynamic detail contributes to building a strong and contemporary identity, while maintaining that perfect balance of emotion, functionality and beauty that has always distinguished Pininfarina design.”
-Dimitri Vicedomini, Head of Exterior Design at Pininfarina.
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Pininfarina’s body is epic. The original lines of the NSX have been recreated but instead of late ’80s sharpness, they’re much more rounded and sensual. It’s stunning, especially finished in this deep blue paint.
The design integrates a new take on the NSX’s classic rear wing. It keeps the car’s side ducting, but makes it deeper and more purposeful. Pininfarina has even kept the pop-up front lamps, though they’re LED lights using a titanium mechanism instead of the much bigger lights of the original.
How Much Power Does It Have?
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Judd Power, a British company that has been building racing engines for decades and has built engines for IndyCar, F1, and other major series, built this NSX’s screaming heart. It started with an original 3.0-liter Honda V6, but the replacement has been raised to 3.5 liters.
The NSX’s C30A V6 left the factory making 270 horsepower with an 8,000 rpm redline. Judd’s version is still naturally aspirated, but thanks to a new crankshaft, new cams, and titanium valves, it now makes 425 hp and can spin to 8,500 rpm. Sadly, the VTEC system didn’t make the transition. But it has a new Inconel exhaust and a six-speed manual transmission with a Torsen limited-slip differential to help make up for it.
JAS Motorsport has widened the original NSX by 6.7 inches at the front and 7.5 at the rear to give it a more aggressive stance. The wheelbase is 2.1 inches longer to give the car shorter overhangs.
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It has an all-new suspension featuring billet-machined aluminum suspension wishbones and a multi-link rear. The shocks are four-way adjustable units from KW and the whole suspension is fully adjustable. The Tensai even has a front lift system, like other modern supercars.
Brembo CCM-R carbon ceramic discs dwarf the factory units. New center-lock wheels measuring 19 inches in the front and 20 in the rear clear the new brakes and hold the modern Pirelli tires.
Finally, the cockpit. JAS says the design was inspired by an F-16, and while we don’t see it, it’s definitely an upgrade over the early ’90s Honda. Exposed carbon, full-grain leather, and Alcantara see to that, including new seats and a stripped-down steering wheel.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
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In a world full of reimagined Porsche 911s, this NSX is a breath of fresh air. It’s stunning, it’s special, and it’s unique, without relying on monster horsepower to make you want it.
JAS and Pininfarina plan to build 35 cars, and each one will be tailored to its new buyer. How much for this beauty? If you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it.
