The Honda NSX has always occupied a rare place among modern classics, pairing everyday usability with the clean thinking of a mid-engined supercar.
The JAS Tensei takes that foundation and sharpens it into something far more exclusive, while resisting the urge to erase the character that made the original so compelling.
Designed by Pininfarina and developed by JAS Motorsport, the finished car keeps the NSX’s unmistakable proportions, including the detail many enthusiasts will care about most: the pop-up headlights remain.
At a glance
- JAS Motorsport has revealed the production version of the Tensei, a limited Honda NSX restomod.
- The car uses carbon-fibre body panels, Pininfarina styling and a 3.4-litre naturally aspirated V6 producing 414 hp.
- Production is limited to 35 examples, with pricing starting at just over $1 million.
Pininfarina keeps the NSX silhouette intact
The best restomods tend to know when to stop, and the Tensei’s design works because it doesn’t try to disguise the donor car’s identity.
Pininfarina has preserved the low, glassy profile and familiar wedge stance of the original NSX, then added a more assertive surface treatment around the key aerodynamic areas.
At the front, the bumper has been reshaped with an integrated splitter and LED daytime running lights, giving the car a more contemporary face without flattening its period charm.
The wider fenders bring extra visual muscle, while the side vents have been cleaned up for a smoother, more deliberate look.
The bespoke Y-spoke wheels suit the car’s 1990s proportions nicely, adding technical presence without overwhelming the body.
At the rear, the L-shaped fascia returns with retro-style LED taillights and a central JAS logo, while the spoiler is blended neatly into the bodywork rather than treated as an add-on.
A naturally aspirated V6 with racing hardware
The most meaningful changes sit behind the cabin, where JAS has worked with JUDD Power on the engine.
The original 3.0-litre V6 has been enlarged to 3.4 litres and fitted with a new short-stroke steel crank, lightweight alloy heads and titanium valves.
In place of the original VTEC system, the engine now uses a fixed-timing racing valvetrain and individual throttle bodies.
The result is a naturally aspirated V6 that revs to 8,500 rpm and produces 414 hp, sent to the rear wheels through a 6-speed gearbox and a limited-slip differential.
No acceleration or top-speed figures have been released, but the recipe points clearly toward response, sound and mechanical precision rather than headline-driven forced induction.
Carbon fibre, low weight and limited production
The Tensei’s carbon-fibre body panels help bring weight down to 1,250 kg, a figure that should preserve one of the NSX’s great virtues: a sense of balance rather than brute mass.
That matters because the original car’s reputation was built as much on composure as performance, and the Tensei appears to follow that philosophy in a more focused, rarer form.
JAS Motorsport will build just 35 examples, putting the Tensei firmly in collector territory.
Pricing starts at just over $1 million, which places it among the most serious modern reinterpretations of a Japanese performance icon.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | JAS Motorsport |
|---|---|
| Model | Tensei |
| Base car | Honda NSX |
| Design | Pininfarina |
| Body | Carbon-fibre panels |
| Engine | 3.4-litre naturally aspirated V6 |
| Engine development | JUDD Power |
| Output | 414 hp |
| Rev limit | 8,500 rpm |
| Transmission | 6-speed gearbox |
| Drivetrain | Rear-wheel drive with limited-slip differential |
| Weight | 1,250 kg |
| Production | 35 examples |
| Price | From just over $1 million |
The JAS Tensei won’t be for the casual NSX admirer, and that’s exactly the point.
It’s a compact, naturally aspirated, design-led restomod for collectors who want the spirit of the original car preserved, but sharpened with modern materials and motorsport-grade engineering.
