Honda-Approved NSX Restomod Looks Stunning From Every Angle

Tucked away in a corner of the 2026 Paris Motor Show is the JAS Motorsport Tensei, a Honda-approved restomod of the original NSX supercar, and it's certainly deserving of the limelight it seems to be avoiding. Many modern restomods are either so overpowered or so overengineered that the flavor of the car they claim to celebrate is lost, but not so with the Tensei. It still produces less than 500 horsepower from a naturally aspirated engine (albeit without VTEC); it still has a slick manual transmission; it's still super light (under 2,800 pounds), and it still puts its power to the ground through the rear wheels. Let's take a closer look.

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Despite how challenging they are to homologate, the Tensei retains the pop-up headlights of the NA1 NSX, now enhanced with LED technology, which reappears in the bumper. Carbon fiber is everywhere, yet Pininfarina's design just about manages to avoid looking tacky, and the original NSX's proportions are well defined, only being slightly exaggerated in some areas, like the side intake.

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Filling the arches are 19-inch front, 20-inch rear center-locking forged aluminum Y-spoke wheels made by OZ Racing, but forged magnesium wheels are also available in a more old-school design. Behind them are carbon-ceramic brakes from Brembo, further reducing unsprung mass.

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In profile, the original NSX's DNA is still evident, particularly in the wraparound rear window. But it's more aggressive, more toned, and more kinetic an aesthetic, with everything slightly more swollen or slightly more taut. Personally, I love the shape and depth of the recess feeding the side intake, and the slimness of the vent behind the front wheel arch is equally neat. And look at how the carbon fiber side skirt deviates to accommodate the wider rear track. What a piece of design.

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The rear three-quarter angle is another highlight in a car full of them, with the spoiler's integration with the muscular haunches particularly clean. KW coilovers with a front-axle lift and new roll bars contribute to stance and stability, and JAS developed the electro-hydraulic (thank God) steering rack specifically for this car. That brings us to the rear end, which faithfully modernizes an iconic taillight design.

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More LED technology appears in the rear cluster, while the exhaust outlets on either side of the large carbon fiber diffuser recreate the triangular shape. It's clearly an NSX, yet it's also clearly something more, and that's a rare trick in the world of restomods, where grabbing attention is as important as exhibiting elegance.

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Inside, JAS Motorsport has shown just as much restraint with the cabin as with the bodywork, subtly uplifting the space to integrate modern creature comforts without losing the simplicity and ease of understanding that made the original NSX so enjoyable as a daily-drivable supercar.

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The driver gets a chunky, flat-bottomed steering wheel with physical buttons and switches, but not so many as to be distracting. The original, iconic stalk pods behind the wheel remain in place, controlling lighting, turn signals, and wipers. Naturally, everything is recovered in leather and usually made of carbon fiber, and a pair of digital screens have appeared, but the original door vents, the sloped dashboard console, and the snug driving position still put you in mind of a purposeful, driver-focused machine.

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A six-speed gearbox with a limited-slip differential sends up to 425 hp to the rear wheels. This is developed from a dry-sumped 3.4-liter V6 that started life as a 3.0-liter engine before Judd Power got involved. Along with increasing capacity through a short-stroke steel crankshaft, Judd engineered new lightweight alloy heads with more aggressive cams and titanium valves, the latter part of a race-derived fixed-timing valvetrain. 8,500 rpm will be the ceiling for this naturally aspirated screamer, which now breathes through a carbon fiber intake plenum, individual throttle bodies, and an Inconel exhaust. Think 1990s F1, and you should have an idea of the sound this will make.

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Despite its increased rigidity, new suspension geometry, and carbon fiber body, the Tensei should still be exceptionally comfortable. JAS Motorsport hasn't mentioned cargo space, because it'll be minimal, but if the Tensei hasn't messed with the NSX shell too much, we presume there's space for a duffel bag or two between the cabin and engine.

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Getting a shot of the Tensei without other similarly enthused show attendees photobombing the pic was difficult, but when something looks this good and stays true to the mission of its original – being a usable, comfortable, and reliable daily-driver supercar – it's bound to attract hordes of fans. We love how analog and simple the whole thing is, despite being vastly more capable and powerful than the original, and although it's longer and wider, the JAS Tensei truly captures the spirit of the agile, focused NSX from any angle. Hopefully, buyers take full advantage and use these cars as often as they can.

Sadly for the vast majority, just 35 will be made, each priced just short of a million dollars – excluding the NSX donor car buyers must provide. Don't have one? NA1 NSX values range from $45,000 to over $360,000, with the cheapest ones obviously the best candidates for a wholesale transformation like this; no sense chopping up a perfectly good NSX when neglected ones are available. Worth it? In a world proliferated with restomods, it's tough to be certain what is special and what is opportunistic, but the Tensei truly looks and feels unique. It's also built by the best in the game (with Honda's approval), and although JAS is much like AMG once was, the company avoids the temptation to overengineer. The Tensei is light, sexy, and engaging, and for those reasons, if I had an eight- or nine-figure bank account, my order would already be placed.