JAS Motorsport finally pulled the wraps off its long-rumoured restomod project, and it now has a name: Tensei. The word translates to rebirth in Japanese, and that’s exactly the energy behind this ambitious revival of one of the 1990s’ most beloved supercars, the Mk1 Honda NSX. The unveiling took place quietly but confidently at Fuji Raceway last month, in front of a handpicked group of customers who got the first glimpse of what may be the most refined NSX reinterpretation to date.
The original NSX has always carried cultural weight. It was the car Ayrton Senna personally helped develop, a machine known for balance and purity rather than brute force. JAS Motorsport, Honda’s long-standing motorsport collaborator, wants to protect that essence while pushing the engineering envelope in ways the 90s never could.
A Collaboration With Serious Pedigree
For this project, JAS tapped Pininfarina, a name that has shaped some of the most recognisable car designs ever produced. The Italian studio is known for its ability to reimagine icons without losing their character, and Tensei fits right into that philosophy.
The brief was simple: respect the original, elevate everything else. The result is a car built off an existing NSX donor chassis, but transformed inside and out with modern materials, updated engineering, and a visual identity that looks NSX unmistakably while feeling sharper, lighter, and more sculpted.
Carbon Fibre, Manual Gearbox, and a Rev-Hungry V6
Here’s the thing: Tensei isn’t chasing numbers. It’s chasing a feel. The bodywork will be completely re-engineered in full carbon fibre, reducing weight and giving Pininfarina the freedom to refine proportions while staying faithful to the silhouette.
Under the rear hatch sits Honda’s legendary naturally aspirated V6, massaged by JAS to breathe harder, rev quicker, and deliver a level of excitement modern turbo engines rarely capture. Power figures haven’t been revealed, but insiders say it will offer a meaningful leap without compromising the soul of the original.
The team also confirmed the one detail purists will smile at: a six-speed manual. No paddles. No shortcuts. Just the kind of mechanical engagement that made the Mk1 NSX a cult favourite.
Motorsport DNA at Its Core
JAS Motorsport isn’t exaggerating when it says the car draws directly from competition expertise. The company has spent more than 30 years building, tuning, and racing Hondas worldwide. Tensei will benefit from that entire knowledge pool, from chassis geometry to aerodynamics to track-proven cooling systems. The idea is to create a restomod that doesn’t just look dramatic on a stand but actually delivers on the road and, if owners choose, the circuit.
A Limited Run of Automotive Art
Production numbers haven’t been released, but expectations are low likely only a handful of units, each tailored to the owner. Given the names involved and the reverence for the NSX nameplate, demand will be intense.
Tensei isn’t just a restomod. It’s a statement that some legends deserve a second life, rebuilt with respect and ambition.
