The Honda NSX that ItalDesign teased last September was shown at the Tokyo Auto Salon over the weekend. Turns out, the Giugiaro-founded design firm’s reimagining of the Japanese supercar is based on the NC1, the second-generation NSX, rather than the first-gen. It does include some tributes to the original as well, though interpreted for modern times.
The legendary carrozzeria has penned some of the world’s most memorable automobiles, from the Maserati Merak to the BMW M1. It also styled daily drivers like the Saab 9000 and VW Golf, and has partnered with Japan for cars like the Isuzu Impulse and first-gen Lexus GS.
The NSX Tribute by ItalDesign is officially recognized by Honda and a limited-production car, though exactly how many will be produced has not been yet announced. “Pure lines and sleek proportions evoke the first-generation NSX, while modern details and advanced engineering solutions express a bold spirit,” ItalDesign says.
The first public example was finished in Championship White, an homage to the NSX Type R and other high-performance Hondas, as well as its 1965 Grand Prix-winning RA272 Formula 1 racer. It wears the traditional red emblems of Type R cars as well. Its clearest connection to the original NSX is a rear spoiler that spans the rear, this time with an integrated LED taillight.
The spoiler seems to specifically call out the NSX-R, which had a raised wing in carbon fiber black. Furthermore, the shape of its intakes in the front fascia and its roof scoop appear to reference those on the NSX-R GT, a rare homologation special of which Honda built only five.
“The Honda NSX Tribute by Italdesign is neither a restomod nor a nostalgic exercise,” said ItalDesign’s head of design, Joaquin Garcia, “It is the will to merge memory and innovation, advanced technology and artisanal excellence in a model that preserves the original racing DNA, together with the Italian character of the exterior forms, to which we have added contemporary styling and engineering solutions.”
ItalDesign did not mention any powertrain upgrades, and they aren’t a tuning shop anyway. Beneath the reskin is likely the NC1’s twin-turbo V6 and three-motor hybrid-electric AWD setup, good for 573 horsepower and 476 lb-ft of torque.
It’s quite a different concept than the Pininfarina NSX that was revealed in December. That was much closer to the original NSX and more of a homage, while this one is a study of the NSX as a concept.
Italdesign has not stated how much the car would cost, but says all of them will be right-hand-drive. That effectively means they will not be available in America, and that Japan is the intended audience. That makes sense, because we think it would be a tough sell for an American, as we like the NSX precisely because of its Japanese-ness. However, a Japanese customer might prefer a domestic car with an Italian flair. It’ll be interesting to see how many takers there are.
A beautiful machine. Honda should build it and sell it here as well. It’s “Italian-ness” would be a plus for buyers in the US, because at this level buyers expect bold, Italianesque styling.