NSX Tribute by Italdesign Is An Homage to Honda

The Honda NSX is enjoying something of a renaissance, even though the nameplate went out of production over three years ago. Pininfarina has designed a restomod in conjunction with a leading motorsports firm called JAS (click here to read more) based on the first-gen NSX. Now another famous styling house has turned its attention to Honda’s first supercar. Say hello to the NSX Tribute by Italdesign, which was announced at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon.

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The Honda NSX was a bold model, a true game changer in the supercar segment that transformed from a visionary concept into a market-ready sports icon. At Italdesign we have all the expertise needed to turn bold ideas into tangible realities and bring visionary projects to ultra-limited series. This tribute is no exception and looks forward. It is not a restomod, nor a purely nostalgic exercise: 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
– Joaquin Garcia, head of design at Italdesign

Not a Restomod

The NSX Tribute by Italdesign is based on the newer, second-gen NSX. The car was powered by a 3,5-litre hybrid powertrain mated with an all-wheel-drive platform. The second model to wear those iconic three letters didn’t quite set the world alight in the same way as its forebear. Italdesign did something similar with another Japanese performance car when it restyled the R35 Nissan GT-R. The NSX is, according to press material a “philosophical homage to an icon of performance, reliability, and usability”.

Click here to read our driving impression of a Gen1 Honda NSX.

This new creation isn’t a restomod, but rather built for discerning (and wealthy) Honda fans the world over. Interestingly, the project has the blessing of Honda. The concept was created to celebrate significant Honda anniversaries. Among these are the 60 year anniversary since Honda won its first F1 race and 30 years since an original NSX finished top of its GT2 class at Le Mans.

New Look

The NSX Tribute by Italdesign has a completely new body. The car has a new face, with a different bumper that does away with the donor car’s central grille. The standard headlamps are retained, now housed in fairings. The car lower black sections contrast against the Championship White paint and wears newly designed alloys. There is also a roof scoop, reminiscent of that found on the NSX-R GT

Gaspare Conticelli, senior exterior Designer comments on some of the styling changes, “The floating ring of the NSX, which improved high-speed stability, becomes a continuous, suspended, elegant, and functional visual element that expresses lightness and dynamism. The rear light clusters are not framed by a fairing as at the front but emerge individually from the black background. The underlying hot-air diffuser features functional grooves that recall the treatment applied to our recent concepts.”

See if you can spot the reference to a certain Brazilian F1 champ in the video below.