JAS Tensei Honda NSX

Pininfarina has been teasing us with previews of its reimagined Honda NSX for a while now. The time has finally come and the company has pulled the wraps off the final version. Say hello to the JAS Tensei* (転生), which is a Japanese term meaning ‘rebirth’. That’s appropriate considering the Tensei is a reincarnation of the 1990s supercar. Just 35 units will be produced, and we don’t expect each will be cheap.

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NSX Lineage

Leading automotive designers Pininfarina completely redesigned the exterior and interior. That is fitting as the Italian styling house was responsible for the HP-X concept, which was the design study that ultimately led to the first generation NSX. JAS Motorsport, which has been racing Hondas for nearly three decades was responsible for the underlying engineering.

Click here to read our own driving impression of a first-gen Honda NSX.

Pininfarina has worked it magic on the iconic Honda. While it retains a semblance of its original appearance, even keeping the pop-up headlamps, the Tensei is more aggressive in demeanor. The new look is thanks to resculpted fenders and side intakes for a wider stance. As expected, the new body panels are made from lightweight carbon-fibre.

A longer wheelbase and larger wheels also help modernise the stance. Forged centre-lock alloys measure 19 inches up front and 20 inches at the rear wrapped in 285 mm rubber. Tensei features redesigned suspension with adjustable KW dampers and Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes.

More Power

Pininfarina and JAS have retained the Honda V6 engine block. However, British firm Judd Power, once responsible for producing F1 engines works its magic on the naturally aspirated C30A unit. Displacement increases from 3,0- to 3,5 litres. That is just one of the changes that helps the engine achieve 310 kW of peak power along with 420 N.m of torque.

That power rating may not seem like a lot in today’s world of 1 000 hp saloons, but the Tensei weighs just 1 250 kg. Individual throttle bodies, dry-sump lubrication system, and an Inconel exhaust all help the V6 to spin up to 8 500 r/min. The best part is all that power goes to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission and a mechanical Torsen limited-slip differential.