Italdesign rolled into the Tokyo Auto Salon with something equal parts homage and design exercise: the Honda NSX Tribute. At a glance it’s unmistakably an NSX—only reimagined through an Italian lens that borrows cues from the original 1990s icon and drapes them over the second‑generation hybrid underneath.
The reveal is cinematic. Italdesign released a stylized video of the Tribute ripping through a neon-soaked, arcade-like Tokyo, even nodding to Ayrton Senna with the white‑sock‑and‑loafer visual. But most of what appeared today are renderings and a press release; Italdesign says the project will be an "ultra‑limited" series built from donor cars, though how many and who will get them remains murky.
A design that leans into memory without becoming a caricature
Every exterior panel on the Tribute is new, save for the greenhouse, and the goal was plainly to echo the first NSX rather than copy it. Italdesign has given the car a sloping, low hood, a blacked‑out greenhouse and a reworked rear that reinterprets the original’s full‑width light treatment into what the designers call a "floating ring." At the front, motorized eyelid covers sit over the second‑gen headlights—an attempt to evoke the pop‑up units of the NA era without bringing back the old mechanical complexity. According to the studio, those eyelids retract when the car is switched on.
There are deliberate motorsport references: a roof scoop that recalls the NSX‑R GT, a red Honda badge normally reserved for Type R models, and livery options that nod to Advan and Championship White. Italdesign frames the Tribute as a merger of "memory and innovation," aiming to preserve the NSX's racing DNA while adding contemporary engineering touches.
Under the skin: likely familiar, but details are scarce
Italdesign built the Tribute on the second‑generation NSX platform, so the donor car’s mid‑mounted twin‑turbo 3.5‑liter V6 and three‑motor hybrid system are presumed to remain. That powertrain produced roughly 571 hp in standard form, and close to 600 hp in the Type S final edition—numbers that made the Ohio‑built NSX a technological outlier when it launched. Italdesign hasn’t announced any mechanical upgrades or power figures, and nothing yet confirms whether the company will offer bespoke calibrations or retain stock hardware.
The firm also hasn’t clarified the logistics of the program: will customers ship cars to Italdesign for conversion, will Italdesign purchase donor cars and sell completed cars, or will it build a couple of examples in‑house from the ground up? The company’s history with low‑volume special projects—most famously the Nissan GT‑R50 collaboration—suggests buyers should expect steep prices and bespoke options, but exact numbers are not public. Based on past high‑end tributes, prices north of seven figures would not surprise many observers.
Cabin: more refinement than revolution
Renderings of the interior show measured changes rather than a full overhaul. A wraparound cockpit theme borrows from single‑seater race cars, new materials and contrast stitching tighten up the look, and Italdesign has added a small, whimsical option—a dashboard helmet decal bearing Senna’s #12. But the basic layout of the second‑gen NSX—center screen, drive‑mode controls and the tactile quirks of Honda’s late‑era ergonomics—appears largely intact. That pragmatic approach keeps the project doable, but it also leaves some enthusiasts wanting a deeper reinterpretation.
Dividing opinions
Reception has been predictably mixed. Some outlets and readers praise Italdesign’s restraint—calling the Tribute a forward‑facing vision that honors the original without being slavish. Others argue the redesign doesn’t quite capture the elegant simplicity that made the first NSX timeless, labeling elements like the floating taillight ring or the new rear haunches as forced.
What’s beyond debate is scarcity: Italdesign has said the Tribute will be made in a "strictly limited" run and produced exclusively in right‑hand drive, a detail that will put the car out of reach for most U.S. buyers unless they’re willing to import. That RHD exclusivity, whether a product decision or regulatory convenience, emphasizes that this is a collectors’ piece more than a volume product.
Why this matters (if you care about cars and design)
The Tribute highlights two ongoing trends in the automotive world. First, legacy models are fertile ground for boutique design houses that can lean on nostalgia while showcasing their manufacturing capabilities. Second, low‑volume, highly priced "few‑offs" are becoming a calling card for Italian design studios wanting to demonstrate both craft and commercial savvy. For Italdesign, the NSX Tribute is part design showcase, part business signal: a way to tell clients and the market it can conceive and execute bespoke projects from styling through low‑volume production.
If you want one, brace yourself. Italdesign hinted it will accept orders for a tiny run (there are rumors two or more examples could be built), but there’s no public pricing, delivery timeline, or specification list yet. And while the renderings are eye‑catching, they’re still renderings—photos of a finished, road‑legal Tribute are the next thing to watch for.
For now, the NSX Tribute is a conversation starter: a design house’s take on how to keep a model’s spirit alive without simply cloning it. It’s nostalgic in places, modern in others, and intentionally exclusive—an automotive short story rather than a new chapter in the NSX saga.