Italdesign’s NSX Tribute Brings the Japanese Supercar Legend Back Into Focus
By Hugo Mattson October 24, 2025
Italdesign has teased a new coupe that clearly references the Honda NSX.
The car may use modified Type 2 underpinnings, though no details are confirmed.
Following the GT-R50, Italdesign continues exploring Japan’s performance icons through contemporary design.
The NSX Shape Returns
Italdesign has shared a teaser that looks unmistakably like a modern take on the Honda NSX. The dark image shows a low, mid-engine coupe with proportions that instantly recall the car that defined Japan’s supercar ambitions in the early 1990s.
No technical information has been released yet, but the outline says enough. The short nose, the cab-forward stance, and the compact rear deck all echo the original’s architecture. It looks like a tribute rather than a reboot.
Possible Type 2 Foundations
Some believe the project could be built around the later Type 2 NSX chassis. Nothing confirms it, but Italdesign’s technical arm in Turin has the resources to adapt and certify small production runs. That would make the tribute more than a static showpiece and explain the car’s near production proportions instead of concept-car exaggeration.
If true, it would also highlight how Italdesign’s engineering capabilities still run deep, even as it operates under Volkswagen Group ownership.
A Continued Connection to Japan
This isn’t Italdesign’s first brush with Japan’s performance elite. The studio previously worked with Nissan on the GT-R50, a low-volume collaboration that merged Japanese engineering with Italian design restraint.
The NSX project seems to follow the same principle. The mechanical character stays intact, while the form is refined through simpler surfaces and tighter detailing. It’s less about nostalgia, more about continuity.
A Respectful Return
Italdesign hasn’t said if the NSX tribute will stay as a one-off, evolve into a prototype, or reach limited production. But even from a single image, it’s clear the studio understands the weight behind the badge. Few cars carry as much legacy as the NSX, and revisiting it demands precision rather than excess.
Whether it drives or not, the project puts the NSX name back in conversation — and that alone is enough to make enthusiasts pay attention again.