Honda is expanding its after sales network, and it’s looked back to two of its most iconic rear-wheel drive models for inspiration.
From April 2026, Honda Heritage Works is launching in Japan, serving classic ‘sport-type’ models for owners who either want parts or for their vehicles to be completely restored.
First announced in June but without a locked-in timeline, the Heritage Works service comes off the back of the demise of the NSX Refresh Plan, which saw expert technicians perform extensive maintenance on the first-generation, mid-engined sports car.
From next year however, Honda will offer customers the chance to buy reproduced parts no longer available en masse in genuine form, or even have their cars restored using the parts – though both options will no doubt cost a pretty penny.
Applications to restore NSXs open in January, and will at first focus on the original late 1990 to early 1993 version, with restorations available for manual and automatic variants, all of which were powered by a 3.0-litre V6 engine.
In addition to offering a “basic restoration” – which Honda says involves “disassembling and diagnosing parts related to driving performance, such as the engine and suspension, and then overhauling the car to bring it as close as possible to the performance of a new car” – it also provides a total restoration service.
“This is a comprehensive restoration service that involves thoroughly disassembling and diagnosing the vehicle, overhauling the engine, suspension, and other parts that affect driving performance, and restoring the exterior and interior.
“In addition, we utilise available new parts to bring the vehicle’s appearance and performance as close as possible to that of a new car.”
In the case of the latter, the car is taken back to bare metal and can be resprayed in one of six exterior colours available on the original NSX.
While the restoration service is currently limited to Japan, Honda says its genuine reproduction parts will be available globally, though only the NSX is listed as a vehicle with parts available for now.
First-generation Honda NSX
The launch of the program comes amid a renaissance of kinds for the NSX, with not one but two restomods or tributes to the sports car planned this year.
Earlier this month, Pininfarina and JAS Motorsport revealed the Tensei, a ‘reincarnation’ of the NSX, with modern materials and a reworked body.
Fellow Italian design house Italdesign has twice teased it’ll make its own ‘tribute’ to the NSX, recently hinting at its version incorporating a roof-mounted air intake as well as two side aerodynamic elements, located at cabin-height.