Pininfarina Restores Honda HP-X Concept That Gave Life to Original NSX
Forty years ago, Honda turned many heads at the 1984 Turin Auto Show with the global debut of the HP-X (Honda Pininfarina eXperimental) Concept, a car that preceded the development of the original NSX.
Fast-forward to 2024, and the Japanese automaker had the brilliant idea to perform an extensive restoration carried out at the Pininfarina workshop in Italy and to put it on display—for the first time in North America—in the Wedge-Shaped Concept Cars and Prototypes Class at the upcoming Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in California on Sunday, August 18.
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As the name implies, Honda’s very first concept car was styled and handcrafted by renowned Italian design house Pininfarina. “With extreme wedge-shape styling that continues to inspire future generations of car designers and engineers, the forward-thinking HP-X had an undeniable impact on the industry, highlighting our commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in automotive design," said Dave Marek, Acura design executive and honorary Pebble Beach Concours judge.
Standing 4.16 metres long, 1.78 metres wide and just 1.11 metres tall, the concept is slightly longer and lower than a modern Mazda MX-5, just so you know. There are no doors, only a jet-fighter style, removable single-piece Perspex canopy. The rear of the canopy extends into a fairing with two main functions, namely improving the car's streamline appearance and serving as a driver-controlled air brake.
Honda explored the use of alternative materials including honeycomb panels, carbon fibre and Kevlar to reduce weight and improve the performance of the HP-X, which featured a mid-mounted, 2.0-litre V6 that was based on a Honda F2 racing engine.
Inside, the cockpit includes a screen in front of the steering wheel and another one in the middle of the dashboard, similar to most of today’s new vehicles, as well as a plethora of buttons and controls on the console. The company even planned to use real-time telemetry, GPS and road condition warnings via a "special sonar”—forward-thinking stuff at the time, now commonplace.
As a reminder, the Acura NSX (sold as Honda in Japan) produced a second generation from 2017-2022, ending with a 600-horsepower Type S model what was limited to 350 units including a mere 15 units for Canada. “There will be a next one, at some point, I am sure," Acura’s Vice President and Brand Officer in the U.S., Jon Ikeda, said back in August 2021. When exactly? In what shape or form? Hybrid or fully electric? We’ll have to wait and see.
By the way, it’s not the first time that a famous Italian design company has teamed up with an automaker to restore an old concept. In May of last year, Hyundai hosted the world premiere of the recreated Pony Coupe Concept, which initially debuted at the 1974 Turin Auto Show. Among those on hand were the renowned Giorgetto Giugiaro, who not only designed the concept but also oversaw its restoration along with his son Fabrizio Giugiaro through their GFG Style design studio.
