10 hours ago
Honda Has a New Plan To Support Its Aging Classics Like the NSX
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In Japan, Honda's been running an 'NSX Refresh Plan' for customers to get early NSXs fixed by factory specialists since 1993. That program's being sunsetted this year, and replaced with a new strategy to maintain support for the first-gen NSX and other high-tier Hondas. There might not be many OEM '90s NSX parts left on shelves, but Honda is not going to give up on its aging classics.
Honda's announcement about this, which Google translated from Japanese for me, introduced me to a term I'd never heard: 'Genuine Compatible Parts.' Not quite OEM, but not aftermarket either, Honda will be making new classic car parts with a mix of approved suppliers, 3D printing, and good old-fashioned remanufacturing of old parts.
I'm too broke to buy an NSX, but I love the idea of a program like this. As we learned recently, 3D printing is unlocking huge potential for classic car restoration. We've already seen some great cottage-industry innovation in reverse-engineering no-longer-available car parts—it makes total sense for automakers themselves to reverse-engineer their own parts and re-make them to a high standard using 3D printing.
As Honda officially stated (again, translated):
'With the cooperation of various business partners, we have been considering the production of alternative parts for parts that we can no longer produce and supply. Furthermore, with the advancement of technologies such as remanufacturing and 3D printing, the range of possibilities for new manufacturing and procurement methods for the continued supply of parts is expanding.'
Sounds like Honda will be offering parts directly to customers, as well as a new restoration service for customers in Japan. I guess if you're a real NSX nut in another country, you could ship your car to the land of the rising sun for this treatment. But it doesn't sound like Honda will be setting up a restoration center elsewhere. Theoretically, the parts could be shipped anywhere, though.
These Genuine Compatible Parts and the full factory restoration services will be available in Japan starting in the spring of next year, with more details to be made public this fall. If you're wondering about price, that's probably something we'll find out later this year. NSX parts were never cheap, so don't count on bargains.
The automaker is only offering this level of support for the NSX for now, but the Japanese announcement did say, 'In the future, the service will be expanded to other sports-type vehicles.' I would expect some Type R vehicles and the S2000 will be on the list at some point, too. Maybe a Honda Beat restoration program? Anybody?
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