Honda is trying hard to keep its coolest cars on the road
There’s something magical about older cars. Whether it’s the car that you drove during high school, the one your father took out on a drive on Sundays, or that nimble little sports car that made the twisty road on the outskirts of town feel like a video game. For car enthusiasts, older vehicles aren’t just vehicles; they’re time machines that transport their owners toward specific moments, memories, and feelings in their own special way.
Despite their coolness, the painful reality is that maintaining these sets of wheels becomes more difficult for their owners every year. Parts for old cars become scarce, and prices skyrocket as supply dwindles.
That pre-OBD O2 sensor that failed? Good luck finding one, because the company that makes them doesn’t make them anymore. The body panel that rusted through? Prepare to mortgage your house for a direct replacement or settle for aftermarket alternatives of varying qualities. It’s a heartbreaking cycle that forces too many classic car owners to watch their beloved cars slowly deteriorate, or, worse, get parted out and sold.
Acura
Honda Heritage Works wants to keep your old cars on the road
Earlier this year, Japanese automaker Honda, a brand with legions of loyal enthusiasts, said that it’s doing something about this problem. In a statement released today, they’ve formally announced Honda Heritage Works, a comprehensive program launching in April 2026 that’s specifically designed to keep older Honda sports cars on the road for generations to come.
Through a new venture, it aims to tackle the parts shortage head-on with two distinct approaches. First, there are “Genuine Honda Heritage Compatible Parts,” which are newly redeveloped components that replace unavailable originals using modern materials and manufacturing methods. Then there are “Genuine Honda Heritage Reproduction Parts,” which take the opposite approach by using the exact same materials and production methods as the originals.
What really sets this apart from the typical aftermarket solutions is Honda’s new collaborative framework with original parts suppliers and their willingness to leverage technological advancements that have improved quality over the years. This isn’t some run-of-the-mill aftermarket stuff; they’re real, genuine Honda parts developed by Honda themselves.
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Japanese NSX owners could get their cars restored by Honda
This special program will initially offer parts and services for the legendary first-generation NSX; Honda’s mid-engined masterpiece, which cemented the Japanese automaker as a formidable one that could take on the supercar giants.
But Honda Heritage Works goes way beyond just selling parts. Since 1993, Honda has actually been offering restoration services for these cars under the “NSX Refresh Plan,” which will relaunch as Honda Restoration Service, exclusively in Japan for now. Honda’s facility in Takanezawa, Tochigi Prefecture, the actual birthplace of the NSX, is being renamed Honda Heritage Works Takanezawa and will serve as the central hub for these restoration services.
Japanese NSX owners will have two options. Basic Restoration, which focuses on the mechanical heart of the car and involves engine removal for inspection and parts replacement, suspension work, and replacing age-worn components. Meanwhile, Total Restoration goes all-in, which involves disassembly of the body to bare metal, a complete exterior repainting, and a full interior restoration that includes reupholstered seats, dashboard, door panels, and controls.
Applications for these services will open in January 2026 through Honda dealerships across Japan, with actual restoration work beginning in April. While the restoration service is Japan-only for now, Honda says that its Heritage Parts will be made available globally through the same distribution channels as standard Honda genuine parts, which means owners worldwide can finally get factory-quality components for their classic Hondas.
Jonathon Ramsey
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Honda is the latest Japanese automaker to offer heritage parts
With the introduction of Honda Heritage Works, Honda is the latest Japanese automaker to introduce a dedicated program for its past models. Hiroshima-based Mazda was the first to initiate a program of new replacement parts, first for the first generation ‘NA’ MX-5 Miata and for the RX-7, which they also offer in-house restoration. In addition, Nissan, through its NISMO Heritage program, has begun to manufacture new parts, including engine blocks, for its Skyline GT-R.
Meanwhile, Toyota, through its Gazoo Racing (GR) Heritage Parts program, has offered parts for various heritage models, including the 2000GT, A70 Supra, A80 Supra, the AE86, and various Land Cruiser models, including the 40-series, 60, 70, and 80-series.
Final thoughts
In its statement, it announced plans to expand beyond the NSX to other classic sports models in the future. Although they haven’t specified which cars are next, one can assume that models like the S2000 roadster, the Integra Type R, and Civic Type R are among the following vehicles in the pipeline. Previously, in 2020, the company announced that it was beginning a reproduction parts program for the S2000 and had fielded suggestions from owners on social media.
In an era where some automakers look far ahead, Honda is making a statement by acknowledging its past; it shows that they are committed to caring for the very cars that built their legendary performance reputation. After all, for the brand that built its legend on VTEC, it makes sense to keep the cars that created the legend for generations to come.
