Honda's Pininfarina-designed HP-X Concept heads to Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

Patrick Jackson •16 August, 2024

We all know and love the original Honda NSX, but you mightn't be so familiar with the prototype which spawned the idea that led to its creation. Now, 40 years after Honda first signalled its intent to bring a mid-engine supercar to market, the brand's first concept car is back on show.

Penned by legendary Italian design studio Pininfarina, the HP-X Concept was first shown in 1984 at the Turin Auto Show, with its wedge-shape styling the perfect encapsulation of what made '80s cars so unmistakeable.

Forget doors – this thing has a one-piece fighter jet-style Perspex canopy. Exotic materials? Carbon fibre, Kevlar, and honeycomb panels aplenty. Special engine? You bet it is, because its 2.0-litre V6 is derived from one of Honda's Formula 2 race engines.

Since its Italian debut, however, the HP-X has been kept tucked away safely until now. Amazingly, 40 years on, it's about to be brought to North America for the first time to be put on display at the 73rd Annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance this Sunday, August 18.

Above: The Honda HP-X Concept on display at the 1984 Turin Auto Show

Having undergone an extensive restoration including a full respray, the HP-X is poised to be the first Japanese entrant to the event in more than 50 years, although the Italian influence on its design is undeniable.

The HP-X itself may have never made it to production, but the technological, aerodynamic, and engineering principles that went into its design did trickle down to Honda's production models – most obviously and unsurprisingly, the NSX.

"The Honda HP-X is an ideal example of Pininfarina's unique ability to present innovative ideas through concept cars that set future trends," says Felix Kilbertus, chief creative officer at Pininfarina.
"Its influence on subsequent Honda models and the broader automotive landscape is undeniable. It stands as a testament to both Honda's and Pininfarina's innovative spirit."

When it graces the greens of the Pebble Beach Golf Links this Sunday, the Honda HP-X will be competing in the 'Wedge-Shaped Concept Cars and Prototypes' class at the Concours d'Elegance event.

The crown jewel of Monterey Car Week, this event sees some of the best-kept low-production and one-off cars rolled out to compete for a number of awards, although none more prestigious than the Best of Show award which was most recently taken by a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster.

Patrick Jackson

Writer

I am an automotive journalist with more than eight years of experience across a range of online, print, and broadcast media titles.

My focus is primarily on automotive content, having launched the car review website Drive Section in 2019 and automotive adventure site Essential Drives in 2024.

I am a passionate car enthusiast with a particular interest in classic cars.

My past credits include DriveTribe, Vehicle History, Finder, ForceGT, The Weekender Herald, Supercar Blondie, and WhichCar.

Brisbane All-British Display Day Brings Out the Beauties

Retro Rides’ Cliff Chambers attended his first All-British Display Day in 1993 and has been involved in almost every event since, either as a sponsor or participant.

Jaguar's reinvented logo has made the internet lose its mind

The internet is losing its collective mind over the new Jaguar logo and brand direction.

Aussie auction special: Collecting Cars has over a dozen icons up for grabs

It's not every day you see this many classic Aussie muscle cars up for grabs, but Collecting Cars has a smorgasbord of lots available right now.

More inAsian

Rear View: Datsun 1600

How the stub-tailed Datsun 1600 brought a new level of style and mechanical specification within reach of the masses, and kick-started more rally driving careers than perhaps any other vehicle.

Top Tips for Buying a Used Honda Prelude VTI-R (1994-2000)

The third-generation Honda Prelude launched in Australia in 1992 as an unassuming but effective sports coupe. Early Si versions had a 118kW four-cylinder which was deemed ‘adequate’ by people who were buying the Prelude as much for its stylish good looks as its performance. But there was a more performance-oriented element that thought the sweetly-balanced Prelude chassis could deal with more pow…

Rear View: Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R 1969

Decades before the R32 famously won the 1991 Bathurst 1000, it’s grandaddy the 1969 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R stalked the expressways of Japan. Japan has produced some individual and impressive performance cars over the past six decades, machines as varied as the Mazda RX-7, Honda NS-X, Subaru and Mitsubishi turbo AWD rally rockets and more recently, the Nissan R35 GT-R.