Category Archives: Restomod

Restomod

The Shelby GT350TR Proves There’s Still Room for One More Great Mustang Restomod

Just when it seemed like the Mustang-based restomod boom had reached peak saturation—every fastback reborn, every stripe reimagined—along comes another build that reminds us why this corner of the car world refuses to slow down. Meet the Shelby GT350TR, a sharpened, modernized reinterpretation of the classic Mustang by Oklahoma-based Trick Rides. Yes, it follows a familiar formula. No, that doesn’t make it any less compelling.

At $339,000 to start, the GT350TR clearly isn’t trying to win over casual nostalgia buyers. This is a no-compromises restomod aimed squarely at people who want their classic Mustang to drive like a modern performance car—without losing the attitude that made the original special.

As with any serious restomod, the magic begins underneath. Trick Rides ditches the original underpinnings in favor of a modern Roadster Shop chassis, instantly resetting expectations for ride quality and handling. An independent front suspension with Fox shocks brings a level of composure the original car could only dream of, trading vintage float for modern control. It’s the kind of upgrade that quietly transforms the driving experience long before you start leaning on the throttle.

The chassis revisions don’t stop there. Stiffer front and rear stabilizer bars work alongside a four-link rear suspension and a stout 9-inch rear axle. Together, these upgrades dramatically recalibrate how the Mustang behaves when pushed, trimming away much of the body roll and cornering hesitation that defined the original car. In other words, this is a classic Mustang that finally feels comfortable attacking a winding road rather than merely surviving it.

Visually, the GT350TR walks a careful line between reverence and reinvention. Trick Rides keeps the familiar silhouette intact, crafting the body panels from steel and preserving the proportions that made this generation of Mustang iconic. There’s an undeniable Eleanor vibe here, but it’s more restrained—less Hollywood hero car, more grown-up muscle with taste.

Up front, the changes are more pronounced. A new grille, revised headlights, and a custom hood give the GT350TR a sharper, more purposeful face. Three-piece Forgeline wheels fill the arches just right, while side-exit exhaust pipes add a touch of race-car menace without tipping into parody. From most angles, it looks properly aggressive, though the rear end plays things a bit safe compared to the bolder front fascia. That subtlety may disappoint some, but others will appreciate the restraint.

Then there’s the powertrain, which is exactly as unapologetic as you’d hope. The headline act is a supercharged 5.0-liter Coyote V8 pumping out a reported 710 horsepower. It’s paired with a six-speed Tremec T-56 manual transmission, because anything else would feel like a missed opportunity. A custom exhaust system with Magnaflow mufflers ensures the soundtrack matches the numbers, delivering modern V-8 fury through a classic American megaphone.

For buyers who want brute force without the whine of a blower, Trick Rides offers an alternative: a naturally aspirated 7.0-liter V-8. It’s a different flavor of excess, trading forced induction drama for big-displacement swagger.

Performance upgrades would be meaningless without serious stopping power, and the GT350TR delivers there too. Baer brakes handle braking duties, with six-piston calipers up front and four-piston units at the rear, promising fade-resistant confidence to match the car’s newfound pace.

The Shelby GT350TR doesn’t pretend to reinvent the restomod formula. Instead, it refines it—modern chassis, modern power, classic looks, and just enough restraint to keep it from becoming a caricature. In a crowded field, that focus might be exactly what helps it stand out.

Source: Ford Authority

Restomod

Italdesign Gives the Honda NSX a History Lesson—and It Actually Works

Restomods are usually reserved for air-cooled Porsches and vintage Alfas, but Italdesign has decided to rummage through Honda’s greatest hits instead. The result is the NSX Tribute, a reimagining of the second-generation NSX that stitches together three decades of supercar heritage without tipping into cosplay.

At first glance, the strongest nod goes all the way back to 1989. The rear wears a deck-style spoiler that instantly recalls the original NSX, complete with a “floating ring” brake light that gives the whole assembly a satisfyingly architectural feel. The turn signals and reverse lights are cleverly hidden beneath the spoiler, keeping the tail clean while rewarding anyone who looks twice.

Look upward and you’ll spot another deep cut. The roof-mounted intake channels the ultra-rare 2005 NSX-R GT, the homologation special built for Japan’s Super GT championship. It’s an enthusiast reference that won’t register with casual observers—but that’s exactly the point.

The front end stays closer to the modern NSX playbook. The sharp-edged nose mirrors the final-year Type S, lending the Tribute a more aggressive, contemporary stance. Red Honda badges add a subtle Type R wink, while the headlights wear removable “eyelid” covers that echo the pop-up lamps of the original car. It’s nostalgia, but applied with restraint.

According to designer Cristiano Fracchia, the goal was to add tension and muscle without disturbing the NSX’s famously clean lines—and that balance is where the Tribute succeeds. The surfaces feel more dramatic, yet the silhouette remains unmistakably NSX.

Inside, Italdesign wisely resists the urge to reinvent the wheel. The cabin is largely carried over from the standard second-gen NSX, with bespoke upholstery tailored to buyer preference. In other words, the drama stays outside, where it belongs.

Mechanical details haven’t been confirmed, but the expectation is familiar hardware: Honda’s twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 paired with three electric motors, good for a combined 573 horsepower and 476 lb-ft of torque. In stock form, that setup launches the 1.7-ton coupe to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds—squarely in the territory of modern hybrid exotics like Ferrari’s 296 GTB.

The NSX Tribute doesn’t try to rewrite history or outgun today’s hypercars. Instead, it reminds us why the NSX mattered in the first place—and why it still does. In an era when nostalgia often feels forced, Italdesign’s take proves that a greatest-hits album can still sound fresh when the original tracks were this good.

Source: Italdesign

Restomod

Toyota Restomods the Land Cruiser Prado

The Land Cruiser badge still means something inside Toyota, even now that the U.S. has moved on to the new 250 Series. But Toyota isn’t ready to let the old iron fade quietly into the classifieds. Instead, it’s giving the previous-generation 150 Series—sold stateside for years as the Lexus GX—a factory-backed glow-up that feels part restoration, part restomod, and part philosophical exercise.

Dubbed Newscape, the update targets the long-running Land Cruiser Prado built between 2009 and 2023. Though production has ended, Toyota is offering a comprehensive facelift that touches both the exterior and interior, effectively giving the old SUV a second act. In some configurations, it even looks tougher than it ever did when new.

The idea debuted as a concept at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, but enthusiasm apparently convinced Toyota to put it into production. The Prado Newscape is set to make a return appearance at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon—this time with a price tag and an order sheet.

The project was developed by Toyota’s Conic Pro division in collaboration with an unlikely group of partners: The North Face, biotech firm Spiber, and Toyota’s own Corde by brand, which specializes in customizing used vehicles. The broader goal is sustainability—extending the life of older vehicles through factory-approved updates rather than pushing customers straight into new ones.

Buyers get two visual flavors. The Graphite Gray version leans into the overlanding aesthetic, with matte-black bumpers, bolt-on fender extensions, and Mango Orange accents highlighting the fog lights and rear tow hook. The Meld Grey alternative dials things back with body-colored bumpers, black trim, and Saffron Yellow detailing. Both versions come standard with a roof rack, rear ladder, mud flaps, and a fuel door stamped with The North Face logo—because collaborations demand visibility.

Seventeen-inch matte-black alloys and 265/65R17 all-terrain tires are standard across the board, giving the Prado a properly rugged stance. It’s not a mechanical overhaul, but it doesn’t pretend to be one.

Inside, the updates are subtler but more interesting. The seats are reupholstered in Brewed Protein fiber, an eco-focused material developed by Spiber, and wear The North Face branding. New Toyota floor mats round out the cabin changes, reinforcing the idea that this is a refresh, not a reinvention.

The Newscape kit goes on sale in Japan on March 7, 2026, but compatibility is limited. It’s only offered for TX-grade Prado 150 models built between September 2017 and April 2024, and only if they left the factory with black fabric seats. Gasoline and diesel engines are both supported.

Pricing starts at ¥3.96 million (about $25,300) for Graphite Gray and ¥3.85 million ($24,600) for Meld Grey, plus another ¥150,000 ($960) in miscellaneous costs. Add the roughly ¥4 million ($25,600) required to buy a used Prado in the first place, and you’re staring at a total near ¥8 million ($51,200).

That’s a tough sell when a brand-new Land Cruiser 250 starts at ¥5.2 million ($33,300) in Japan—and even the larger, more advanced Land Cruiser 300 undercuts the Newscape build on price.

Which raises an awkward question. If sustainability is the mission, does it make sense to spend more money refurbishing an older SUV than buying a new one outright? Toyota seems to think the answer is yes—at least for buyers who value preservation over progress, or who simply want to keep a familiar, well-proven Land Cruiser alive a little longer.

In that light, the Prado Newscape isn’t about logic. It’s about loyalty—and Toyota is betting that still counts for something.

Source: Toyota Conic Pro