What do you do when you’re a car company who has completely given up on your glorious sporting past, but still want to look like you make something exciting — and you need to make a few bucks selling aftermarket products? You trot out a car that’s been dead for three years after you’ve stuck a horrendous new nose on it and introduce it at a show.

That is what Honda just did at the Tokyo Auto Salon, hoping no one will notice it is a dead car!

Remember the S2000, the riotous rear-wheel-drive sportscar that used to be made by the people who now sell the Accord Crosstour? Well, it’s back as the  S2000 Modulo Climax, all gussied up with a new silver, LED-filled ‘dental’ retainer across its front bumper.

Motor Trend reports that the S2000 Modulo Climax sports a few other tweaks, including 10-spoke wheels, “canard-like winglets” on the trunk, big exhaust tips, and fancy stitching on the steering wheel and seats.

Before you start thinking Honda is bringing back the S2000 and get all excited, Motor Trend believes that the concept exists so Honda can show off some new aftermarket parts for the discontinued car. They did the same thing for a while with the NSX. It worked once, it will probably work again, RIGHT?

Photos credit Honda