- Ayrton Senna’s personal 1991 Honda NSX is heading to auction with a $682,000–$1.1 million estimate.
- Senna helped shape the NSX by testing prototypes.
- The famous red NSX has a well-documented history.
Few road cars are as closely associated with Ayrton Senna as the Honda NSX, sold in the United States as the Acura NSX. Now, the very example Honda provided to the three-time Formula 1 world champion for personal use in 1991 is heading to auction. The red sports car with a black roof accompanied Senna during his time in Europe and ranks among the best-known cars in motorsports history.
Senna’s relationship with Honda began in 1987, when the Japanese automaker supplied engines to Team Lotus. A year later, the Brazilian driver moved to McLaren Honda and immediately won his first world championship. At the same time, Honda was developing an entirely new supercar intended to take on Ferrari and Porsche.
Senna Played A Key Role In Shaping The NSX
The Brazilian was not limited to promotional appearances. During development, he extensively tested NSX prototypes and criticized the rigidity of the body structure. His feedback led Honda to stiffen the structure by about 50 percent and revise the suspension as well. Many engineers still regard Senna as an important contributor to the production model. A now-legendary YouTube video shows Senna driving an NSX hard around Suzuka while wearing loafers.
The NSX now being offered carries chassis number T000233. Honda imported it to Portugal, where Senna owned a home in the resort area of Quinta do Lago. Whenever the driver traveled to Portugal, the car was made available to him. It was registered on March 22, 1991, with the license plate “SX-25-59”.
Image by: RM Sotheby’s
Film Appearances And Famous Photos
Senna used the NSX regularly. He even drove it to the Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril, where he started third and finished second. The car also appears in the documentary “Ayrton Senna: Racing Is In My Blood”, in which Senna launches it with the rear tires smoking.
Its most famous appearance, however, came in a photo series showing Senna washing the red NSX with a garden hose while wearing jeans and a shirt. Those images are now among the best-known photos of the Brazilian away from the racetrack and helped make this particular car famous worldwide.
Image by: RM Sotheby’s
A Documented History
After Senna’s fatal crash at Imola in 1994, the NSX initially remained in Portugal. Registration documents and confirmations from Honda support the car’s provenance. It later changed hands several times, went to the United Kingdom in 2013, and returned to Japan in 2024.
In 2019, the car made another visit to Imola. Former Minardi team principal Giancarlo Minardi drove it to mark the 25th anniversary of Senna’s death. For the current auction, its present owner brought the car back to the United Kingdom.
With its documented history, film appearances, and direct connection to Ayrton Senna, this NSX is likely to be among the most desirable Honda models ever offered at public auction. That is reflected in the estimate: RM Sotheby’s lists the car at 500,000 to 800,000 British pounds ($682,000 to $1.1 million).
Motor1’s Take: This NSX is far more than a collectible Honda, thanks to its direct connection to one of Formula 1’s greatest drivers and the car’s role in Senna’s life. Its documented history and famous imagery should make it one of the most desirable NSXs ever offered at auction, and the $682,000 to $1.1 million estimate reflects its extraordinary provenance.
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