A 1991 Honda NSX, once personally owned and driven by three-time Formula One World Champion Ayrton Senna, is set to go under the hammer at RM Sotheby's in October. Collectors and fans of the Brazilian racing legend can expect to bid as high as £800,000 for the iconic sports car.
Senna, a celebrated figure in motorsport, was allocated three Honda NSXs for his personal use in Europe by Honda Portugal as a gesture of appreciation. The car being offered for auction, chassis number T000233, was one of these vehicles. It is configured in Formula Red with a contrasting black roof and black leather interior, distinguishing it from the other two NSXs, which were black.
This particular NSX holds significant personal history for Senna. He used it regularly, including driving it to the 1991 Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril, where he qualified third and finished second. The car also gained fame as it was featured in the 1992 documentary 'Ayrton Senna: Racing Is in My Blood.' Memorable scenes show Senna driving the car, including a moment where he performs a clutch dump and spins the rear wheels, and another where he is seen washing the NSX.
The 1991 Honda NSX was a groundbreaking vehicle, noted as the first mass-produced car with an aluminum monocoque construction. This engineering innovation reduced its weight by 30 percent and allowed the engine to reach a redline of 8,000 rpm.
Registered in Portugal on March 22, 1991, with the license plate 'SX-25-59,' the NSX was stored in Lisbon and made available to Senna whenever he was in the country. After Senna's death in 1994, the car was registered in Lisbon in February 1995 by Laboa Etablissement. Its provenance has been confirmed by Honda Motor Europe. Over the years, it has passed through several owners before being shipped to the United Kingdom in 2013 and registered for road use in May 2016.
In 2019, Senna's NSX returned to Imola to commemorate the 25th anniversary of his fatal crash. During demonstration runs, it was driven by Giancarlo Minardi, founder of the Minardi Formula One team and circuit boss. The car was acquired by its current consigning owner in Nagoya, Japan, in 2024, and has now returned to the UK for the RM Sotheby's London Auction.
Sholto Gilbertson, director of sales at RM Sotheby's UK, highlighted the car's significance, stating, 'Senna's legacy runs far deeper than his three world championships. His style and elegance are everlasting, and when you think of Senna, nonchalantly dressed in jeans, white socks and brown loafers behind the wheel of a road car, you think of an NSX. This is a wonderful opportunity to own a genuine piece of sporting and cultural history.'