Ayrton Senna's 1991 Honda NSX Heads to Auction with $1.1M Estimate

The 1991 Honda NSX once owned by the late Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna will be offered at RM Sotheby's London sale on October 31. The car, chassis no. T000233, was imported to Portugal for Senna's personal use as part of an agreement with Honda, and he drove it extensively, including to the 1991 Portuguese Grand Prix. Senna's relationship with Honda began in 1987 when he raced for Team Lotus, which used Honda engines; he later moved to McLaren, also Honda-powered, and won three drivers' championships between 1988 and 1991. During the NSX's development, Senna tested a prototype and suggested stiffening the chassis by 50 percent and refining the suspension, helping Honda achieve its goal of a high-performance daily driver. The car is finished in Formula Red with a black roof and black leather interior, powered by a 3.0-liter V-6 with 270 hp and 252 lb-ft of torque, capable of 0-60 mph in 5.2 seconds and a top speed of 168 mph. It also appeared in the documentary 'Ayrton Senna: Racing Is In My Blood' and in a famous photo shoot where Senna washed it with a garden hose. RM Sotheby's estimates the car will sell for between $700,000 and $1.1 million, with expectations of a high-end bid given that another NSX sold for seven figures last year.