For many fans, Ayrton Senna is the greatest driver ever to drive a Formula 1 machine. His ability to get the most out of any car made him a legend, but his legacy extends beyond the track. Senna is one of the few racing drivers who has influenced the development of the road car – the Acura NSX. His personal NSX may seem like just what a Senna superfan would want, but those who are actually in a position to purchase this valuable piece of F1 history clearly don’t appreciate its significance.
The red Honda NSX (as the supercar was badged outside the United States) that Senna used as his personal car in Europe went on sale in April 2024 with a price of $623,000. Exactly two years later, it is once again moving to a new home. NSX will be part of one rm sotheby’s It will be auctioned in London on October 31, and is expected to sell for 500,000–800,000 British pounds. At current exchange rates this is approximately $665,000 to $1 million. It looks like the current owner has made a solid investment, but Senna’s NSX deserves much more than an appreciated asset.
Before McLaren had its own supercars to offer its drivers, the team raced with Honda power. Unlike today, Honda’s engines in the 1980s were field grade, and as a result the Army developed a close relationship with the Japanese automaker. According to the auction listing, he had the opportunity to sample the NSX development mule and deemed the chassis “a little fragile”, leading engineers to stiffen it by 50% and realign the suspension. So, Senna had a small but real role in creating what is possibly one of the greatest driver’s cars of all time.
Honda actually gifted three cars to the Army – two black cars, and this 1991 left-hand-drive version in red. It was reportedly kept at a new location in Portugal for the three-time champions to use as needed. And there is reason to believe that the Army carried it out extensively. When not in Brazil, he spends most of his time in Portugal, which is a short plane ride away from McLaren’s UK base. This was when Estoril hosted a lot of F1 testing and racing.
The car remained in Portugal after Senna’s death in 1994, being traded several times before being sold to a UK owner in 2013. That owner listed it for sale in 2024 with 39,100 miles. RM Sotheby’s hasn’t revealed how much mileage has been added to it since its current owner purchased it that year, but we do know that this owner sent it to Japan. It’s also unclear what condition the NSX is in, but it’s probably never been fully restored, which is probably for the best. The more fundamental it is, the stronger the connection with the army will be.
Any Senna fan would relish the opportunity to own this car, but it is, like many other investment-grade classics, a flop. It deserves a long-term home with someone who truly appreciates it.
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