Ayrton Senna's personal Honda NSX may hit $1.1M this fall
Ayrton Senna's personal Honda NSX—a 1991 Formula Red coupe he drove extensively in Portugal—is set for RM Sotheby's London sale on October 31, with estimates from $700,000 to $1.1 million. The three-time Formula 1 champion's road car ties Honda's first-gen supercar to one of racing's defining stars.
Key Takeaways
- Senna's 1991 Honda NSX (chassis T000233) will cross the block at RM Sotheby's London auction on October 31.
- The auction house estimates the car could fetch between $700,000 and $1.1 million.
- The three-time F1 drivers' champion used the Formula Red NSX extensively while in Portugal, including travel to the 1991 Portuguese Grand Prix.
- Senna helped shape the NSX in testing, urging Honda to stiffen the chassis by 50 percent and refine the suspension.
- Another NSX sold for seven figures last year, raising expectations toward the high end of the estimate.
Why is Ayrton Senna's personal Honda heading to auction this fall?
Collectors rarely get a clear shot at a car that belonged to one of Formula 1's all-time greats. According to Robb Report, the late Ayrton Senna's 1991 Honda NSX is scheduled for RM Sotheby's upcoming London sale.
This was not a garage trophy. Senna retained the NSX for personal use while in Portugal, giving the car real mileage and a direct link to his off-track life. For buyers who track provenance the way others track square footage in luxury real estate and dream homes, that lived-in history is the headline.
What makes this 1991 Honda NSX historically significant?
Senna's Honda ties run deep. In 1987, during his third F1 season with Team Lotus, he raced with Honda engines. He later moved to McLaren, also Honda-powered, and won three drivers' championships over the next four seasons.
Honda was developing the NSX—"New Sportscar Experimental"—as its answer to German and Italian supercars. Senna tested a prototype and found the chassis "too fragile," per the auction house. He pushed for a stiffer frame and refined suspension; Honda reportedly stiffened the frame by 50 percent. Those changes helped the car serve as both a high-performance machine and a usable daily driver.
As part of an agreement with Honda, an NSX was imported to Portugal for his personal use the same year the first-gen model went on sale in North America as an Acura—and the year Senna won his third and final drivers' title.
Chassis no. T000233 wears Formula Red with a contrasting black roof and black leather interior. It packs a high-revving 3.0-liter V-6 paired with a five-speed manual, rated at 270 hp and 252 lb-ft of torque. Period figures put zero-to-60 mph at 5.2 seconds and top speed at 168 mph.
Senna drove it extensively in Portugal, including trips to the country's 1991 Grand Prix. It appears in the documentary Ayrton Senna: Racing Is In My Blood, and in a famous photo shoot showing him washing the car with a garden hose in a button-down and jeans.
How much could Senna's NSX sell for, and when?
RM Sotheby's London sale is set for Saturday, October 31. The house expects $700,000 to $1.1 million. With another NSX already clearing seven figures last year, bidding could lean toward the top of that range.
For enthusiasts of trophy assets—whether collector cars or trophy properties—the draw is simple: documented ownership by a three-time world champion, factory ties to Honda's landmark supercar, and a car that was actually driven, not merely displayed.