Portuguese 
1991 Red Sports Car Was Lent by Honda for the Three-Time Champion’s Personal Use; Accompanied Senna to a Formula 1 Grand Prix and Will Now Be Auctioned Off in London
A 1991 red Honda NSX that Ayrton Senna personally drove in Europe could change hands for a small fortune. This information was reported by AutoEsporte on August 25, 2026, in a piece by Dyogo Fagundes.
The sports car will be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s on October 31, 2026, in London. The estimated value ranges from £500,000 to £800,000. According to Brazilian media, this translates to nearly R$5.8 million.
However, there’s something that makes this NSX much more special.
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Senna didn’t just drive the car; he also contributed to the development of the model that would change Honda’s image among sports cars.
During NSX testing, the Brazilian assessed a prototype and pointed out that the structure needed greater rigidity. Honda took the driver’s feedback and made changes to the design.
Years later, one of the model’s examples ended up in Senna’s hands.
And it is this red car that is now expected to fetch nearly R$6 million.
Senna Tested the NSX and Told Honda It Needed Improvement
In the late 1980s, Honda was working on an ambitious project.
The Japanese manufacturer aimed to produce a sports car capable of competing with traditional names in the segment while maintaining everyday usability.
Thus, the NSX was born. During this period, Honda and Senna had a close relationship due to Formula 1.
Therefore, the driver participated in testing the new car.
And he didn’t just give it praise.
After testing a prototype, Senna pointed out that the structure needed to be stiffer.
The evaluation got back to the engineers.
According to RM Sotheby’s, Honda subsequently increased structural rigidity by 50% and also refined the suspension setup.
Thus, Senna was not merely a spokesperson for the NSX.
His evaluation helped improve the dynamics of the sports car.
Honda Delivered Three NSX Cars for Ayrton Senna to Use
The relationship had another chapter in 1991.
At that time, Senna had already won two world championships with McLaren-Honda. By the end of that season, he would clinch his third.
Honda provided three NSX units for the driver’s personal use.
Two were black.
The third was red.
And it is this one red example among the three that is now going to auction.
The vehicle received a Formula Red paint job, combined with a black roof and interior covered in black leather.
Honda Automóvel de Portugal imported the car. Later, it was registered on March 22, 1991.
When Senna arrived in Portugal, the sports car was available for his use.
Red NSX accompanied Senna to a Formula 1 GP
The car was not left in a garage.
Senna really drove the NSX on European streets.
At the time, the Brazilian owned a property in the Quinta do Lago region in the Algarve, Portugal.
Thus, the Honda was part of his routine off the track.
However, there is an episode that makes the story even more interesting.
During the 1991 Portuguese Grand Prix, Senna drove the red NSX to Estoril.
In other words, the car that could be worth millions today transported the three-time champion to a Formula 1 weekend.
In that race, Senna finished in second place.
This history helps explain why the vehicle generates so much interest among collectors.
It’s the same Honda from the famous photo of Senna with a hose
There is another detail that many fans might recognize.
A historic photograph shows Ayrton Senna washing a red Honda NSX with a hose.
This is the car.
The image gained such fame that the auction house itself refers to the vehicle as the “hosepipe car”.
Additionally, the NSX appeared in the 1992 documentary Ayrton Senna: Racing Is in My Blood.
In the footage, Senna is seen behind the wheel of the sports car.
Therefore, the car has something extremely valuable in this market: a documented story alongside its most famous owner.
Car crossed decades and returned to Japan
After Ayrton Senna’s death on May 1, 1994, the NSX changed hands several times.
Records indicate ownership changes in the following years.
Later, the car came under the care of a Honda dealership.
In 2013, the vehicle went to the United Kingdom and was authorized to drive on British roads.
By 2019, another symbolic moment occurred.
The NSX was taken to Imola, Italy, during the tributes for Senna’s 25th death anniversary.
Subsequently, the car returned to Japan after another change of ownership.
Now, it is back in the United Kingdom.
This time, to find a new owner.
Value could reach nearly R$ 6 million
All this history is reflected in the auction estimate.
RM Sotheby’s expects to receive between £500,000 and £800,000 for the NSX.
This places the maximum value close to R$5.8 million, based on conversions reported by Brazilian media.
In addition to the car, the future buyer will receive documentation related to its history.
The package includes Portuguese records, warranty book, and documentation that helps prove the vehicle’s connection to Senna.
In collectible cars, this provenance can make a huge difference.
After all, two seemingly identical cars can achieve completely different values when one of them has an exceptional and verified history.
In this case, there are several elements gathered within the same chassis.
It is a first-generation Honda NSX. It was personally used by Ayrton Senna. It appears in historical records. It accompanied the driver during his time in Portugal. And it belongs to the model that the Brazilian himself helped to refine.
The car that Senna helped improve is now worth millions
The NSX occupies a significant place in Honda’s history.
The model demonstrated that a Japanese manufacturer could build a supercar with central engine, high performance, and sophisticated engineering, while maintaining characteristics suitable for everyday use.
Senna’s involvement helped to further popularize this story.
Now, 35 years after the red specimen arrived in the hands of the Brazilian, this connection will be put to the test in the collector’s market.
On October 31, the bids will reveal how much someone is willing to pay.
The maximum estimate is already impressive: almost R$6 million.
However, for motorsport fans, perhaps the most curious detail is another.
Before becoming a million-dollar collectible piece, this Honda was simply a car that Ayrton Senna drove on the streets when he was away from the racetracks.
