Tag Archives: Honda

Auctions

Ayrton Senna’s Honda NSX Is Going to Auction—and It Could Be Worth Nearly $1 Million

Few road cars are as deeply connected to Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna as the first-generation Honda NSX. Now, one of the most significant examples is heading to auction, offering collectors a rare opportunity to own a sports car that was personally driven by the three-time Formula 1 world champion.

The red Honda NSX with a black roof, chassis number T000233, is scheduled to cross the auction block on October 31. With documented ties to Senna, appearances in films and documentaries, and a remarkable history spanning Portugal, the UK, Japan and Italy, the car could become one of the most valuable Honda NSX models ever sold at public auction.

RM Sotheby’s estimates the value of Senna’s Honda NSX at between £500,000 and £800,000, equivalent to approximately €584,000 to €934,000.

The Honda NSX Ayrton Senna Helped Develop

Senna’s relationship with Honda began in 1987, when the Japanese manufacturer supplied engines to Team Lotus. In 1988, Senna moved to McLaren-Honda and immediately won his first Formula 1 world championship.

At roughly the same time, Honda was working on a project that would dramatically change the perception of Japanese performance cars: an all-new mid-engine sports car designed to challenge established European supercars such as the Ferrari 328 and Porsche 911.

That car would become the Honda NSX.

Senna was much more than a celebrity associated with the project. Honda gave him access to development prototypes, allowing the Brazilian driver to test the car and provide detailed feedback.

During testing, Senna reportedly criticized the rigidity of the NSX prototype’s body structure. His comments prompted Honda engineers to substantially increase structural rigidity, with the final development reportedly gaining around 50 percent more rigidity than the earlier prototype. Suspension tuning was also revised.

The result was a sports car that became famous not only for its performance, but also for its balance, precision and everyday usability.

Senna’s Famous NSX Test at Suzuka

One of the most famous pieces of footage associated with the Honda NSX shows Senna driving the car aggressively around Suzuka Circuit.

Rather than treating the NSX as a publicity prop, Senna explored the limits of the car, demonstrating the handling characteristics that would eventually become one of the model’s defining qualities.

The footage has since become an important part of the NSX’s mythology. Senna can be seen driving the car hard while wearing casual clothing and loafers—a fitting reminder that the NSX was conceived as a supercar that could be driven on the road rather than simply displayed in a garage.

For Honda, having a driver of Senna’s caliber involved in development was invaluable. For enthusiasts, his involvement has become an integral part of the first-generation NSX’s legacy.

The NSX Senna Drove in Portugal

The NSX heading to auction is particularly significant because it was not merely one of the prototypes Senna tested during development.

Chassis number T000233 was imported by Honda into Portugal, where Senna owned a home at the Quinta do Lago resort.

The car was registered on March 22, 1991, carrying Portuguese license plate SX-25-59. Whenever Senna was in Portugal, Honda made the NSX available to him.

Unlike many celebrity-owned cars that spend much of their lives hidden away, this Honda NSX was reportedly used regularly by Senna.

He even drove it to the Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril. At that race, Senna qualified third and ultimately finished second, adding another remarkable connection between the car and his Formula 1 career.

Senna Used the NSX Like a Supercar Should Be Used

The car also appeared in the documentary “Ayrton Senna: Racing Is In My Blood,” where Senna can be seen putting the NSX through its paces.

The footage captures the rear tires spinning as smoke pours from behind the car, offering a glimpse of Senna’s character away from the Formula 1 paddock.

But perhaps the most famous images of the car have nothing to do with a racetrack.

A series of photographs shows Senna washing the red NSX with a garden hose while wearing jeans and a casual shirt. The seemingly ordinary scene became one of the most recognizable images of Senna away from Formula 1.

Those photographs helped establish the particular red NSX as an automotive icon in its own right.

What Happened to Senna’s Honda NSX After 1994?

Following Senna’s death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, the NSX remained in Portugal for a period of time.

Registration records and Honda certification documentation provide evidence supporting the car’s history and connection to Senna.

The NSX eventually changed hands several times. In 2013, it moved to the United Kingdom before returning to Japan in 2024.

Its history did not end there.

In 2019, the car returned to Imola to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Senna’s death. Former Minardi team principal Giancarlo Minardi drove the NSX as part of the tribute.

For its latest chapter, the current owner brought the car back to the UK ahead of its upcoming auction.

Why This Honda NSX Is So Valuable

The first-generation Honda NSX is already one of the most collectible Japanese performance cars of its era. But this particular example combines several factors that make it exceptionally desirable.

First, there is the direct connection to Ayrton Senna, one of the most celebrated drivers in Formula 1 history.

Second, the car has a documented history supported by registration records and Honda certification.

Third, it has appeared in film and documentary footage, including material showing Senna himself driving the car.

Finally, it is connected to one of the most important engineering stories in Honda’s history. Senna’s feedback during the development of the NSX helped influence the production car’s structural rigidity and chassis characteristics.

That combination of provenance, celebrity ownership, motorsport history and engineering significance is extremely difficult to replicate.

A Nearly $1 Million Honda

RM Sotheby’s estimate of £500,000 to £800,000 places the Senna NSX in a completely different category from an ordinary first-generation NSX.

At the top of the estimate, the car could approach £800,000, or roughly €934,000.

That figure illustrates just how much provenance can transform a collectible automobile.

A standard NSX is already regarded as one of the defining Japanese sports cars of the 1990s. An NSX that was personally used by Ayrton Senna, appeared in famous photographs and documentaries, and can be traced through official documentation represents something much more significant.

It is effectively a piece of Formula 1 history on four wheels.

The Ayrton Senna Honda NSX Could Become a Collector-CAR Icon

The original Honda NSX was created to challenge the world’s best sports cars while delivering the reliability and usability associated with Honda. More than three decades later, the model has become a modern classic.

This particular NSX takes that story to another level.

It is not simply a rare Japanese supercar. It is the car associated with one of Formula 1’s greatest drivers, a driver who played a meaningful role in shaping the NSX during its development and later used an example on the roads of Portugal.

When chassis T000233 goes under the hammer on October 31, collectors will be bidding not only on a Honda NSX, but on a documented piece of Ayrton Senna’s life outside Formula 1.

If the car reaches the upper end of RM Sotheby’s estimate, it could become one of the most expensive Honda NSX examples ever sold—and potentially one of the most historically significant Japanese cars to reach the collector-car market.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

Motorcycles

Honda’s Two-Wheel Comeback

If you’ve ever wondered what Honda would build if it were allowed to indulge every kind of rider at once, the answer just arrived in one tidy press release. American Honda is bringing back eight of its most beloved motorcycles and scooters for the 2026 and 2027 model years, and the lineup reads like a greatest-hits album of two-wheel culture: big-bore adventure bikes, tiny retro playthings, city-smart scooters, and even competition-bred trials machines.

This isn’t a tentative refresh—it’s a full-scale reminder of why Honda still sits at the center of the motorcycling universe. From globe-trotting adventurers to first-time riders commuting across town, there’s something here for nearly every two-wheel identity.

The Africa Twin Still Rules the Map

At the top of the food chain is the 2026 Africa Twin, a machine that’s become shorthand for “ride to the end of the earth and back.” Honda continues to offer it in four configurations: standard or Adventure Sports ES, each available with either a traditional manual gearbox or Honda’s trick DCT dual-clutch automatic.

This is the bike for riders who don’t just want to leave town—they want to leave the pavement, the schedule, and maybe even the continent. With MSRPs starting at $15,199 and topping out at $18,599, the Africa Twin remains one of the more attainable entries into the serious adventure-touring club, especially given Honda’s legendary reputation for durability.

In other words, it’s still the motorcycle equivalent of a well-sorted overland rig—quietly confident, ruthlessly capable, and always ready to go farther than you probably should.

MiniMOTO: Small Bikes, Big Personality

On the opposite end of the displacement spectrum, Honda continues to double down on fun.

The Trail125, Dax 125, and Monkey are the brand’s love letter to its 1960s and ’70s golden age, when small bikes made big cultural waves. But these aren’t museum pieces—they’re fuel-injected, ABS-equipped, modern machines that just happen to look like something your coolest uncle rode back in the day.

  • The Trail125 ($4,199) is the two-wheeled equivalent of a hiking boot: simple, rugged, and endlessly charming.
  • The Dax 125 ($4,199) leans into playful retro style with its T-shaped frame and friendly ergonomics.
  • The Monkey ($4,399) is still the class clown of the lineup, blending chrome, plush suspension, and surprising real-world usability.

These bikes aren’t about speed—they’re about smiles per mile, and Honda knows it.

Navi and PCX: Urban Mobility, Honda Style

Then there’s the Navi, which has quietly become one of the best-selling motorcycles in America by doing one simple thing incredibly well: being easy. With a scooter-like automatic transmission, a 109cc engine, and pricing that starts at just $2,199, it’s the gateway drug to motorcycling.

The PCX ($4,349) plays a more refined role. With traction control, LED lighting, under-seat storage, and a USB-C port, it’s basically a two-wheeled commuter pod—efficient, stylish, and far more engaging than sitting in traffic inside a car.

If your daily grind involves crowded streets and tight parking, these two make a compelling case for ditching four wheels.

The ADV160: A Scooter With a Passport

For riders who want their practicality with a side of adventure, the 2027 ADV160 might be the most intriguing machine here. Think of it as a ruggedized PCX: longer-travel suspension, more ground clearance, and styling that looks ready to escape the city.

At $4,499, it’s a relatively affordable way to get a scooter that won’t panic when the pavement ends.

Montesa Cota: Trials Royalty

Finally, Honda hasn’t forgotten the hardcore crowd. The Montesa Cota 4RT 260R ($9,849) and 301RR ($12,949) are purpose-built trials machines, developed with input from multi-time world champion Toni Bou. These bikes exist for one reason: to conquer terrain so technical most riders wouldn’t even try to walk across it.

They’re niche, sure—but they also reinforce Honda’s claim to being serious about every corner of motorcycling.

A Lineup That Actually Makes Sense

What’s striking about Honda’s 2026–2027 lineup isn’t just the breadth—it’s the coherence. Every bike here serves a distinct purpose, yet all of them reflect the same philosophy: make riding accessible, reliable, and genuinely fun.

From the globe-spanning Africa Twin to the pocket-sized Monkey, Honda isn’t just selling machines. It’s selling ways to ride—and reasons to keep riding.

And in an industry increasingly obsessed with chasing trends, that kind of clarity feels refreshingly old-school. Just like a Honda should.

Source: Honda

News

Honda’s 0-Series Sedan Hits the Brakes, Now Slated for 2027

Honda’s ambitious electric reset just lost a little momentum. The 0 Series sedan—one of the brand’s most important next-generation EVs—won’t arrive this year after all. In fact, it won’t be here until 2027, Honda has now confirmed, quietly stretching the rollout of its all-new electric platform.

When Honda first unveiled the 0 Series, the plan sounded refreshingly decisive: three new EVs on a clean-sheet architecture, all launching in 2026. The lineup included the reborn Acura RSX, a Honda 0 Series SUV, and a sleek 0 Series sedan meant to signal Honda’s electric future. Two of those vehicles are still on track. The sedan, however, has slipped a full year.

According to Jessica Fini, assistant vice president of communications at American Honda, the Acura RSX will lead the charge, arriving in the second half of 2026. The Honda 0 Series SUV will follow later that same year. The sedan, though, has been officially “postponed to 2027.”

The reasons won’t surprise anyone paying attention to the EV market. Over the past year, automakers have been navigating shifting regulatory requirements, new tariffs, and the effective disappearance of federal EV tax credits for many models. That combination has a way of turning once-aggressive product timelines into moving targets.

What’s interesting is how quietly this delay has been handled. Fini noted that Honda mentioned the sedan’s postponement during the Japan Mobility Show, but the news never really made the rounds. Even now, Honda’s own 0 Series website still states that production versions of both the SUV and sedan will arrive in 2026, suggesting the messaging hasn’t fully caught up with reality.

That said, a delay doesn’t necessarily spell trouble. Honda has a long history of taking its time—and often getting the fundamentals right. If the extra year results in better range, more competitive pricing, or a smoother transition to a software-defined vehicle architecture, buyers may never notice the wait.

Still, in an EV race where timing matters almost as much as technology, pushing the sedan to 2027 gives rivals another opening. Honda’s electric reboot is still very much alive—it’s just arriving a little later than promised.

Source: Honda