Ayrton Senna's flaming-red NSX is for sale for more than $600,000

The name “Senna” is a magnet in the world of motorsport — of all sport, period —and when one of his personal automobiles surfaces for sales, flags wave and fireworks explode. This time it’s his bright red Honda NSX, one of three NSX cars he owned, and it’s currently being offered for about $622,000 by AutoTrader in the United Kingdom. 

This particular model is from 1991, and Senna kept it at his home in Portugal. He was often seen tooling around the Algarve in the Honda, and it was featured in the 1992 Senna documentary “Racing Is in My Blood.” Powered by a 3.0-liter V6 making 271 horsepower, the car has a top speed of 165 mph. It has 39,100 miles on the clock.

Senna, an Formula 1 idol from Brazil who won three drivers’ world championship titles, reportedly had a hand in convincing Honda to stiffen the model’s chassis after testing a pre-production car in Japan during its development.

Currently, the NSX is owned by Robert McFagan, who bought it in Portugal in 2013 and has since stored it in his home outside London. This same car was driven at the Imola Circuit in Italy five years ago at an event commemorating the 25th anniversary of Senna’s death at the track.

“Being a huge Senna fan myself, I was delighted when I was able to get my hands on the NSX, which was crafted to perfection,” said McFagan. “It’s been a real pleasure owning what is one of the most famous cars belonging to a true sporting legend, and the thrill of driving Senna’s car never goes away.”

Even three decades after his passing, reminders of Senna surface regularly. Earlier this year, Lego released a model of his McLaren MP4/4 race car, often ranked as one of the most successful F1 race cars of all time.

Complete specs on the NSX and terms of purchase are listed on the AutoTrader UK website.