In 1948, Soichiro Honda fitted a 50cc two-stroke engine to a bicycle and founded Honda Motor Co. Today, the Japanese brand is the world's largest engine manufacturer and its engineering expertise extends to almost every mode of human mobility. From private aircraft to lawnmowers, Honda is synonymous with reliability and quality.

When it introduced the NSX in 1989, Honda was already a leading name in the automotive world, whether in competition, on two or four wheels, or in the civil and commercial context. However, the Japanese engineers decided to prove to the world that a supercar did not necessarily have to be demanding and difficult to drive. The 'New Sportscar eXperimental' (NSX) was better and faster than any German or Italian rival and as easy to drive as a Honda Civic.

The aluminium monocoque, as well as most of the body panels, chassis and engine, provide benchmark torsional rigidity, even by today's standards. A certain Ayrton Senna helped the project's developers to further refine the dynamic characteristics, and his videos of him tipping his heels in the NSX at Suzuka, wearing black shoes and white socks, continue to rack up views on social media.

It's impossible to talk about sports Hondas without mentioning the famous Vtec system patented by Honda. However, it's worth mentioning that this 3-litre V-six engine doesn't just rely on Vtec. Thanks to its 280Nm of torque, the engine has plenty of power at low revs and revs up vigorously from 4000rpm. At 6500rpm, the Vtec system starts to deliver its characteristic howl and power surge that doesn't stop until 8000rpm.

The driving position is perfect and the ergonomics are unusual for a 1990s supercar. We sit in comfortable, enveloping seats with the central console and window and ventilation controls describing an arc around the driver, with the simple but informative instrument panel centred behind the steering wheel. The controls are well planned and everything that is not covered in leather is made of that unbreakable plastic that only the Japanese know.

This May 1991 NSX was delivered to its first owner at the Santomar dealership in Lisbon and has now clocked up 104,000 km. It is finished in Sebring Silver which, together with the black roof, greatly helps to highlight its modern and functional lines and is in excellent condition, 100% original.