Update to March 13, 2019: we added the acquisition values for each of them in the auction.
Only five samurai present in a sea of Italian, German and North American sports. It definitely caught our attention in this year's edition of the RM Sotheby's auction to be held on March 8th and 9th at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance (elegant contest) in Florida, USA.
There are more than 140 vehicles at auction — mostly cars — so finding only five Japanese cars somehow stands out. And they couldn't have been better chosen, being the true automobile aristocracy of the country of the rising sun.
Honda NSX (NA2), Mazda RX-7 (FD), Nissan 300ZX (Z32), Toyota Supra (A80) and the latest and most exotic Lexus LFA they are the five samurai at auction, all of them fascinating machines that have filled (and are filling) our automobile imagination since the 90s.
Honda NSX (NA2)
Being a North American unit, this Honda NSX it is called Acura NSX (1990-2007). This unit dates back to 2005, that is, it had already been restyled in 2002, where it lost its characteristic retractable headlamps, replaced by new fixed elements. It is also a Targa, the only bodywork available in the US on the witness passage from NA1 to NA2.
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Motivating him is the 3.2 V6 VTEC with 295 hp of power and this unit comes with the most desired manual gearbox. The odometer reads just 14,805 km, and was exported from California to Switzerland in 2017.
Despite having been an influential and striking sports car, for more reasons and no more, it was not a great commercial success, but its status as a cult car is undeniable. The appearance of a new generation in 2016 has only heightened interest in the original even more.
Estimated price: between 100 000 and 120 000 dollars (between approx. 87 840 and 105 400 euros).
Sold for $128,800 (114,065 euros).
Mazda RX-7 (FD)
It was the last of the Mazda RX-7 (1992-2002) and this copy, from 1993, reveals an odometer with less than 13,600 miles (less than 21,900 km). The original owner kept this “king of spin” — Wankel engine with two rotors of 654 cm3 each, sequential turbos, here producing 256 hp — for more than 20 years.
The car would be exported to Switzerland in 2017 by its current owner, but, as you can see, it is already back in the US. A rare unit, with a few kilometers and no changes, is without a doubt a find.
Estimated price: between 40 000 to 45 000 dollars (between approx. 35 200 and 39 500 euros).
Sold for 50,400 dollars (44,634 euros).
Nissan 300ZX (Z32)
The second generation of the Nissan 300ZX also had a long career, between 1989 and the year 2000, but this 1996 unit corresponds to the last year of commercialization in the USA. It has covered only 4500 km (more kilometer, less kilometer) in its 23 years of life.
It also had only two private owners — the latter only acquired it in 2017 — having spent several years registered with Nissan distributors in the state of Texas.
The last iteration of the 300ZX featured a V6 with 3.0 L capacity in two variants, naturally aspirated or supercharged. This unit is the last one, with the support of two turbos, capable of debiting 304 hp (SAE) — around here it had only 280 hp.
Estimated price: between 30 000 to 40 000 dollars (between approx. 26 350 and 35 200 euros).
Sold for 53 200 dollars (47 114 euros).
Toyota Supra (A80)
The most desirable of the Toyota Supra Mk IV (1993-2002) was the Twin Turbo, equipped with the unavoidable 2JZ-GTE , it had 330 hp and would eventually become one of the favorite targets of the world of car preparations — extracting more than 1000 hp from this block of six in inline cylinders? No problem.
This unit is a 1994 Targa — the roof is removable — and like the other units on this list it has only a few kilometers driven, only 18,000. This Supra appears to be in pristine condition. Although it was initially purchased in the US, last year it found a new home in Switzerland.
There aren't many Supras with a few kilometers and originals, and the unveiling of a new generation earlier this year, the Supra A90, only raised the requested values for the Japanese sports car, with the estimated value for this unit having six figures.
Estimated price: between 100 000 and 120 000 dollars (between approx. 87 840 and 105 400 euros).
Sold for $173,600 (€153,741) — record value for a Toyota Supra.
Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package
Last but clearly not least, the most exotic specimen of the group. Only 500 Lexus LFA were produced, but this unit is one of 50 equipped with the “Nürburgring Package”, alluding to the trio of victories (in its class) achieved in the 24 hours of the famous German circuit, undergoing dynamic and aerodynamic changes similar to cars that competed.
With only one owner, this LFA was acquired in 2012, and it only covered 2600 km — a “crime” considering the epic and raucous naturally aspirated V10 with 4.8 l and 570 hp (+10 hp than other LFA's).
Of the 50 LFA Nürburgring Package, only 15 went to the US, and the orange color it wears is one of the least common. Additionally, it is also equipped with a rare accessory: a Tumi suitcase set.
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Estimated price: between 825 000 and 925 000 dollars (between approx. 725 000 and 812 500 euros).
Sold for 912 500 dollars (808 115 euros).
This auction has many more reasons for interest. Visit the page dedicated to the auction and see all the lots in the catalog that hide real treasures, like these five samurai.