Test your knowledge: Which F1 driver was closely linked to the original Honda NSX?

HONDA IS gearing up for the launch of a new NSX supercar, which it hopes will remind people of its keen ability to engineer ultimate drivers’ cars.

The original Honda NSX, produced between 1990 and 2005, was mid-engined with rear-wheel drive layout and the all-aluminium V6 engine produced 270bhp; good enough for a 0-60mph sprint in just over five seconds.

But which F1 driver helped fettle the NSX’s chassis and suspension? Scroll down for the answer.

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The answer is, of course, the legendary Ayrton Senna, who drove under Honda power with the McLaren team until the Japanese firm withdrew from the sport at the end of the 1992 season.

Honda asked the Brazilian to fine-tune the suspension of the NSX in the final stages of development, and spent some time with the company at its Suzuka race track doing so. Senna is believed to have been unhappy with the stiffness of the car, so Honda worked to increase rigidity.

The results are clear – the Honda NSX was a hit with performance car drivers thanks to its sharp handling and supercar performance. But it was also a genuinely driveable car day-to-day, unlike its rivals of the times, and genuinely affordable compared to rivals of similar performance.

The new NSX has a lot to live up to.