ARIZONA: The next-generation Acura NSX supercar with the designated vehicle identification number (VIN) 001 was auctioned off for the final price of US$1.2mil (RM5.3mil) at Barrett-Jackson.
The vehicle that went under the hammer smashed the record for the highest-selling VIN 001, which was set by winning bidder Hendrick Automotive Group founder and Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick.
The winner has earned the right to custom order the first production model of Acura’s highly anticipated NSX, which is due to arrive in the US market sometime in the second quarter.
All proceeds of the auction will go to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, based in North Carolina, which is the leading non-profit fund for research into one of the deadliest forms of childhood cancer.
The foundation also includes free educational resources, college scholarships for brain tumour survivors, emergency financial aid and mission-focused events such as Ride for Kids and the Starry Night 8.5K.
Brain tumours are the leading cause of solid tumour cancer death in children between the ages of 0-19, with more than 28,000 youngsters in the United States living with the diagnosis of a brain tumour, and nearly 13 new cases being identified every day.
Another recipient will be Camp Southern Ground in Georgia – the passion project of Grammy Award-winning music artist Zac Brown, who was inspired by his own personal experience as a camp counsellor.
The state-of-the-art facility will serve children between the ages of seven and 17, from all backgrounds, races and religions and there will be a special focus on young people with neurobehavioral challenges, at risk populations and children from military families.
“It was amazing to witness such generosity of spirit and passion for the new NSX. Hendrick will have the great satisfaction of owning and driving the very first next-generation NSX, and making a difference in the lives of thousands of children,” said Acura vice president and general manager Jon Ikeda.
In the US, customer ordering for the 2017 NSX will begin on Feb 25 at authorized NSX retailers and will be in concert with the launch of the Acura NSX on-line vehicle configurator on www.Acura.com
Keyword: Acura NSX (VIN 001) smashes US auction record