cars news 10: Leno, Seinfeld Near Front of Line for 2017 Acura NSX

Neither Jay Leno nor Jerry Seinfeld got the first 2017 Acura NSX, but they are among the top dozen people on the list for a car that has been on the radar of enthusiasts for years.

The celebrities have playfully fought for the right to own the first one since the concept was shown at the North American International Auto Show in 2012 and their feud played out in a Super Bowl commercial that year. In the end, Honda executives decided to auction off the first NSX for charity, and the high bid was $1.2 million from Rick Hendrick of Hendricks Motorsports. He also bought the second one.

John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda, said Seinfeld and Leno have contracts that promise them one of the first 100 made. In reality, they are in the top dozen on the list, he said in an interview at the 2016 New York International Auto Show.

Acura will start building the first car in April and the automaker has 1,500 to 2,000 orders, Mendel said. He expects the build rate will be about 800 cars a year after the initial flurry.

Click HERE to learn about the Acura NSX GT3, which debuted at the New York auto show.