Acura TLX Joins Pikes Peak Racing Effort
A trio of Acura race cars will compete at the 2017 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
A pair of Acura TLX sport sedans will join the NSX supercar that will return following last year’s victory. Making its race debut is the 2018 Acura TLX A-Spec, featuring modified suspension and a 500-horsepower 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 engine under the hood.
Helping to more effectively transfer power to the front wheels is a limited-slip differential. Naturally the TLX A-Spec has been optimized specifically for the hill climb, with custom engine software and tuning done in-house by a team of North American Honda R&D engineers. Making the TLX A-Spec recognizable on the course is a hand-crafted carbon fiber front splitter and massive rear wing. Pikes Peak veteran Nick Robinson will be in charge of driving the TLX A-Spec this year, after piloting the NSX to victory last year.
The Acura TLX GT will also return to competition this year, boasting the same twin-turbo V6 setup used in the Pirelli World Challenge Series. It has been, however, tuned on multiple levels to accommodate the elevation changes at Pikes Peak. Tweaks to the aerodynamics have also been done, including the addition of front fender louvers and revised dive planes. The rear wing has also been moved up and back to increase downforce. Long-time Acura driver Peter Cunningham will be in charge of driving the Acura TLX GT at Pikes Peak.
SEE ALSO: 2018 Acura TLX Review
Lastly, the GT3-inspired Acura NSX is set to compete in the Time Attack 1 class, with James Robinson of Honda R&D’s North American powertrain development group behind the wheel. Robinson has competed since 2011, driving a first-generation NSX in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb from 2012 to 2015, while also winning the Exhibition Class in 2011. This year, the NSX has been lightened and aerodynamic elements have been added, including a bigger rear wing and front splitter. In addition, the car’s software has been tuned to optimize the engine and the Sport Hybrid system performance for the hill climb.
The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will take place on June 25, 2017.
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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