By J.A. Ackley
Aug 8, 2024
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Acura,
Honda,
Formula 1,
Monterey Car Week,
Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion,
Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance,
Acura ARX-01,
Honda HP-X
Photography Courtesy Honda
If you’re a fan of Honda, the company will be bringing three iconic cars from its history. The Honda HP-X concept car; the RA272, which won the first F1 race for Honda; and the Acura ARX-01b that had one of the most memorable finishes at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Honda HP-X
For the first time in North America, you can see the innovative Honda HP-X concept car. It’ll be entered in the Wedge-Shaped Concept Cars and Prototypes Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Pininfarina designed the HP-X and recently restored it in Italy.
It features advanced aerodynamics for its time. It has no doors, but instead a jet-fighter-style removable single-piece Perspec canopy.
The HP-X has a mid-mounted 2.0-liter V6 based on the Honda F2 racing engine.
The car uses cutting-edge materials for the era, such as honeycomb panels, carbon fiber and Kevlar.
Inside, the Electronic Drive Support system includes real-time telemetry, GPS and road condition warnings via “special sonar.”
Many of the innovations of the HP-X would make their way into future Honda and Acura models. You can see some of them in the first-generation NSX.
Honda RA272
Honda made its Formula 1 debut at the 1964 German Grand Prix. One year later, with the RA272, Honda won its first Formula 1 race at the Mexico Grand Prix, becoming the first Japanese automaker to achieve an F1 victory.
With Honda heritage driver Hikaru Miyagi, the RA272 will make laps around WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
There you’ll be able to hear the 1.5-liter V12 that’s capable of 13,000 rpm.
Honda power plants have propelled four drivers to a combined eight Formula One Drivers’ Championships. Honda engines have twice set F1 records for the most race wins in a season, including in 2023 when Honda engines won all but one race.
In 2026, Honda will supply power units to the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team.
Acura ARX-01b
Two Acura ARX-01b race cars wowed the crowd at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in 2008. This one, which was driven by Tony Kanaan, beat out the Acura of Gil de Ferran by a mere .054 seconds for the LMP2 class win.
Still in the same race-winning livery as back in 2008, current Acura ARX-06 GTP driver Ricky Taylor will take the historic Acura out on track during the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Interestingly enough, the last five IMSA prototype championships and three of the last 24 Hours of Daytona races have been won by Acura.
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