Acura Motorsports releases the first images of the company’s new, electrified Acura ARX-06 LMDh prototype. This prototype will race in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship hybrid-powered GTP category beginning in 2023.
The Acura ARX-06 [Acura Racing experimental, generation 6] is the latest in a successful line of endurance prototypes fielded by the brand, beginning in 1991. Moreover, the exterior styling of the newest prototype race car came from the Acura Design Studio in Los Angeles, Calif. That’s in conjunction with Honda Performance Development. It’s the racing arm for Acura Motorsports and Honda Racing in North America. Not to mention, a chassis-supplier ORECA [ORganisation Exploitation Compétition Automobiles].
“The process to create the exterior design for the Acura ARX-06 is exactly the same as how we create a new Acura passenger vehicle,” said Dave Marek, Acura Executive Creative Director.
The New Acura ARX-06
“The same world-class stylists that lead Acura production car design created initial sketches. Moreover, they then pared those down to several potential designs. Next, we created a scale model. We also did aero and wind tunnel model testing, and brought HPD and our partner teams in for their feedback.,” Marek recounted. “Refining the design was throughout the testing and evaluation process. That’s until we came up with a final treatment that met our performance goals while maintaining all-important Acura styling cues. It’s been an exciting process.”
In addition, the Acura ARX-06 will be the latest in a line of endurance prototypes. We ware fielding them by the company dating back to 1991. That’s just five years after the 1986 launch of the Acura brand. Based on the ORECA LMDh chassis, the ARX-06 will feature Acura-specific bodywork, aerodynamics, and an internal combustion power unit.
Moreover, Acura will continue its partnerships with the proven, race- and championship-winning Wayne Taylor Racing and Meyer Shank Racing organizations to campaign the hybrid-powered Acura entries in 2023.
In addition to sweeping all three major IMSA DPi championships in both 2019 and 2020 – for Manufacturers, Drivers, and Teams – Acura has won the Rolex 24 at Daytona in both 2021 and ’22, including a 1-2 finish for the manufacturer at this year’s twice-around-the-clock endurance classic. Additional podium finishes at Sebring, Watkins Glen, and the Petit Le Mans in 2021 resulted in a sweep of IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup titles for Acura and partner Wayne Taylor Racing.
Source: Acura News
