Acura: TLX GT news
#1
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Acura: TLX GT news
Acura Motorsports today pulled the wraps off the new 2015 Acura TLX GT racecar at the North American International Auto Show, announcing plans to move up to the GT category of the growing and highly competitive Pirelli World Challenge Championship.
To be campaigned by longtime Acura Motorsports partner RealTime Racing, the new TLX GT will move Acura into the top category of the Pirelli World Challenge, facing competition that includes the Audi R8 LMS, Cadillac CTS-V, Chevrolet Corvette, Dodge Viper, Lamborghini Gallardo, Mercedes SLS, Nissan GTR, Porsche 911 and Ferrari 458.
“The 2015 Acura TLX is a true luxury sport sedan, so it is fitting that the car be raced against several of its natural competitors, and even some up-market brands, in the Pirelli World Challenge,” said Art St. Cyr, President of Honda Performance Development and Vice President-Product Planning and Logistics, American Honda. “Acura and Peter Cunningham's RealTime Racing organization have a long history of success together, and we look forward to adding to that tradition with the Acura TLX GT racecar in 2014.”
Developed from the production 2015 Acura TLX by HPD, the racing arm of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., the Acura TLX GT racecar will feature HPD chassis and aerodynamic performance parts approved for Pirelli World Challenge competition, and will be powered by a direct-injected, twin-turbocharged V6 engine, developed by HPD from the normally aspirated, production TLX luxury sport sedan. It will utilize all-wheel drive, as found in Acura's SH-AWD system.
The Acura TLX GT will be campaigned by Wisconsin-based RealTime Racing, the most successful team in Pirelli World Challenge history. Established in 1987 by owner/driver Peter Cunningham, RTR has raced and won with both Honda and Acura products. Since entering the SCCA Pro Racing-sanctioned World Challenge series in
1993, the team has scored a record 85 race victories on its way to 14 Manufacturers' Championships and 14 Drivers' Championships.
“In our 27 years of racing Hondas and Acuras, we have developed a clear understanding of what it takes to win races and championships,” RTR team principal Cunningham said. “In 2014, the Pirelli World Challenge GT class looks to be more competitive and diverse than at any time in the 25-year history of the series. RealTime has competed successfully in this category before, and we look forward to the challenges that lie ahead. With the onslaught of these world-class GT-3 competitors joining the fray, we will be working hard to develop the new TLX GT into a winning package. But that's what we love to do.”
To be campaigned by longtime Acura Motorsports partner RealTime Racing, the new TLX GT will move Acura into the top category of the Pirelli World Challenge, facing competition that includes the Audi R8 LMS, Cadillac CTS-V, Chevrolet Corvette, Dodge Viper, Lamborghini Gallardo, Mercedes SLS, Nissan GTR, Porsche 911 and Ferrari 458.
“The 2015 Acura TLX is a true luxury sport sedan, so it is fitting that the car be raced against several of its natural competitors, and even some up-market brands, in the Pirelli World Challenge,” said Art St. Cyr, President of Honda Performance Development and Vice President-Product Planning and Logistics, American Honda. “Acura and Peter Cunningham's RealTime Racing organization have a long history of success together, and we look forward to adding to that tradition with the Acura TLX GT racecar in 2014.”
Developed from the production 2015 Acura TLX by HPD, the racing arm of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., the Acura TLX GT racecar will feature HPD chassis and aerodynamic performance parts approved for Pirelli World Challenge competition, and will be powered by a direct-injected, twin-turbocharged V6 engine, developed by HPD from the normally aspirated, production TLX luxury sport sedan. It will utilize all-wheel drive, as found in Acura's SH-AWD system.
The Acura TLX GT will be campaigned by Wisconsin-based RealTime Racing, the most successful team in Pirelli World Challenge history. Established in 1987 by owner/driver Peter Cunningham, RTR has raced and won with both Honda and Acura products. Since entering the SCCA Pro Racing-sanctioned World Challenge series in
1993, the team has scored a record 85 race victories on its way to 14 Manufacturers' Championships and 14 Drivers' Championships.
“In our 27 years of racing Hondas and Acuras, we have developed a clear understanding of what it takes to win races and championships,” RTR team principal Cunningham said. “In 2014, the Pirelli World Challenge GT class looks to be more competitive and diverse than at any time in the 25-year history of the series. RealTime has competed successfully in this category before, and we look forward to the challenges that lie ahead. With the onslaught of these world-class GT-3 competitors joining the fray, we will be working hard to develop the new TLX GT into a winning package. But that's what we love to do.”
#2
Senior Moderator
From here: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1...orld-challenge
Coinciding with the reveal of the 2015 Acura TLX Prototype at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show this morning, Acura has confirmed that a version of the car designed for motorsport will compete in the GT category of the growing and highly competitive Pirelli World Challenge. The North American-based series features a variety of familiar vehicles racing on a wide range of circuits, from tight street tracks like Long Beach and St. Petersburg to wide and fast circuits such as Austin’s Circuit of the Americas.
The Acura TLX GT race car will be campaigned by Acura Motorsports together with partner RealTime Racing. GT is the premier category of the Pirelli World Challenge and is frequented by race cars based on the likes of the Audi R8, ChevroletCorvette, Dodge Viper, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Nissan GTR, Porsche 911 and Ferrari 458.
The TLX GT will certainly have its work cut out for it when it starts racing later this year, but Acura has had a helping hand in developing the race car by the experts at Honda Performance Development. In fact, the TLX GT will feature a chassis, engine and aerodynamic performance parts all developed by HPD.
Its power unit will be a twin-turbocharged and direct-injected V-6, similar to the unit expected to debut in Acura’s upcoming NSX, and drive will be channeled to all four wheels via the automaker’s Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive system.
Acura’s partner RealTime Racing is also one of the most successful teams in the Pirelli World Challenge, and it’s been successful using both Honda and Acura products.
As for the TLX, the production version of the car will go on sale this summer, as a 2015 model. It will feature front-wheel drive as standard but will be available with all-wheel drive. Two naturally-aspirated engines will be offered on the car, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a 3.5-liter V-6.
The Acura TLX GT race car will be campaigned by Acura Motorsports together with partner RealTime Racing. GT is the premier category of the Pirelli World Challenge and is frequented by race cars based on the likes of the Audi R8, ChevroletCorvette, Dodge Viper, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Nissan GTR, Porsche 911 and Ferrari 458.
The TLX GT will certainly have its work cut out for it when it starts racing later this year, but Acura has had a helping hand in developing the race car by the experts at Honda Performance Development. In fact, the TLX GT will feature a chassis, engine and aerodynamic performance parts all developed by HPD.
Its power unit will be a twin-turbocharged and direct-injected V-6, similar to the unit expected to debut in Acura’s upcoming NSX, and drive will be channeled to all four wheels via the automaker’s Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive system.
Acura’s partner RealTime Racing is also one of the most successful teams in the Pirelli World Challenge, and it’s been successful using both Honda and Acura products.
As for the TLX, the production version of the car will go on sale this summer, as a 2015 model. It will feature front-wheel drive as standard but will be available with all-wheel drive. Two naturally-aspirated engines will be offered on the car, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a 3.5-liter V-6.
#3
I'm the Firestarter
Interesting that they allow AWD. Any other AWD cars in the class?
#4
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#5
Pirelli World Challenge starts March 28. Can't wait to see how the TLX GT does.
Countdown to St. Petersburg: 72 Days, 00 : 48 : 41
Countdown to St. Petersburg: 72 Days, 00 : 48 : 41
#6
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Thread Starter
Likelihood of Acura releasing a production version of the TLX GT with a wide body?
#7
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#8
Burning Brakes
Production rear bumper and side view mirrors leaked on the TLX GT? The rear bumper is probably stretched a bit for the wider rear tires. I'm guessing the front bumper has been modified to hide production details. The shiny black areas look like they should have some brake cooling ducts in them.
Last edited by thunderbt3; 01-14-2014 at 02:52 PM.
#9
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Moved the post to the appropriate thread.
#10
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Thread Starter
This car is really growing on me. I'm wondering if Acura and Realtime will race the new NSX in WC when it is ready.
#11
Whats up with RDX owners?
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Can't wait to see this thing on the track. Hopefully it contends well.
#12
6G TLX-S
#13
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I'm with you F-C and as someone else said, finally an Acura product I am excited about (initially). The back 3/4 view reminds me of a 3 series which is not a bad thing at all. I want to hear horsepower/bhp figures next.
#14
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Thread Starter
According to the WC website, GT class cars are either RWD or AWD, and power ranges are from 425-525hp. Haven't watched WC for the last few years. It's on my radar again.
#15
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Based on LMP2 engine?
Taking on Cadillac's thundering, championship-winning V8-powered CTS-Vs, V10-powered Audi R8s and other high-caliber machinery in the 2014 Pirelli World Challenge GT class has led Acura to prepare bigger artillery for its new TLX racecar.
Technical specs for the four-door sedan, revealed yesterday at the Detroit auto show, are rather light at this point, but Honda Performance Development technical director Roger Griffiths was able to shed some light on what the TLX will be packing under the engine cover.
“Moving to a new model and class in Pirelli World Challenge was a case of we'd been running the Acura TSX for some while also and a Honda Civic with RealTime Racing, and with the TLX being a new product, everyone recognized Acura has a motorsports heritage of its own and we wanted to showcase the brand,” Griffiths told RACER. “The car will be very interesting – the engine's based on the LMP2 engine, it will feature all-wheel-drive, and we've got a ton of work to do, frankly. A lot of the work will be done in-house.”
Wisconsin-based RTR and California's HPD will collaborate on the TLX project as they prepare for the series' season opener at St. Petersburg on March 28-30.
“It's a two-way partnership; we've done the design here and Peter Cunningham's team will build the car for us," Griffiths added. "They have an incredible amount of touring car experience and will put all of their resources into sourcing the right components and preparing the TLX for testing and its debut. It's a pretty cool project – a significant undertaking – but one we believe will add another unique chapter to Acura's racing history.”
Technical specs for the four-door sedan, revealed yesterday at the Detroit auto show, are rather light at this point, but Honda Performance Development technical director Roger Griffiths was able to shed some light on what the TLX will be packing under the engine cover.
“Moving to a new model and class in Pirelli World Challenge was a case of we'd been running the Acura TSX for some while also and a Honda Civic with RealTime Racing, and with the TLX being a new product, everyone recognized Acura has a motorsports heritage of its own and we wanted to showcase the brand,” Griffiths told RACER. “The car will be very interesting – the engine's based on the LMP2 engine, it will feature all-wheel-drive, and we've got a ton of work to do, frankly. A lot of the work will be done in-house.”
Wisconsin-based RTR and California's HPD will collaborate on the TLX project as they prepare for the series' season opener at St. Petersburg on March 28-30.
“It's a two-way partnership; we've done the design here and Peter Cunningham's team will build the car for us," Griffiths added. "They have an incredible amount of touring car experience and will put all of their resources into sourcing the right components and preparing the TLX for testing and its debut. It's a pretty cool project – a significant undertaking – but one we believe will add another unique chapter to Acura's racing history.”
#16
Burning Brakes
The KPAX Volvo's that ran the series the past couple years were AWD turbo inline 5cyl 2.58L. They had no problem holding their ground.
I believe the only SHAWD on the car will be the stickers. It will be called SHAWD to market the AWD TLX. A drivetrain designed for a mass produced consumer car mated to a racing engine and transmission would not survive in a racing environment. The SHAWD system is pretty complex using clutches for torque vectoring, more components, more things to fail. The Volvo's did not use the OEM AWD system. The GT-R's that ran the series had issues with their drivetrain failing/overheating.
I believe the only SHAWD on the car will be the stickers. It will be called SHAWD to market the AWD TLX. A drivetrain designed for a mass produced consumer car mated to a racing engine and transmission would not survive in a racing environment. The SHAWD system is pretty complex using clutches for torque vectoring, more components, more things to fail. The Volvo's did not use the OEM AWD system. The GT-R's that ran the series had issues with their drivetrain failing/overheating.
#17
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Good to see that the SH-AWD can be adapted to handle that much power
#18
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New grill? Is this what the 2016 TLX will look like?
#20
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Kind of looks like they just needed more cooling in the front and that stupid plenum grill was blocking it so they just cut the middle out of the panels.
#21
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#22
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Thread Starter
That might be the "serious setback" that delayed the program. There was an earlier photo online where there was no-grill at all.
#23
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#25
6G TLX-S
Never in history has the RealTime Racing team missed any SCCA/WC entries with Honda/Acura vehicles, until now.
Something must be very wrong with the TLX.
Something must be very wrong with the TLX.
#26
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#27
6G TLX-S
^^^^^
RealTime Racing could have continue to participate in the GTS category, just like all the previous years; rather than shooting for the impossibility, just like the Acura brand trying to move up to become a recognized true luxury brand.
RealTime Racing could have continue to participate in the GTS category, just like all the previous years; rather than shooting for the impossibility, just like the Acura brand trying to move up to become a recognized true luxury brand.
#28
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Also noticed the earlier photos of the car had 5 lug wheels. That more recent picture has single lug wheels on it now.
#29
For my first post...#42 should compete at the Honda Indy 200
I figured I would be the last to know, so I started reviewing the entry lists for the Pirelli World Challenge. click the link and look for #42.
http://www.world-challenge.com/image...ts/MidOv10.pdf
http://www.world-challenge.com/image...ts/MidOv10.pdf
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#30
6G TLX-S
^^^^^
Just one entry !? What happen to the other RealTime car(s) ?
The RealTime Racing team always has two or more entries in each of the World Challenge events, with the TSX/RSX/Integra race cars.
Just one entry !? What happen to the other RealTime car(s) ?
The RealTime Racing team always has two or more entries in each of the World Challenge events, with the TSX/RSX/Integra race cars.
#31
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Yeah. Looks like 2014 is just to get a car running. Hopefully we'll see more cars next year.
#32
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Official, car to race at Mid-Ohio:
Acura Motorsports will debut the new 2015 Acura TLX GT in Pirelli World Challenge competition this weekend at American Honda's "home" circuit of Mid-Ohio, in the hands of RealTime Racing owner/driver Peter Cunningham.
The new TLX GT will move Acura into the top category of the Pirelli World Challenge, facing competition from the Audi R8, Bentley Continental, Cadillac CTS-V, Dodge Viper, Ferrari 458, Lamborghini Gallardo, McLaren 12C and Porsche 911. Cunningham will pilot the Acura in a pair of Pirelli World Challenge events during the double-header race weekend this Saturday and Sunday, as the Pirelli World Challenge series supports with the Honda Indy 200 Verizon IndyCar Series weekend.
"We're excited to debut the Acura TLX GT racecar in front of our 'hometown' audience of associates from the many Honda facilities in central Ohio," said Art St. Cyr, President of Honda Performance Development and Vice President, Auto Operations, American Honda. "The competition in the Pirelli World Challenge is fierce, including many of the luxury makes the TLX will compete with on the sales floor. Acura has never shied away from a challenge. Instead, we seek it out, both on-track and in the marketplace."
Acura2Developed from the production Acura TLX by HPD and RealTime Racing, the Acura TLX GT features HPD chassis and aerodynamic performance parts approved for Pirelli World Challenge competition. It is powered by a direct-injected, twin-turbocharged V6 engine, developed by HPD from the production TLX, and will utilize all-wheel drive, as found in Acura's SH-AWD system.
RTR has raced and won with both Honda and Acura products for more than two decades Since entering the Sports Car Club of America Pro Racing-sanctioned World Challenge series in 1993, RTR has scored a record 85 race victories on its way to 14 manufacturers' championships and 14 drivers' championships.
"The Pirelli World Challenge has a lot of strong competitors in GT, but the TLX is the only all-wheel-drive car in the category. For our four-door sedan to be racing head-to-head with the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini, among others, is pretty cool," RTR team principal Cunningham said. "We're ready to go, and we're going to show the competition what the Acura TLX GT can do."
The new TLX GT will move Acura into the top category of the Pirelli World Challenge, facing competition from the Audi R8, Bentley Continental, Cadillac CTS-V, Dodge Viper, Ferrari 458, Lamborghini Gallardo, McLaren 12C and Porsche 911. Cunningham will pilot the Acura in a pair of Pirelli World Challenge events during the double-header race weekend this Saturday and Sunday, as the Pirelli World Challenge series supports with the Honda Indy 200 Verizon IndyCar Series weekend.
"We're excited to debut the Acura TLX GT racecar in front of our 'hometown' audience of associates from the many Honda facilities in central Ohio," said Art St. Cyr, President of Honda Performance Development and Vice President, Auto Operations, American Honda. "The competition in the Pirelli World Challenge is fierce, including many of the luxury makes the TLX will compete with on the sales floor. Acura has never shied away from a challenge. Instead, we seek it out, both on-track and in the marketplace."
Acura2Developed from the production Acura TLX by HPD and RealTime Racing, the Acura TLX GT features HPD chassis and aerodynamic performance parts approved for Pirelli World Challenge competition. It is powered by a direct-injected, twin-turbocharged V6 engine, developed by HPD from the production TLX, and will utilize all-wheel drive, as found in Acura's SH-AWD system.
RTR has raced and won with both Honda and Acura products for more than two decades Since entering the Sports Car Club of America Pro Racing-sanctioned World Challenge series in 1993, RTR has scored a record 85 race victories on its way to 14 manufacturers' championships and 14 drivers' championships.
"The Pirelli World Challenge has a lot of strong competitors in GT, but the TLX is the only all-wheel-drive car in the category. For our four-door sedan to be racing head-to-head with the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini, among others, is pretty cool," RTR team principal Cunningham said. "We're ready to go, and we're going to show the competition what the Acura TLX GT can do."
#33
6G TLX-S
^^^^^
at the TLX-GT car.
at the TLX-GT car.
#34
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Thread Starter
In-car view at Mid Ohio.
#35
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Thread Starter
Acura PR:
The Acura TLX GT race car continued to improve Sunday at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, moving further up the field in the second race of the Pirelli World Challenge doubleheader, until contact while fighting for 10th place forced driver Peter Cunningham to an unscheduled pit stop, and an unrepresentative 19th-place finish.
Unlike Saturday’s rain-shortened opener, Sunday’s 50-minute timed event ran under sunny skies and warm temperatures. Starting 19th in the 44-car field, Cunningham quickly made up six positions in his RealTime Racing Acura, when a multi-car crash in Turn 3 on the second lap brought out the first of two full-course cautions. On the restart, while attempting to move into the top 10, contact from another competitor sent the Acura briefly off course, and then to pit lane for a quick damage inspection.
Cunningham quickly rejoined the race, but was now one lap down on the leaders. The Acura ran problem-free for the rest of the contest, with Cunningham’s lap times showing near constant improvement, as the veteran racer turned his fastest lap of the weekend in the final lap of the race.
Developed from the production Acura TLX by HPD and RealTime Racing, the Acura TLX GT features HPD chassis and aerodynamic performance parts approved for Pirelli World Challenge competition. It is powered by a direct-injected, twin-turbocharged V6 engine, developed by HPD from the production TLX, and will utilize all-wheel drive, as found in Acura’s SH-AWD system.
Video News Releases from this weekend’s Pirelli World Challenge and IndyCar Series action at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course are being posted on a new, specially created “Honda Racing/HPD Trackside” YouTube channel produced by the Carolinas Production Group. CPG will be providing video highlights packages following Honda Racing/HPD events during 2014. The video packages can be found at: youtube.com/hondaracingtrackside.
The Pirelli World Challenge resumes August 22-24 with another doubleheader weekend at the Raceway at Sonoma, located just north of San Francisco, California.
Peter Cunningham (owner/driver, RealTime Racing Acura TLX GT): “The Acura TLX GT performed well all weekend, especially considering that this was our first opportunity to compete against this impressive Pirelli World Challenge GT field. The TLX gets faster with every lap. In fact, the last lap of today’s race was our fastest of the weekend! Thanks for the great job from everyone at RealTime Racing and HPD for the solid debut.”
#36
Senior Moderator
Well hopefully they keep improving and start to be top 5 or better competitive
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