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Its a race car. They make changes to get the best performance out of it. Since its a Mid-engine car the traditional FWD - RWD chassis question does not really apply.
Have not seen a body off picture but expect a normal racing rear suspension has been put in the car replacing the twin electric motor one of the production car. The AWD front suspension would be canned & replaced with a traditional RWD package.
This 2017 TLX is also now RWD so expect the Honda system is not comparable to the Audi package in a FWD race car.
A number of other Mid-Engine cars Ferrari, Lamborghini etc come is both AWD & RWD. But again they are mid-engine chassis not FWD RWD or AWD specific although you will not see FWD versions of these cars.
Last edited by BEAR-AvHistory; 03-27-2016 at 06:41 AM.
Messed up the cut & past transfer from spell check. Sentence should read
"Replacing the twin electric motor one of the production car the AWD front suspension would be canned & replaced with a traditional RWD package."
The engine & transmission/differential unit (transaxle) are already behind the driver so it would not be a hard conversion. More taking stuff out than putting stuff in.
Last edited by BEAR-AvHistory; 03-27-2016 at 07:29 AM.
Honestly, I don't care if it comes in last place. Honda making RWD cars again is what matters to ME with the hope that it may trickle down into a street car.
Honestly, I don't care if it comes in last place. Honda making RWD cars again is what matters to ME with the hope that it may trickle down into a street car.
Honestly, I don't care if it comes in last place. Honda making RWD cars again is what matters to ME with the hope that it may trickle down into a street car.
But the problem is that if the Honda RWD race cars are not up to it, it makes Honda even more reluctant to start developing RWD production vehicles.
I guess you and I have different interpretations of what that article says. To me, it looks the performance of the TLX GT cars is promising in the very least.
That is one bad start! Surprising as FWD TSX were very competitive in past races against RWD 3-series and alike (Speed Challenge). No longer the same crowd though.
That is one bad start! Surprising as FWD TSX were very competitive in past races against RWD 3-series and alike (Speed Challenge). No longer the same crowd though.
Bingo ! You hit the nail right on its head.
Tell Acura/RealTime-Racing it's not the same crowd, because the TLX is currently competing in the vehicle class that used to belong to the 1G NSX.
FWD-platform cars (with < 300hp) will perform extremely well racing in the GTS class, even against the < 300hp RWD competitors, as demonstrated by the highly successful RealTime Acura Integra/RSX/TSX race cars in the low-power GTS race series.
But once the vehicle class (GT class) bumps up to the 400+hp level, FWD-platform cars are no good against the 400+hp genuine RWD contenders, no matter how RealTime Racing butchers up the FWD TLX to become the AWD TLX-GT or the RWD TLX-GT.
Previously it was always the 1G NSX racing against all these high-power RWD race cars in the GT class, and the FWD Integra/RSX/TSX racing in the low-power GTS class.
The TLX sedan is simply not in the same league as the NSX supercar; not in the showroom, and also not on the race tracks.
So please put things back in the right place, and let the new NSX, rather than the TLX, to compete with the high-power RWD big boys in the GT class.
Also, return the TLX-GT back into the stock showroom form, and let it compete in the low-power GTS class, just like the good old days.
Tell Acura/RealTime-Racing it's not the same crowd, because the TLX is currently competing in the vehicle class that used to belong to the 1G NSX.
FWD-platform cars (with < 300hp) will perform extremely well racing in the GTS class, even against the < 300hp RWD competitors, as demonstrated by the highly successful RealTime Acura Integra/RSX/TSX race cars in the low-power GTS race series.
But once the vehicle class (GT class) bumps up to the 400+hp level, FWD-platform cars are no good against the 400+hp genuine RWD contenders, no matter how RealTime Racing butchers up the FWD TLX to become the AWD TLX-GT or the RWD TLX-GT.
Previously it was always the 1G NSX racing against all these high-power RWD race cars in the GT class, and the FWD Integra/RSX/TSX racing in the low-power GTS class.
The TLX sedan is simply not in the same league as the NSX supercar; not in the showroom, and also not on the race tracks.
So please put things back in the right place, and let the new NSX, rather than the TLX, to compete with the high-power RWD big boys in the GT class.
Also, return the TLX-GT back into the stock showroom form, and let it compete in the low-power GTS class, just like the good old days.
Actually no.
The RWD TLX is a true RWD car. Engine setback etc removes all FWD characteristics/issues in high horsepower cars. New setups like the TLX/RWD running against dialed in ones will always have issues getting around the course with the other cars.
They have only screwed up if they do not improve their lap times race to race. The GT class handicapping system will also help the car as it will get no weight or intake restrictor limitations the heavy hitters are saddled with.
Example the StingRay competition cars put out less power that the street versions & carry more ballast.
You're right. Acura shouldn't push the envelope, try innovating, and compete in the less challenging class.
There is always a fine line between genius and stupidity.
If you're right, then a F3 championship winning team should leave the "less challenging" F3 race series, and start using a souped-up F3 race car to compete in the Formula 1 race series, against all the F1 big boys !?
No, that's not the right way.
The right way for the F3 championship winning team to move up in the sport, is to use their own F1 race car to compete in the Formula 1 race series. Use the right car for the job.
Also, it is no less challenging for the RealTime/Acura team to race the new NSX in the PWC GT class, because even with the caliber of the NSX-level race car, it is no easy feat for the unproven new NSX to kick the butts of all those RWD GT big boys such as Audi R8 LMS, McLaren 650S, Porsche 911 GT3, Nissan GT-R, Aston Martin Vantage GT3, and Bentley Continental GT3.
What Acura should be doing pushing the envelope, trying innovating, and competing with other automakers, in a more practical purpose, is to :
- develop V8/V10/V12 or high-power twin-turbo V6 mass production engines for the entire Acura vehicle lines,
- develop RWD production vehicle chassis for Acura vehicles,
- develop 2-door production Acura coupe,
- develop turbo-diesel production engines,
- develop high-power, high-performance Acura model trims,
- develop high-performance electric cars, like the BMW i8.
There is always a fine line between genius and stupidity.
If you're right, then a F3 championship winning team should leave the "less challenging" F3 race series, and start using a souped-up F3 race car to compete in the Formula 1 race series, against all the F1 big boys !?
No, that's not the right way.
The right way for the F3 championship winning team to move up in the sport, is to use their own F1 race car to compete in the Formula 1 race series. Use the right car for the job.
Also, it is no less challenging for the RealTime/Acura team to race the new NSX in the PWC GT class, because even with the caliber of the NSX-level race car, it is no easy feat for the unproven new NSX to kick the butts of all those RWD GT big boys such as Audi R8 LMS, McLaren 650S, Porsche 911 GT3, Nissan GT-R, Aston Martin Vantage GT3, and Bentley Continental GT3.
What Acura should be doing pushing the envelope, trying innovating, and competing with other automakers, in a more practical purpose, is to :
- develop V8/V10/V12 or high-power twin-turbo V6 mass production engines for the entire Acura vehicle lines,
- develop RWD production vehicle chassis for Acura vehicles,
- develop 2-door production Acura coupe,
- develop turbo-diesel production engines,
- develop high-power, high-performance Acura model trims,
- develop high-performance electric cars, like the BMW i8.
Nearly everything you suggested they should do, will never ever happen. Miracle to see a TT V6 in the nsx, miracle to see a rwd based nsx. Acura is a side thought for honda, not a true luxury division like lexus. Therefore, you will never see V8,V10,V12 or V6 TT on a honda product and therefore never an acura product. And diesel? Forget about it. Honda wants to invest as little as possible into Acura while remaining profitable. With the latest generation Acuras even showing strong evidence of cost cutting in really poorly thought out areas. The rdx in the US for example does not even have a sensor for low washing fluid anymore while the 1G did. Also there is a LOT of issues with rear and front shock issues on the mdx and rdx. Stuff that wasn't there on the 1G/2G models.
The issue with that of course, is Acura will never ever be looked at as a true luxury brand. Imho it currently is not even a tier 2 premium brand, more like tier 2.5. Toyota made a few engines Lexus specific, while honda almost shares every engine (minus the nsx of course) in various states of tune with Acura products. I don't necessarily think rwd is important because shawd is fully capable of sending enough torque to the rear when it counts, but I do think rwd based luxury vehicles is a good base for any luxury company.
I am curious to see how it all unfolds in the next few years, would love to eat my words.
^^^Acura has been under new management for a while now. I wouldn't call anything impossible for now
Main issue is the are totally tied to the Honda series cars. As a stand alone Acura does not bring in the kind of revenue required for separate engine & platform architecture.
When talking about V12 engines etc even Lamborghini does not develop its own V12's. They are a shared project with Audi.
Not sure but I don't believe Honda even has a home market V8 auto engine to use as a development base.
Its not that they can't do it, they go from 1 cylinder's to TurboJets, but they need to see the need to do it. The question they need to answer is how many incremental sales will they gain by producing a V8 Acura with the current body sizes.
I would look to them developing a car bigger than the RLX like a S Class or 7 series as a tip they are looking at a V8.
Hyundai is a good model. They got beat up pretty good trying to establish a high end brand with their first efforts here. That said they had home market large/limo/government type cars that were large & running V8's to leverage.
So after the initial head handed to them era they have split off Genesis & are ready to get into the large car V8 ring with the Germans, British & Americans.
Toyota went the same way with large home market Toyota cars not initially imported here as the base for Lexus.
Be interesting to see if getting their fingers burned a few times trying to step up with Honda Accord based cars if they will make the investment required for the $65,000 & up market.
^^^Acura has been under new management for a while now. I wouldn't call anything impossible for now
I would. While there is new management at Acura, overall, it's still the same people running Honda. And Honda approves/disapproves anything Acura does.
So while there should be some optimism for the future, let's be real here. Acura has NEVER had a RWD vehicle, save for the NSX, and I am willing to bet they never will have a RWD vehicle.
I think Acura may move to some sportier offerings, but expecting Lexus/BMW/Audi/MB battles to start happening is realistically out of question. Don't get me wrong- I'd love to see it. But I've been with this brand for far too long to expect something crazy like that to happen.
^^^Acura has been under new management for a while now. I wouldn't call anything impossible for now
What Tacobello said.
Originally Posted by BEAR-AvHistory
Main issue is the are totally tied to the Honda series cars. As a stand alone Acura does not bring in the kind of revenue required for separate engine & platform architecture.
When talking about V12 engines etc even Lamborghini does not develop its own V12's. They are a shared project with Audi.
Not sure but I don't believe Honda even has a home market V8 auto engine to use as a development base.
Its not that they can't do it, they go from 1 cylinder's to TurboJets, but they need to see the need to do it. The question they need to answer is how many incremental sales will they gain by producing a V8 Acura with the current body sizes.
I would look to them developing a car bigger than the RLX like a S Class or 7 series as a tip they are looking at a V8.
Hyundai is a good model. They got beat up pretty good trying to establish a high end brand with their first efforts here. That said they had home market large/limo/government type cars that were large & running V8's to leverage.
So after the initial head handed to them era they have split off Genesis & are ready to get into the large car V8 ring with the Germans, British & Americans.
Toyota went the same way with large home market Toyota cars not initially imported here as the base for Lexus.
Be interesting to see if getting their fingers burned a few times trying to step up with Honda Accord based cars if they will make the investment required for the $65,000 & up market.
That is exactly it, and exactly my point that Acura will never have engine options they cannot put into honda products. I think the nsx even only got the tech it did because honda sells the nsx as the honda nsx in certain markets. I bet they would have sold it with a naturally aspirated 3.5 if they could.
Hyundai and toyota make mean V8 engines. The Hyundai Tau series V8 engines are actually really really good engines. While toyota also makes really good V8 engines, which they use pickup truck V8 engines as the base in some cases.
Good point on selling honda accord based cars for 65+k. Sooooooo true.
Originally Posted by TacoBello
I would. While there is new management at Acura, overall, it's still the same people running Honda. And Honda approves/disapproves anything Acura does.
So while there should be some optimism for the future, let's be real here. Acura has NEVER had a RWD vehicle, save for the NSX, and I am willing to bet they never will have a RWD vehicle.
I think Acura may move to some sportier offerings, but expecting Lexus/BMW/Audi/MB battles to start happening is realistically out of question. Don't get me wrong- I'd love to see it. But I've been with this brand for far too long to expect something crazy like that to happen.
03-26-2016, 12:37 PM
