A couple of weeks before it lifts the veils off the production version of the 2015 TLX at the New York Auto Show, Acura has revealed the racing variant of its new sedan, which will compete in the Pirelli World Challenge competition in the GT category.
RealTime Racing’s driver Peter Cunningham will debut the 2015 Acura TLX GT race car at the May 30-June 1 Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix double-header race weekend. The new TLX GT will face 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 (HPD) and Vice President, Product Planning and Logistics, American Honda.
Based on the production Acura TLX, the racecar is developed by HPD, the racing arm of American Honda. The Acura TLX GT Race Car features HPD chassis and aerodynamic performance parts approved for Pirelli World Challenge competition. The car will be powered by a direct-injected, twin-turbocharged V6 engine, developed by HPD from the normally aspirated, production TLX luxury sport sedan. Just like the production car, it will utilize all-wheel drive.
RealTime Racing will initially field one car for owner/driver Peter Cunningham, with a second car to be added at a later date.
By Dan Mihalascu
PHOTO GALLERY
