The Acura ARX-06 endurance race car debuted August 19 at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, during Monterey Car Week. The machine then made its inaugural competition in January at the Rolex 24 in Daytona and challenged the IMSA 2023 WeatherTech SportsCar GTP Championship.
Power for this race car comes from the new Acura AR24e 2.4 liter, twin-turbocharged V6. It makes the maximum 671 horsepower (500 kilowatts) mandated by the rules and spins to 10,000 rpm. The combustion chamber design allows the powerplant to run on low-carbon fuel.
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The series rules mandate the use of the Bosch Motor Generator Unit and the Williams Advanced Engineering battery pack. Acura’s crew had to develop software to ensure its combustion engine could work with the hybrid portion of this powertrain.
The ARX-06 styling includes a large front splitter and a floating element above it that also holds the headlights part of the headlights. The rear includes fins that extend from the cockpit to the wings. The end plate attaches to the lower bodywork.
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Part of the development included rendering the cockpit in VR and putting future drivers into the car. They suggested lowering the rearview mirror to a place just behind the front fender. This gave them better outside visibility and turned out to be a more aerodynamically efficient positioning for the vehicle.
This class rule requires manufacturers to select one of four approved chassis, but manufacturers can then apply bodywork that matches their brand’s look. The ARX-06 uses a carbon fiber monocoque base from ORECA. The company previously worked with Acura on the ARX-05 DPi.
“We look forward to the challenge of racing Porsche, BMW and GM in the IMSA peak GTP championship. We are very aware that this is a big step for us. We have a lot to learn, but that’s why racing,” said David Salters, president and technical director of Honda Performance Development.
Wayne Taylor Racing and Meyer Shank Racing will compete on the ARX-06 in 2023. The team is already campaigning for the ARX-05 in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. As of this writing, the drivers for these teams hold the top four positions in the draw points standings.
