Acura NSX to make racing debut at 2016 Pikes Peak

Serving as the pace car for the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb last year, the Acura NSX will be competing in the 100th running for the event. A pair of NSXs plus an all-electric prototype will take on this year's challenge.

The first NSX will be raced under the Time Attack 1 category and gets light modifications. These include weight reduction, a racing exhaust, uprated suspension and other safety gear such as a rollcage. The car entered for the Time Attack 2 category will be closer to the factory version and adds extra safety equipment.

Honda engineers and brothers Nick and James Robinson will be piloting each of the NSXs with James driving the Time Attack 1 racer and Nick with the Time Attack 2 car. Both cars run on the NSX's stock powertrain; The 3.5 liter i-VTEC biturbo V6 engine with two electric motors plus a “Twin Motor Unit” to provide drive to the front wheels. With the engine and electric motors, combined output is rated at 581 PS and can reach a top speed of 307 kilometers per hour.

Acura will also be racing an all-electric NSX for the hillclimb. The new electric racer follows up on least year's CR-Z EV racing prototype and will adapt four electric motors in Acura's halo car. Honda engineers also claim that the NSX EV prototype will have three times more power than the CR-Z EV prototype.

The 2016 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will start on June 26 and finish on June 28.