Acura NSX GT3 Race Car
Looking for a rear-wheel drive non-hybrid version of the Honda NSX? There’s finally one, but there’s a catch – it’s a race car. Making its debut at the 2016 New York International Auto Show is the new Acura NSX GT3 (or Honda NSX GT3 if you’re not American).
Set to make its racing debut in North America in 2017, the NSX is currently undergoing testing and scheduled for homologation as an FIA GT3 class race car this autumn. Many of the road-going production car’s characteristics are retained on the racer, with a few modifications to make it a more potent on track.
The NSX GT3 gets its power from a a 3.5 litre twin-turbocharged DOHC V6 engine. The mill uses the same design specifications as the engine in the production car, including the block, heads, valvetrain, crankshaft, pistons and dry sump lubrication system.
However, instead of a nine-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and Honda’s Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive (SH-AWD) system, the NSX GT3 will employ a six-speed sequential-shift racing gearbox, sending an undisclosed amount of power to the rear wheels.
The racer will also utilise the production NSX’s ultra-rigid and lightweight multi-material body with aluminium-intensive space frame. On the exterior, the NSX GT3 features custom bodywork and aero components with all the bells and whistles. This includes front canards, splitters, side skirts, smaller wing mirrors, hood vents, underbody diffuser and deck wing spoiler.
As for the interior, nearly every item that has no racing purpose has been omitted. What remains is a carbon-fibre racing bucket seat, a full roll cage, various switchgear, digital instrument cluster and a racing steering wheel. At least there’s acres of bare carbon-fibre to look at, which is nice.
Development of the NSX GT3 was done at Honda’s Japan race engineering arm with tests being done at race circuits in Europe and Japan. The company’s North American race engineering group, Honda Performance Development (HPD) will provide additional development, testing and final homologation to FIA GT3 global racing specifications.
GALLERY: Honda NSX at Tokyo 2015
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