Honda to race new NSX

Acura NSX

Honda plans a motorsports future for the next-generation Acura NSX hybrid sports car unveiled in concept form at January's Detroit auto show.

Honda Performance Development president Erik Berkman revealed that plans to race the mid-engined car are already under discussion. He said that Honda will most likely develop the NSX to take on Ferrari, Porsche and Chevrolet in accordance with the Le Mans GTE rule book.

“The new NSX is being designed and built in America and will be developed for racing in the U.S. by HPD," he said. “I think it will be raced in GTE, but that is being studied right now. We are looking to see how many variations of the car we can do for various classes.

“What we are saying is that the car will race but not where and when."

Berkman said that discussions are under way already with the Automobile Club de l'Ouest at Le Mans and that they encompass the inclusion of hybrid race cars in GTE.

The new NSX, shown at Detroit with a 3.5-liter V6 combined with Acura's hybrid all-wheel-drive system and two electric motors, is due to go on sale in 2014, and Berkman said he expects it will race in 2015. AutoWeek