Acura never tried to get into racing rally, but that did not prevent a young team of engineers from the manufacturer from trying it. In fact, Acura has just given birth to a Integra modified to face the toughest rallies. And she plans to use it in a real racing event.
Why not?
Honda remains discreet about its real intentions behind this project. What we do know is that the rally Integra was initially a project led by the Honda Auto Development Center, based in Raymond, Ohio. According to the builder, the primary objective was to allow the Center to expand its manufacturing and construction skills.
More recently, however, on the HART Instagram account (For Honda of America Racing Team) — a racing association mainly made up of employees of the manufacturer — we could see an announcement which said that the rally Integra would finally be entered in the LSPR event (for Lake Superior Performance Rally), which will be held in Michigan this week. The vehicle will race in the Limited 2WD category.
Rally debut?
Could this be a way for Acura to quietly get involved in rally racing? It is still too early to know, and we are still awaiting an official response from Honda Canada on the subject.
As for the car in question, it is interesting to note that it is not a Type S, but an ordinary Integra. It is therefore powered by the 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that we already know.
Due to the regulations of the Limited 2WD category, its mechanics must remain original. So we can expect the same 200 horsepower as the production model. Only tires, brakes and suspensions can be modified. A protective cage must also be installed in the vehicle. Is this an Integra equipped with a CVT or the 6-speed manual gearbox? That is still unknown, but logically, the manual gearbox would be prioritized to allow the driver to better control the car.
Speaking of driver, the rally Integra will be driven by Chris Sladek, a well-known mechanical engineer at Honda. His co-pilot, John Sharps, is rather well-known in the manufacturing sector.
