Honda Performance Development

Honda Performance Development
Racing company
Industry Sports Car Racing
Founded 1993
Headquarters Santa Clarita, California
Area served
 Worldwide
Products Race cars, racing motors, racing products
Parent American Honda Motor Co.
Website hpd.honda.com

Honda Performance Development, Inc. (HPD) is a subsidiary of American Honda Motor Co.[1][2][3][4] which was established in 1993 and is based in Santa Clarita, California. It is the technical operations center for Honda's American motorsports programs and is involved in the design and development of race engines and chassis for auto racing series such as the IndyCar Series, American Le Mans Series (ALMS), Le Mans Series (LMS), FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and Super GT.[5]

Sports car racing

In 2006, Honda through its Acura brand, announced their plans to develop a Le Mans Prototype program for the ALMS, competing in the LMP2 class for the initial year of competition in 2007. The new car, called Acura ARX-01a, was a homologated development of chassis from Courage with a new 3.4 liter V8, the maximum size allowed by the rules being developed by HPD. This was the first V8 ever branded as an Acura as well as the first racing Honda engine built entirely outside Japan. Elements of the Acura V8, dubbed the AL7R, share similar architecture with the Honda engine used in the Indy Racing League although none of the parts are interchangeable. In 2010 Honda dropped the Acura name in favour of HPD and the car is now known as the HPD ARX-01.

In 2007, HPD supplies Vemac RD320R and Vemac RD408R for GT300 cars in Super GT Series with designation C32B.

For the 2012 racing season HPD has decided to forego having a works team and instead focus on being a chassis and engine provider. 2012 will also see the HPD return to the premier class of racing, LMP1, in the Le Mans and FIA World Endurance Championship series.

FIA World Endurance Championship [6]
Class Team Chassis Engine
LMP1 Strakka Racing ARX-03a HPD LM-V8
LMP1 JRM Racing ARX-03a HPD LM-V8
LMP2 Starworks Motorsport ARX-03b HPD HR28TT V6
American Le Mans Series Championship [6]
Class Team Chassis Engine
LMP1 Muscle Milk Racing ARX-03a HPD LM-V8
LMP2 Level 5 Motorsports ARX-03b HPD HR28TT V6
LMP2 Black Swan Racing Lola B11/80 coupe HPD HR28TT V6

For 2017, HPD will leave the Daytona Prototypes class of the IMSA SportsCar Championship, as the Acura NSX will compete at the IMSA Sports Car Championship and Pirelli World Challenge with technical support from HPD.

For 2018, HPD will return to the Prototype class of the IMSA SportsCar Championship, as the ARX-05 will compete at the IMSA Sports Car Championship with technical support from HPD.

References

  1. ↑ Graves, Gary (23 May 2008). "Open-wheel racing's unification revs up Honda's workload". USA Today. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
  2. ↑ "Honda gets respect with its IndyCar". The Washington Times. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
  3. ↑ "HONDAS UNDER HOOD HAVE HOGAN, RAHAL BRINGING UP REAR". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 17 May 1994. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
  4. ↑ "HONDA, TOYOTA AT IT AGAIN.". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
  5. ↑ "Welcome to Honda Performance Development, Inc. - HPD". Honda. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
  6. 1 2
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