The return of the highly anticipated Acura NSX won't arrive to the market for at least another three years but if we're lucky, we'll get to see the Japanese mid-engine hybrid supercar in action by 2014.
Performance Development (HPD) chief Steve Eriksen has discussed motorsport possibilities for the NSX, especially a form of GT racing to be scheduled as soon as 2014. "We're studying the various series and seeing what would make the most sense. There's certainly regional series that have been traditional NSX venues. Honda has raced in Super GT for years and in the past has been NSX-based."
The Acura NSX hybrid supercar's entry into world endurance racing is as logical as it is interesting as well. However, following the recent announcement of the GRAND-AM and ALMS merger, Acura must understand the outcome of the merger before the brand is willing to commit any sort of involvement.
Of particular concern is GRAND AM's alternative drivetrain categories, which accommodate vehicles that run a hybrid drivetrain. However, current Le Mans GTE rules do not allow hybrid entries at all.
If the NSX endurance racing project does go underway, it won't be the first appearance into the world of endurance racing for the NSX. In fact, the Honda NSX GT1 Turbo has entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1994 through 1996. What's more, one of its star factory drivers was Keiichi Tsuchiya, the legendary "drift king."
More recently, a Honda sports car codenamed HSV-010GT was initially designed to be a successor to the NSX. However, due to economic pressures, Honda scraped the production sports car operation and made the HSV exclusively a Super GT racing platform instead.
Optimistically speaking, we will watch the NSX racing project unfold with great interest. It's been more than a decade since a mid-engine Japanese super car competed against the best in the world.
