Currently reading: Honda NSX EV to compete at Pikes Peak hillclimb - new pictures

Two examples of the Japanese supercar will tackle the daunting Colorado hillclimb later this month; all-electric prototype version also entered

A pair of Honda NSX supercars will take part in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado later this month. The Japanese company’s North American division, Acura, will also field an fully electric prototype vehicle mated to an NSX’s body.

The two Acura-badged NSXs will be piloted by brothers James and Nick Robinson, who will compete in the Time Attack 1 and 2 classes respectively at the daunting 4300-metre hillclimb. The brothers both work for the company's North American engineering team.

Read Autocar's review of the Honda NSX road car

Both cars are powered the same three-motor, all-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain as the production NSX, but the NSX competing in Time Attack 1 has performance-enhancing modifications such a lightened chassis and a high-flow racing exhaust. The NSX competing in the Time Attack 2 class is a production car fitted with the required safety equipment for competition.

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"Pikes Peak is like no other race in the world and offers a unique opportunity to showcase the power and performance of our products," said Jon Ikeda, vice president and general manager of the Acura division.

"We are excited for this year's 'Race to the Clouds' to test the endurance and engineering of the Acura NSX and our advanced powertrain technologies – as well as an expression of our racing spirit."

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The supercar-inspired 4-Motor EV Concept will be driven by Tetsuya Yamano, who campaigned a Honda CR-Z-based electric prototype is last year’s hillclimb.

The system has an all-electric version of Honda’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive powertrain, and is capable of independent torque allocation to each of the four driven wheels. It is an evolution of the powertrain used in the CR-Z prototype, but produces three times the total system output.

Last year the Honda NSX was the official pace car of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. This year's event takes place on 26 June.

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Factczech 20 June 2016

If...

Honda should take that fat pig to Le Mans i it is to be taken seriously... Hiding it among modified road cars is nt the way to make a statement in the supercar league...
Let's see you on a real track, in WEC, there is where all the big boys play....
TegTypeR 20 June 2016

The theory is that this is an

The theory is that this is an idea motorsport showcase for an EV. A preset course distance where the weight and battery can be optimised for the run.