They've thrown their hat into the ring for next year and it seems beyond: Read here: http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=214745
To me this is great news (I drive an Acura), and that car looks awesome. Mark Image Unavailable, Please Login
Going after Audi in LMP1 and the Porsche Spider in LMP2.... Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Cool post. I love those cars, so in my book the more the better. I don't want to stir up the same old DP vs ALMS debate, but in my opinion that's what a racing car should look like. Not the Daytona style.
That thing is awsome. I really hope Honda applies all of this technology (and that learned from F1) to their next NSX rather than take the Toyota route of making no sports cars. It will be nice to have a new car in the field. - Chris
The rear wing and diffuser looks like an afterthought. The top pic looks best because you can't see it. I am in favor of competition, even if it is the cheatin dirty japs (wearing Anglo suits in that pic I guess). Just one more venue for em to get spanked! Sorry, that was my g'pa talkin. He hijacked my brain for a minute. Haha.
I agree. I'm happy to see another major manufacturer giving full factory support to the series. 2007 should be a great season.
That car is the French Courage LC75 though. I have seen the LMP1 version (LC70) of that car out on track twice now (Paul Ricard and Istanbul), and although it looks very good it also has a series of speed and reliability problems. On another note, the works Courage team uses the 4.5 litre version of the Mugen V8 as of this year; possibly a test bed for a future Acura/Honda LMP1 car.
I am also a Honda nut and have raced an Acura product for two season now. I happy to see Acura step up to ALMS but I doubt they will go past the LMP2 class. I was an ardent follower of Acura Racing (Comptech back then) when they competed in the GTP Camel Lights category back in the early 90's with the Comptech/Acura/Spice car. They dominated that category for over five years and won a string of titles but they never had the budget to step up to the big GTP class. I think ultimately Porsche will step up to LMP1 and is using LMP2 as a test bed for the big show. I think Acura (or Honda) will remain in LMP2. It is exciting though to see Acura in Lemans style racing. JK
Actually, both are state-of-the-art within the rules. What makes you think that? Porsche has not said anything about moving to P1 whereas Acura has stated intent to move to P1. *LeVar Burton voice on* But you don't have to take my word for it... "After initial competition in the LMP2 class, plans call for the development of an Acura LMP1 chassis and engine package to compete in the American Le Mans Series, and earn an invitation to the 24 Hours of Le Mans"
They had plans to enter GTP back in the late 80's but once they found out the cost they stuck with Camel Lights. I just don't see where the brand marketing is going to lead them or their customer base. Most Acura owners are in their early 30's to late 40's. Most are not the same customer base who buy BMW's or Audis (just look at BMWCCA and the Audi Club.....no Acura club). Who are they marketing to??? The car enthusiasts who drive Acura's are college aged kids with 10 year old Integras and they know more about street racing then professional racing. I think much like Lexus gains nothing from it's Grand Am Cup forways a few years ago in terms of car sales, Acura is going to hit the same problem. I also think that once Porsche (speculation again) enters LMP1 costs are going to skyrocket. I can't see Honda spending close to a trillion dollars on F1, IRL/CART (if they merge), World Superbikes and then ALMS. Just my opinion and may turn out to be wrong. regards, JK
Interesting thought and it makes more sense when elaborated. I personally think Acura will do it because they don't have a world class race team yet (unless you count the Speed WC team, but that isn't world class IMO) and I think that you might be incorrect about the average buyers. I think the new RL is targeted at people in their 40's, perhaps a bit later, who want a luxo-barge with less barginess. I think it is the enthusiast's full-size sedan now that everything German weighs so much. While not so many Acura owners might race their vehicles, that shouldn't stop them from being race fans. I think this is evidenced by the Acura Pre-Race Show for F1. Acura is now bigger than they were in the GTP days and can afford to go big-time racing. I expect an engine tie-in with the next NSX which would further justify costs. The only thing that worries me is the rules advantage diesels currently enjoy. That would keep me out of LeMans if I were Acura, but I think those rules will change. Anyway, healthy debate is good and I see what you're saying even though I disagree.
This is great news simply because we see manufacturers distancing themselves further and further from factory racing efforts due to cost. As F1 creeps further and further away from being a showcase of manufacturer technology and closer and closer toward being a high end spec racing series, hopefully this means the innovation and creativity formerly brought to F1 by the manufacturers will surface in ALMS/ELMS. We're already seeing it with Audi's R10, in fact. I know JGTC is popular in Asia, but it would also be nice to see an Asian Le Mans Series, too.
Somebody thought it would be nice, too. Japan actually has their own series. I believe it is called All Japan Sports Car Endurance Series but I can't find the homepage. Anyway, it is basically Japan's version of ALMS like you suggest.
Always good points JK. But, I'm not sure Porsche will be entering LMP1. There was a rumor that Don Panoz actually paid the development cost of the Porsche LMP2 and while both Porsche and Don denied it they didn't seem too convincing. If this was true I think Porsche would be happy to simply keep the momentum going with the current car and stay in LMP2 for a good many years. I do however think you're right about the current Acura owner. Acura may simply see this as an investment in the future. The current boy racers will certainly mature and as they do their racing tastes will change. Look at all of the muscle car guys in the 70, the 80s came around they were older, had more cash and they bought Porsches (a generalization but I think a good one). Did Porsches road racing have anything to do with that? Possibly. It certainly doesn't hurt to have promotional material of a sophisticated high tech road racer in the showroom. Maybe Acura feels that trend will repeat itself. Or maybe they feel they can make it repeat themselves. Either way I'm happy to see road racing starting to come back. What would really help is if the "LMP3" class would ever get going. There are a lot of great little cars out there that could be run by weekend racers. If Porsche, Jaguar, Honda and others were to help that class of cars by having relatively low cost crate engines for the competitor it would only help the situation.
