While Acura’s big-ticket Monterey debut has come and gone, enthusiasts are getting a pleasant surprise in the form of the Integra Type S HRC Prototype. Short for “Honda Racing Corporation,” HRC is a byproduct of the company’s factory racing efforts, and it wants to offer some of the fruits of those efforts to Integra owners. This may look like a mere dress-up package, but don’t be fooled. There’s more to this prototype than meets the eye.
“Everything is functional,” HRC Senior VP Jon Ikeda says. “If it doesn’t add performance, it isn’t on the car.”
Bold words. Let’s break it down, shall we? Acura says the HRC prototype touches on “all elements of the driving experience.” They also placed an emphasis on weight reduction. In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s no back seat. Acura also strategically replaced several interior pieces with carbon fiber.
If you really want to save every pound possible, the HRC package offers what Acura describes (curiously, for a “prototype” that can’t be ordered) an “optional” air conditioning delete package. Whenever we point out how faithfully Honda and Acura translate their prototypes to production, think back to this moment. The runway has already been cleared. That said, deleting air conditioning seems decidedly less-than-luxurious, but then your author has been known to use his heated steering wheel during early morning track sessions.
But I digress. Let’s get back to the go-fast bits, of which there are several. when Acura said “all elements” of the experience had been touched, they clarified by specifically citing the engine, suspension and brakes. The 2.0-liter turbo-four now benefits from a larger intercooler on the induction side and a new, lightweight cat-back on the exhaust side. It now sports dual oil coolers as well; combined with the beefier intercooler, that should help keep heat soak in check during prolonged track sessions. And yes, Acura said the engine’s output was improved, but did not offer any explicit horsepower or torque figures. Engine: Check.
The chassis sits 15mm lower on a new set of coilovers. The front and rear sway bars and rear camber plates are all adjustable — inherited from Acura’s Integra Type S HRC TCX race car along with the aforementioned engine upgrades. It also gets six-piston Brembos up front and two-piece rotors at all four corners (for reduced unsprung mass as much as any cool factor, Acura says). The wheels are 19 x 9.5 inches and come with a set of Pirelli P Zero Trofeo Rs in 265/30ZR19. Suspension and brakes? Check and check.
The aforementioned efforts to pull weight out of the cabin only tell part of the HRC’s interior story. Kitted out like it’s ready to tackle an SCCA hill climb, it comes with a huge rear cross brace with attachment solutions for multipoint racing harnesses. The interior bits are color-matched to the prototype’s Indy Yellow exterior. The visible upgrades on the exterior are functional too. The revised front fascia improves downforce on the nose and incorporates cooling ducts for the front brakes. The hood vent is a functional heat extractor, and both the side splitters and adjustable rear wing contribute to the HRC’s aerodynamic improvement.
Acura will have the Integra Type S HRC on display alongside the EV Performance Concept at The Quail after its debut at 10:36 p.m. local time.
