Acura to field 2016 NSX as Pikes Peak pace car

Acura will be leading the way up the renowned Colorado Mountain as the next-generation NSX has been chosen to be this year’s pace car for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

"The Acura NSX is the ultimate performance vehicle and a novel way to promote its capabilities is the iconic race up Pikes Peak. As the pace car, the beast that is NSX will not be fully let of its cage, but fans and drivers will still get a first glimpse of the unique character, performance and handling of the NSX in a one-of-a-kind racing environment,” said Mike Accavitti, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Acura Division.

Donning a special racing-inspired livery, the hybrid sports car was specially prepped by Honda R&D Americas who also oversees the development of the NSX. The car will be driven by Sage Marie, the Senior Manager of American Honda Public Relations.

Marie, who is also a two-time Pikes Peak competitor, will be tasked in guiding the 140 participants that will take on the grueling 20 km, 156-turn hill climb that reaches a maximum altitude of nearly 4,300 meters.

The exact specification of the NSX pace car was not detailed though in stock form, the car is powered by a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 along with three electric motors. It is then mated to a 9-speed dual clutch gearbox that drives all four wheels via Acura’s Super Handling-All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system.

Honda added that it has a lightweight chassis and frame as the car combines various composites and materials including high-strength steel panels and a carbon fiber floor.

Acura has yet to state its horsepower rating but there are reports that it is able to develop more than 550 PS.