Winner of the 2023 Daytona 24 Hours on its racing debut
Driven by Max Verstappen at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024
The 2023 Acura ARX-06
This machine is currently under restoration and will be offered for sale.
In the two years [it took to design, build and develop the Acura ARX-06], I think it's the best thing I’ve been involved in.
The first hybrid winner
The Acura ARX-06 [Acura Racing eXperimental, generation 6] was revealed in 2022 as the latest in a successful line of endurance prototypes. This chassis #2 took victory at the Daytona 24 Hours - particularly significant because it wasn’t just the car’s debut, but also the first race of the new, electrified IMSA GTP sports car era.
Starting from the pole, the Meyer Shank Racing #60 driver lineup of Tom Blomqvist, Colin Braun, Helio Castroneves and Simon Pagenaud led the opening hour and dominated early portions of the race until a series of caution flags closed up the field for the final eight hours. Nonetheless, this chassis held onto the lead and made history as the first hybrid-era winner of the Daytona 24 Hours.
A collaborative programme
Unveiled at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering, in Carmel, California in 2022, the programme was the result of a close collaboration between Honda Performance Development (now HRC US), the Acura Design Studio in Los Angeles, California, and chassis-supplier ORECA [ORganisation Exploitation Compétition Automobiles].
HPD's Vehicle Performance Group worked closely with the ORECA design team and engineers to simulate chassis layout geometries and lap time optimization studies. They also "coded" the new car into HPD's static and dynamic Driver in the Loop simulators to begin development of the car's vehicle dynamics and vehicle dynamic control systems.
Critical to the projects was a clean sheet hybrid powertrain control system, brake-by-wire and vehicle dynamics control system – all written in-house at HPD. This control system architecture was implemented on a Formula 1-spec ECU hardware platform. HPD also utilizes its custom, in-house developed ultra-high speed data logging system.
An all-new hybrid power unit
ARX-06 features an electrified hybrid power unit featuring an equally new, bespoke twin-turbocharged 2.4 liter V6 internal combustion engine designed, developed and manufactured by HPD. At 2.4 liters, this is the smallest displacement ICE conceived by HPD for endurance racing, and the combustion chamber has been designed to run on sustainable low-carbon fuel.
The Acura ARX-06 has elements of our Indy-winning technology, Honda Formula One technology and Rolex 24-winning technology in it. This was achieved using HPD's world-class simulation, design, development and manufacturing technologies; that our own engineers have developed, tested and validated. We are very proud of that.
David Salters, president of HRC US
The hybrid power plant includes an IMSA-specified electric Bosch Motor Generator Unit (MGU) and Williams Advanced Engineering battery pack. The MGU is contained in a common transmission casing and gearbox internals provided by Xtrac. The battery, within the chassis survival cell, is built by Williams Advanced Engineering. The HPD Electrical Group completed both hardware and software development to best match the spec MGU and battery pack to the Acura ICE.
Max Verstappen drives ARX-06 chassis #2
Acura ARX-06 - The Origin Story
Engine Specifications
Name | Acura AR24e |
Configuration | 2.4-liter twin-turbocharged 90° V6 |
Fuel | MS100 Unleaded |
Rev limit | 10,000rpm |
Power (approx.) | 670bhp |
Seasons raced | 2023 - |
Drivetrain | 6-speed sequential, rear-wheel-drive |
