[ilx_stylez]

unk:

Been keeping an ear out for this to happen and now here it is. Acura just debut its ILX endurance car.

I found some interesting content about this car and just wanted to share with you guys. Enjoy!

SURVIVING THE 25 HOURS OF THUNDERHILL

It was the home stretch… the sun was still barely above the horizon and there were just a short five hours left in one of the most grueling endurance races there is. This was the hero shot: Speedhunters’ very own Edward Sandström, who had traveled all the way from Europe to help the Honda Research West team bring the brand new Acura ILX to the finish line.

Just two days earlier Edward was staring off into the horizon, looking at a circuit that he had never driven on, in a country that he had never competed in. There was a huge challenge ahead for him and the hundreds of other drivers that would be competing that weekend.

It was just as much of a challange for the mechanics and engineers as well. Many of the cars did not pass sound restrictions, so last minute modifications were made in order to pass technical inspection.

After some testing the HRW team had some cooling issues, so they did everything they could to improve airflow to the radiator.

 

[ilx_stylez]

There was still much to do on the cars as qualifying was later that day. On top of that, the team still had to get a few supplies. Edward volunteered, so we both headed into town.

It was so funny for me to watch Edward’s first experience inside a Walmart. He was going through some major sensory overload.

I understand where he was coming from, because last time I was in Europe I paid six euros for a single bottle of water. That was nearly the cost of 48 bottles of water at Walmart, so Edward stocked up.

It was also time to get some snacks to keep everyone awake for the duration of the race.

 

[ilx_stylez]

I think Edward approved of this ‘shop till you drop’ establishment. He was one step closer to becoming an honorary Yankee like Fredric Aasbø.

When we got back, the drivers were setting all their seating positions. Because there are five drivers per car there were likely five different seating positions as everyone’s body is just a little bit different.

I have to admit I had no idea this sort of team existed within Honda. I’ve heard of Nissan engineers campaigning the GT-R at the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring, but this was different.

These guys do it on their own, and they even spend their own money to run this race team. Why do they do this? It is because they love racing – they are marketing guys and engineers who all believe in the product.

 

[ilx_stylez]

A few guys even came all the way from Japan to help out, because much of the car was designed there.

It was like watching a baby taking its first steps, as it was the Acura’s first race ever.

But I wondered how is it that there are so many people within Honda North America who have the skill to help run an endurance racer like this.

It turns out this program has been running for years, and it helps breed great mechanics, tire changers, fuelers and most of all drivers.

Everyone still has their day job at Honda, and the reason why they are working there in the first place is because they have a passion for cars and car culture.

 

[Domani]

Wow about time it made it's official debut, can't wait for some video's to hear how it sounds.

That's one ghetto looking exhaust!

 

[ilx_stylez]

It seems the motoring gods had plans to test the team’s limits. Edward was getting some much needed rest, but I was still wide awake when car number 27 came in with transmission problems during the night.

They tried shifting through all the gears, but doing so just confirmed their suspicions.

They would have to change the gearbox and give up the battle for first place in the E1 class.

The team was absolutely crushed, but they had to press on in order to finish the race.

It took an hour and a half to swap out the transmission. Pretty good if you ask me, considering they had to drop the sub-frame in the process.

 

[ilx_stylez]

Everyone was exhausted. I could tell they all needed rest, as most of them had been up for 20 hours already.

The number 25 car was running great, but later on in the night it developed a crack in the headers.

So it pulled in, and since they did not have a spare header the owner of a Honda volunteered his personal Civic as a parts car.

They ended up getting the broken one welded, which took over two hours. By the end of the night most of the team’s personal cars were turned into parts donors. Exhaust hangers were taken off of a Honda Odyssey. No car was safe.

 

[acura-dude77]

this just shows how much abuse a honda engine can take after continuous beating on the track. Im sure not all manufacturers can do this. I remember the Redline Tsx endurance racers they had were like bulletproof, not like i would do anything like this to my ILX but interesting to see for sure.

 

[Domani]

that ghetto exhaust looks like piping you'd see in a house LOL

 

[ilx_stylez]

Yeah thats true it does look like something from under the sink but the most important part is that it worked!