Acura is Racing at Pikes Peak..With a 2019 RDX

You may have seen Volkswagen’s wild 670 hp ID R racer for Pikes Peak. Well, now Acura has presented its racer for 2018’s edition of the annual hillclimb race, and let’s just say it’s a bit more run-of-the-mill than VW’s.  The race-ready RDX joins three other production-based Acura racecars participating in Pikes Peak this year –  a TLX GT, a TLX A-Spec and an NSX. The RDX will be piloted by Pikes Peak rookie Jordan Guitar, who is a member of Acura R&D’s North American Chassis Development Group.

The SUV is based on the production version of the SUV, and as such features the same 2.0-liter VTEC engine, 10-speed automatic transmission and ‘Super Handling’ all‐wheel drive system. The vehicle has been fitted with a 48V mild hybrid system for a performance boost and its interior has been stripped to help save weight. It will compete in the Exhibition Class of the hillclimb event and Acura hopes the big and burly SUV can finish well in its Pikes Peak debut.

Acura will also serve as the official pace car sponsor for Pikes Peak this year, lending the event a 2019 RDX A-Spec, along with RDX and MDX track-support vehicles. If you want to see the four Acura racecars up close, they will be on display alongside the pace vehicles at the Pikes Peak fan fest in downtown Colorado Springs from 5 pm to 10 pm MDT on Friday, June 22nd.

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