Acura teases all new ARX-06 Prototype

This morning Acura Motorsports teased race fans and drivers alike by releasing the first images of their all new, electrified Acura ARX-06 LMDh prototype. Beginning in 2023, the prototype will race in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship hybrid-powered GTP class.

The ARX-06, which stands for Acura Racing Experimental, generation 6, is the latest in the their very successful line of endurance prototypes fielded by the brand since 1991. The exterior style of the ARX-06 was led by the Acura Design Studio in Los Angeles, California, in conjunction with Honda Performance Development, the racing arm for Acura Motorsports and Honda Racing in North America and chassis supplier ORECA, Organisation Exploitation Compétition Automobiles.

Dave Marek, Acura Executive Creative Director, had this to say about the ARX-06, “The process we used in creating the exterior design for the ARX-06 is exactly the same as how we create a new Acura passenger vehicle. The same world-class stylists that lead Acura production car design created initial sketches, then pared those down to several potential designs. Next we created a scale model, did aero and wind tunnel model testing, and brought HPD and our partner teams in for their feedback. The design continued to be refined throughout the testing and evaluation process, until we came up with a final treatment that met our performance goals while maintaining all-important Acura styling cues. It’s been an exciting process.”

When Acura launched in 1986, it took them only 5 years to launch their first endurance prototype and with the ORECA LMDh chassis and Acura specific bodywork, aerodynamics and internal combustion power unit, the ARX-06, looks to be the best yet.

A sweep of all three major IMSA DPi championships, Manufacturers, Drivers and Teams, in 2019 and 2020, along with winning the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2021 and 2022, including a 1-2 finish this season and podium finishes at Sebring, Watkins Glen and Petit Le Mans in 2021, which resulted in a sweep of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup titles for Acura and partner Wayne Taylor Racing, has them coming back for more.

Acura will be continuing their partnerships with proven, race and championship winning organizations Wayne Taylor Racing and Meyer Shank Racing in 2023 with the hybrid powered ARX-06 and race fans and drivers alike can’t wait to see what they accomplish.