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Acura ARX-01

Acura ARX-01
HPD ARX-01
Andretti Green Racing's ARX-01a at Road America.
Category Le Mans Prototype
Constructor Honda Performance Development for Acura
Designer(s) Nick Wirth
Successor Acura ARX-02
Technical specifications
Chassis Carbon fibre and aluminium monocoque
Suspension (front) Double wishbone, coil springs over damper, anti-roll bar
Suspension (rear) Double wishbone, coil springs over damper, anti-roll bar
Axle track 2,000 mm (78.7 in)
Wheelbase 2,870 mm (113.0 in)
Engine 01a, 01B, 01C, 01e: Acura/HPD LM-V8 3.4-litre V8 naturally aspirated, mid-engined, longitudinally mounted.
01d, 01g: HPD HR28TT 2.8-litre V6 turbocharged, mid-engined, longitudinally mounted
Transmission 6-speed sequential manual
Weight appr. 825 kg (1,818.8 lb)
Fuel EPIC Ethanol E10 (ALMS)
BP Ultimate (other competitions)
Lubricants Castrol EDGE
Tyres Michelin, Dunlop
Competition history
Notable entrants United States Andretti Green Racing
United States Highcroft Racing
Mexico Fernández Racing
United States de Ferran Motorsports
United Kingdom Strakka Racing
United Kingdom RML
United States Level 5 Motorsports
Notable drivers Australia David Brabham
United States Scott Sharp
Brazil Gil de Ferran
France Simon Pagenaud
United Kingdom Marino Franchitti
France Franck Montagny
United Kingdom James Rossiter
Brazil Tony Kanaan
United States Bryan Herta
Mexico Luis Díaz
Mexico Adrian Fernández
United States Scott Tucker
France Christophe Bouchut
United Kingdom Danny Watts
United Kingdom Jonny Kane
Debut 2007 12 Hours of Sebring
Races Wins
57 24
Teams' Championships 3 (2009 ALMS LMP2, 2010 ALMS LMP, 2011 ALMS LMP2)
Constructors' Championships 2 (2009 ALMS LMP2, 2010 ALMS LMP)
Drivers' Championships 3 (2009 ALMS LMP2, 2010 ALMS LMP, 2011 ALMS LMP2)

The Acura ARX-01, later known as the HPD ARX-01 is a series of Le Mans Prototype built for sports car racing, specifically in the American Le Mans Series, Le Mans Series, and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It is the first purpose-built race car by the Acura division of Honda Motor Company, part of their multi-year program to eventually compete in endurance race. The car debuted in 2007 in the American Le mans Series before expanding to customers in Europe. Over the years various specifications of the ARX-01 chassis have been developed, each signified by a letter suffix. In 2010 Acura withdrew their name from the program and Honda Performance Development which developed the car for Acura continued the program into 2011.

At the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Acura officially announced their plans to develop a Le Mans Prototype program for the American Le Mans Series, competing in the LMP2 class for the initial year of competition in 2007. Acura announced they'd be using customer chassis from Lola Cars International of the United Kingdom and Courage Compétition of France, while the engine would be built entirely by Honda Performance Development of the United States. Acura planned to use the customer chassis for the first year, then to build their own chassis for 2008, followed by another new chassis for a move to the top LMP1 class in 2009. At the Detroit auto show, Acura showed their first customer chassis, a brand new Courage LC75.

Following the announcement of the three teams involved in the project, Acura announced that for 2007 each team would concentrate on a certain aspect of development for the planned 2008 car. Andretti Green Racing and Highcroft Racing would use Courage LC75 chassis, and work on chassis design and aerodynamic modification. The third team, Fernández Racing, would use a Lola chassis and concentrate on developing the new Acura V8 engine. A third Courage LC75 would be retained by Honda of America for use as a developmental prototype.


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