Acura Motorsports released the first official images and details for the all-new, electrified Acura ARX-06 prototype sports car, which will make its competition debut in January 2023 at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The latest in a line of successful Acura endurance racing prototypes, the ARX-06 features Acura-specific bodywork and aerodynamics based around an all-new ORECA LMDh chassis which utilizes an electrified hybrid power unit featuring an equally new, bespoke twin-turbocharged 2.4 liter V6 internal combustion engine designed, developed and manufactured by Honda Performance Development [HPD] the racing arm for Acura Motorsports in North America.
Powertrain
The Acura AR24e power unit was developed by Honda Performance Development to bring electrification to the Precision Crafted Performance of Acura's endurance sports car racing program. The complete hybrid power unit is based around the Acura AR24e internal combustion engine (ICE), an all-new bespoke 2.4-lliter, twin-turbocharged direct injection racing V6 that was designed, developed and manufactured by HPD. At 2.4 liters, this is the smallest displacement ICE conceived by HPD for endurance racing, yet still meets the performance target of 500 kW as measured at the rear axle by torque meters. It features a 90-degree V-angle to reduce its center of gravity and polar moment of inertia. In addition, the combustion chamber has been designed to run on sustainable low-carbon fuel. 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.
Chassis
Both IMSA in North America and FIA World Endurance Championship rules require manufacturers to use one of four approved prototype chassis, fitted with IMSA-homologated, manufacturer-designed and branded bodywork and engines. In the case of the ARX-06, HPD and Acura have elected to continue their successful relationship with ORECA [ORganisation Exploitation Compétition Automobiles]. Since moving into chassis design and construction in 2007, ORECA has produced a series of winning sports prototypes, including the Acura ARX-05. 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.
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